No comments about Serial No. 3817131.

5 comments about Edie: Girl on Fire.

1. This is the tragic story repeated again and again of Edie Sedgwick, born into historically noted and millionaire family.
   This book has many more pictures than some of the other books.Also,many pictures of her before becoming Andy Warhol's muse.
   Co-written by David Weiss, who also co-directed Ciao Manhattan! It is a familiar story of beauty and drugs and the dismal consequences.She seems emotionally fragile, breaking apart from page one to the end.
   It is tragic but readable and each the photographs speak a thousand words.
   She has a fascinating kind of face which doesn't hide or betray her feeling.I love this just for the pictures.
   Who other than she could have brought such elegance to a t-shirt and fishnet stockings.
   If you prefer more pictures,this is the right book you.
   For more personal history of her life, Edie:American Girl would be better



2. I loved this book. Edie Sedgwick really is about expression whether it's her clothes or her face. A force to be reckoned with. She was a colorful character and photographed better than most models today and then. Love her and love this book.



3. I just recieved this some days ago, after much expectation on my part, having read the book Edie several times (and watched the movie Ciao Manhattan, though that is subject of another review). The photos on this book are amazing (to say the least), I don't know where they came up with so many and with such good quality. You can see so much of Edie's energy and you can also clearly see why so many people were so enamored and enchanted by her, there is just something she transmits that is very attracting (and tragic, Wuthering Heights-like), even after all these years. However you can also see the dark side in many of the pictures, which is also a well known side if you know even just a little of her story.
   
   The text on the book is only so so (not because of the quality, it's just not much new info here), mainly because the definitive text in my opinion is Jean Stein's, however it is well worth the read.
   
   I find it very interesting that so many years after her death and the Warhol days are over, a book like this can still be published and that so many of us still flock to buy it. Indeed Edie is an icon of the past century.



4. I adored it...full of photo's I'd never seen before of Edie...new quotes, etc. Really gave me insight into her whole vibe & electricity. major fun! and it comes with a great CD with an interview.



5. Edie: Girl On Fire is chalked full of rare pictures and new commentary from the people who knew Edie the best, her husband, friends & family. The co-author of the book, David Weisman, not only shares never-before-seen pictures of Edie but, also marvels at the Edie obsession some 36 years after her death. Weisman & Painter do an excellent job of portraying the real Edie through pictures & stories shared by Edie's family & friends. They don't romanticize Edie as being an victim. In fact, they show that Edie was just like the rest of us. A flawed human being who was trying to find a place in the world during a turbulent time period. Edie's flaws are not glossed over or explained away. Instead, they show what a disturbed and lost young woman she was. Weisman himself knew Edie personally for years. Weisman saw Edie at her zenith and watched her fall apart and ultimately lose her life because of her own addictions & obsessions.
   
   One of the best parts of the book is the pictures. After years of seeing the same Edie pictures over & over, there are finally pages & pages of glorious "new" pictures including scrapped "Life" magazine photoshoots and newspapers covering one of the many fires that Edie started at various hotels due to her speed usage. Another awesome part is the cd of audio interviews Edie conducted towards the end of her life for what would be her last movie "Ciao! Manhattan!" (made by co-author Weisman). Edie talks about her many drug trips and her time at the Factory. She's candid, well spoken and heartbreaking. When listening to this cd of Edie's voice and looking at the pictures, you almost want the ending to change. You want Edie to pull through all this garbage and rise from the ashes like a phoenix. Just like any story, the ending never changes and there's really no happily ever after.

1 comments about Black and White Photography.

1. The text is clear and easy to understand. The graphics and illustrations support the text extremely well. I have found this book to be an excellent text to teach from. Students enjoy reading it and they find it easy to follow. This book also contains wonderful photographs to inspire young photographers. I f you teach photography you should not overlook this well written and illustrated book.

No comments about Rex Ray Notecards.

5 comments about The Digital Printing Handbook: A Photographer's Guide to Creative Printing Techniques.

1. This is an excellent book for the creative photographer filled with images and ideas presented in a clear, concise manner. The good and the bad. The concepts Daly teaches are timeless, but the techniques have been changed by the advancement of Photoshop and printers.



2. Excellent reference on how to set-up your computer monitor and printer to get the best possible photographic prints. It is well written and provides pictorial guidance and how-to's. The section on color techniques has provided me a more clear understanding of color management and approaches with my digital camera photos. It also has a very useful chapter on references & resources.



3. I was looking for some help in printing photographs to my inkjet.
   There were many issues I didnt understand in color management.
   This book was great for me as it discussed every detail including
   color management, differient types of papers, file formats and
   print quaility issues. In addition were some good PhotoShop tips
   for improving your photo prior to printing. Glad I bought it!



4. This isn't a bad book. It's a little basic. It might function well as your first book to answer elementary questions about digital printing.

   I found the sections on color management to be a little thin. If you are looking to graduate to the next level, and want more in-depth knowledge and a better interpretation I'd recommend Photoshop Artistry.




5. As the age of digital photography has dawned, more and more serious photographers have begun to use Photoshop software to manipulate their photographs. But even after going through the arcane tricks of "levels" and "curves" they sometimes have difficulty transforming what they see on their monitor to what comes out of their printer. Even more committed digital photographers wonder if there are alternate ways to use the technology to create art. This book is aimed at the audience of advanced Photoshop users.

   This is not a tutorial for photographers to learn Photoshop. For that I recommend "Photoshop 7 Artistry by Barry Haynes". Instead, this book is aimed at what happens when a file manipulated in Photoshop gets sent to the printer.

   The section that I believe will be of most interest deals with printer color management. Photoshop users want to insure that what they see on their monitor will be what they get on their printer. Most Photoshop books discuss using Adobe Gamma to adjust a monitor but few give the details of calibrating a printer. In just 8 pages Daly tells exactly how to set up a profile for your printer so that your monitor and printer will match up. That alone makes this book worth the price.

   For photographers interested in going beyond sending the command to print a photo, this book will offer a number of ideas. Some will be quite practical, like a discussion of monochrome printing techniques, or instructions on how to make a CD cover for the CDR on which you might save a photo file. Some will be of interest to the photographer looking to push his work into a more artful stage, like a discussion of how to create a rough-edged negative border around a print. And some will serve to remind us of just how far we can push our photographic art, like discussions of overprinting old manuscripts or creating a hand-bound book of photographs.

   The book is not without fault. The discussion of custom printing modes is much too cursory. And even though printed in 2002, the book only refers to the 6.0 version of Photoshop. On the other hand, given the general nature of the discussions, in most cases, this is not a serious limitation.

   If you are not interested in tinkering with your computer to get a better digital photograph, this book isn't for you. But for the Photoshop user who wants to get more out of his or her printer, this book focuses on that task more clearly and concisely than any other I've encountered.

1 comments about Concepts of Nature: A Wildlife Photographer's Art.

1. A very general book to give you an overall feeling about wildlife photography. Have most of his books and he has addressed the specifics of taking images before, but here virtually no technical info provided. Buy this if you'd like an OK coffee table book but not if looking for substantive guidance.

5 comments about The New Darkroom Handbook, Second Edition.

1. This book is a nice and detailed overview of the process, but for me the best part has to have been the darkroom setup ideas for "alternative" spaces. If you've got very little room to work with but you're stubbornly attached to the idea of setting up your own darkroom, this book is definitely worth a look.



2. This book is amazing. It really has everything you would need to know to build a darkroom, from building the walls, doing plumbing and electricity, to how to build a sink. I am so happy I bought this book - there were so many little things I didn't even consider until I started reading this book. Now I know what I need to build the darkroom, and can actually envision what it will be like. I have so many ideas, and I'm really excited about building my darkroom!



3. This is the book you want if you are going to build a darkroom. It is excelent! I got another book and half of it was how to build a wall using drywall. This one was not like that and really had plans and technical information that you want.



4. I just purchased this book because i am planning to build a darkroom in my basement, and it has provided me with alot of information. And if you have a really small bathroom and you think it's impossible to turn it into a darkroom and use it at the same time, then you better get this book. There are floorplans/layouts & elevation provided, as well as pictures to give you an idea of how your darkroom will turn out. There are so many alternatives given that you can't go wrong in builiding the perfect darkroom of your own and save money as well.



5. I found this book to be very practical and direct. What impressed me most was that the authors took into account the fact that not everyone has the ideal accomodations for a darkroom. Each section goes into the how-to of every phase of setting up a simple, basic to the sophisticated darkroom. Everything is spelled out in detail allowing you to "opt out" of any part of the process that you feel may be "over your head" (call the plummer) and to deal with those that are within your reach. In between, the book allows you to peek at how others have set up their facilities. Over all a great book for anyone looking to set up a dark room the "right way".

5 comments about Photoshop Retouching Cookbook for Digital Photographers: 113 Easy-to-Follow Recipes to Improve Your Photos and Create Special Effects (Cookbooks (O'Reilly)).

1. There are many web sites with better information. Take a look on them.



2. The book is ok for what it is. One to two pages of how to do different tecniques to your photos...but if you have any training in basic photoshop you will know most of this stuff. Changing contrast? Making a picture dark enough to look like it is at night? Using layers to import one picture into another and masking out other parts? Using the clone tool to copy from one area and cover up another area? getting rid of red eye using the 'red eye tool'? Very simplistic stuff...and I am only a novice at photoshop. They do cover a section on using raw pictures from your digital camera... I think that covers about 10 pages. For the cost you could find great books on using photography and photoshop. Although visually filled with information with big pictures and small amounts of print...it is great in that area of display...but for the money I would suggest you get "Photoshop CS2 - One On One" by Deke (it will teach you all these tecniques (and comes with a CD of the artwork so you can work with what you are learning) plus teach you how to use PhotoShop. If you want to get a good book on Photo Retouching with Photoshop... I would reccomend "Commercial Photoshop Retouching - In the Studio" by Glenn Honiball. He has been doing Phtoo Retouching for 20+ years and teaches you to use tried but true tecniques that moset every professional uses without all the bells and whistles (you can use just about any photoshop program for these) These two books are a better bang for your buck.



3. O'Reilly hits another ball out of the park with this solid Photoshop book. I love the layout and paper chosen with this serious and the tutorials and examples are just as good!!
   
   Employing a slick design, great writing, and nice, tight size, this book is useful for Photoshop users of all levels who want to learn how to take their images and photographs taken and make them shine!!
   
   If you are a photographer on the level of a newbie/amateur or a seasoned pro, I highly recommend this guide so that you can learn how to make your pictures all the better for any purpose.
   
   Wonderful book and easy to recommend!
   
   ***** HIGHLY RECOMMENDED



4. Its often been said that there are several ways to do the same thing in photoshop. This book just gives you a few ways of doing them. My biggest complaint is that it appears noone proofed the photos. Some photo are of poor quality on 1 page and then fine on another. Another photo of showing a whitening effect shows someone with pink teeth. O'reilly is the best usually when it comes to IT books but this effort is subpar.



5. At last! This is the book I've been waiting for! I've been on the hunt for a book that goes over practical photo editing with Photoshop-you know, how to alter colors, fix over/under exposure, remove distractions, etc. Most books I've come across are either designed for the Photoshop professional (meaning they leave out all the steps between A and Z), or they're too basic. This book is it-a step-by-step guide to Photoshop editing for the casual Photoshop user.
   
   The author does an excellent job in identifying all the Photoshop tools you should be familiar with right off the bat. This introductory material is a great crash-course in Photoshop tools. This basic material forms a foundation for successfully understanding the rest of the book's material.
   
   While there are tools and editing methods the author did not identify, I felt satisfied that the most important tools were not only identified but demonstrated in action. In my own photo editing attempts, I felt like I should be using certain tools, but didn't know how. Using some very illustrative photographs, the author works his way through using the curves tool, the levels tool, masks, layers, etc. The author provides the reader with the tools s/he needs to successfully complete the most common photo editing assignments.
   
   I would highly recommend this book for digital photographers. Huggins' book is now the favorite among my digital photography books.

4 comments about Hello, Please! Very Helpful Super Kawaii Characters from Japan.

1. Okay, I admit this isn't the most eloquent review, but I'm giving this book a shout-out because it is so amusing, adorable, funny. The authors classify these cartoony characters into five sections with an intro for each and an overall introduction prefacing it all. The intros were somewhat informative, not terribly deep in explanation but deep enough. I liked the variety and quantity of images they included and how their captions were set in a solid-color version of the character they are describing on that page. Great gift idea for anyone who likes Japanese pop art and cute, bubbly cartoons in general.



2. The immediate and obvious appeal of this book is seeing so many of these mascot characters "in the wild," but more importantly, the book provides context, explaining how Japanese aesthetics and traditions have affected the widespread adoption of these characters throughout the years. I really recommend this to anyone who is interested in Japanese culture and/or cartooning.



3. This is a great coffee table or gift book. Awesome photographs, beautiful design and insightful text. Totally captures the quirkiness of this aspect of Japanese pop culture...



4. ... a little bit poor in my opinion. I imagine something more sophisticated but it is ok

5 comments about How to Cheat in Photoshop : The art of creating photorealistic montages - updated for CS2 (How to Cheat in).

1. This book is amazing! The tricks and tips are so much fun to try out, and some of the stuff in here is just unbelievably amazing! I absolutely love Photoshop, and it is so much fun learning how to do cool new things to amaze your friends! The projects in here are so creative. And the book also comes with a CD so you can try out the projects described in the book. Excellent book!!!



2. This product was bought as a gift for a bright 16 year old girl. It was purchased to fuel her interest in PhotoShop without her having to first wade through a ton of dry how to. This book allowed her to see what was possible so that she now seeks out the ways that she can do other more mundane applications of the program. It provided what it was purchase for. A match for a creative fire.



3. I purchased this book over a year ago, and I'm still using it. You give several examples in your chapters on how to do a certain task, in a down to earth writing style which I find very easy to understand. I've become so much more efficient in Photoshop thanks to your book.
   Cheers!



4. This is a very fun book to work thru. It comes with a CD that has photos to work with. You will install the CD and use the different effects over and over. I find myself going back to the book on many different projects. Most of the effects are ones that you can use in editing any type of photo. I loved the book and recomend it highly. Even beginners will find it easy to follow.



5. Just got into this book and I love it already. It may help for you to have another book along for tool and palette reference. The accompanying cd-rom is a great help, but i just wish that it had more videos. This book is definitely one of the top PAdobe Photoshop CS2 One-on-One (One-On-One)hotoshop books that I own.