3 comments about Living in Istanbul (Living In . . .).

1. When i bought this item,estimated shipping time was 10-12 days. However, amazon changed the date several times at the date when they were supposed ship. They made me wait four months and at the end they've sent an e-mail saying that they can't obtain this item and they've cancelled my order. It was that easy for them ! Even now, despite that the book is unavailable, they listed the book as avaialbale in 2-3 weeks! Never buy this book from Amazon.com. I am planning to buy it from ecampus.com.



2. Some of you may be looking for a book on this subject for more than good photos but I won't detail about the writing. I feel that the other review on this book has already done a good job on that. I just want to say it is a great book even if it is just for the photos. Very beautiful photographs - perfect for coffee tables, etc... I have visited Istanbul and the photos make me sick to visit again.



3. For anyone under a spell of Istanbul, this is a book to have and behold. The photography is excellent if also typical of glossy coffee table books: romantised and beautiful, very - yet the images chosen cover a wide range and offer interesting and evocative - or inspiring, if you like - insights into the life in Istanbul and its settings. Visually, then, the book is a little gem (far better than another recent one, "Living in Turkey"). There are several essays included whichare of varying quality. The preface by an Ottoman princess is - on a second reading - not too bad and rather charming, while her attitude - both nostalgic and protective is as expected as, perhaps, it is befitting, too; a diary by a Turkish writer leaves one with mixed feelings and somewhat at loss as to what is at stake in it (in my opinion, it is the weakest of the essays in the book). "A Day in Istanbul" is rather matter of fact description of the city by and what there is to be seen. "Interiors" is probably what most people would expect to find in a book like this - after all, it leans heavily on interior decoration; the selection of interiors is, as expected, very biased: focusing on yalis or the more contemporary residences of the fashionable Istanbulites, Turkish or foreign - but then, most interior books do the same and this is not to say it is not pleasant to behold, only that at times the text seems little bit selfindulgent in terms of the people whose homes are shown - of course, as long as we don't know these people and their names mean nothing to us, it doesn't really matter, but I can imagine that people, say, in Istanbul might read and view the book rather differently... (also, it might be noted that the books is written by people who mostly reside someplace else than Istanbul). The only section where the text surpasses the pictures is the one about the palaces, or I felt so, as they don't really give you a sense of the buildings nor the interiors - it is a very personal selection and quite small one at that, too. The following section on "Traditions" saves much of the book anew: only, minor, drawback is that the relevant text and pictures don't manage to keep pace but are separated, at times afew pages apart. Finally, the "Rendezvous" is a pleasant, casual and intimate, retake on the city as to what to do and where to go, especially if you don't have a home in Istanbul and you have to experience the "living in Istanbul" through cafes, bars and restaurants. The last part, "Visitors guide" would have been best left out: not only does it start to turn the book - ambiguously and dissapointingly - into a guidebook, but it will also date it - no doubt, when first published, it was useful and it will be nostalgic in a hundred years' time, but in between it is bit of a letdown. Yet, in spite of its drawbacks, it still remains the best book I've found currently available on life and interiors in Istanbul. And some of my friends who know the city better than me, agree. I myself borrowed the book from a library, kept it for a month, extended it for another and then bought my own copy...

3 comments about FUCK YOU TOO: The Extras + More - Music and Skating thru > '04.

1. I had to write this review because no other Amazon customers have given
   this book the review it deserves (other than the press reviews). This
   book is unbelievable, if for nothing else, just for the sheer volume of
   Hardcore Punk, Hardcore Hip Hop legends, Hardcore
   Skateboarding (much Dogtown), and MORE, all in here. Friedman's previous
   book was much more selective, he says this is his "scrapbook" of
   leftovers but he's really downplaying it, it's much much more in several
   ways. This one contains a way larger cast of characters and is much more
   relaxed in it's presentation. I think it's cool for that. Only downfall
   is that it's a softcover, but for $20 I can't really complain. There's
   over 300 pictures in this 168 page book and it just looks amazing, so
   much energy comes off the pages. It's a perfect companion to F*** YOU
   HEROES with this 2nd edition black cover, I love it.
   
   Lots of amazing obscure PUNK shots, of the Bad Brains, Black Flag, Dead
   Kennedy's, Misfits, TSOL, Wierdos, Minutemen, Minor Threat, Husker Du,
   D.O.A., Social Distortion, Reagan Youth, Circle Jerks, the Make-Up,
   Suicidal Tendencies, Cramps, Big Boys, Ramones, GERMS, the
   Faith, Necros, Descendents, Adolescents, Stimulators, Discharge, the
   Damned, Murphy's Law, UK Subs, Angelic Upstarts, S.S. Decontrol, 999,
   BuzzCocks, tons of Fugazi.
   
   Classic incredible Hip-Hop shots of Run-DMC, Beastie Boys, LL Cool Jay,
   Ice-T, South Central Cartel, Busy Bee, Slick Rick, Doug E. Fresh, Ultra
   Magnetic MC's, KRS-1, Kurtis Blow, King Tee, PUBLIC ENEMY, A Tribe
   Called Quest, Fat Boys, Eric B.& Rakim, even U.T.F.O.!
   
   The skate shots are of all the originators in DogTown (Tony Alva, Jay
   Adams, Shogo Kubo, Jim Muir, Paul Constantineau, and Stacy Peralta -
   Dogtown skate photos not in any of his other books - most notably of Jay
   Adams at the DogBowl.) Some great East Coast shots too, and classic
   early stuff of folks like Duane Peters, Steve Caballero, Lance Mountain,
   
   Gator, Blender, Ray "Bones", "Wally", "Playboy" Bobby Piercy, Steve
   Alba, Alan "Ollie" Gelfand, Tom Groholski, Mike McGill, Eddie Elgura,
   Christian Hosoi, and more.
   
   Some of the other obscure interesting shots include portraits of Rick
   Rubin, Russell Simmons and C.R.Stecyk. Music stuff of the DeadBoys-Stiv
   Bators, Go-Go's, Sting of the Police, Billy Idol when still in
   Generation-X, AC/DC, Iggy Pop, Johnny Thunders, and killer shots of
   Slayer.
   
   Believe it or not there's more I didn't even mention. You will be
   pleasantly surprised by this book. It packs a great punch of classic
   shots that you won't find by any other photographer anywhere.
   
   EXCELLENT!



2. love this book
   esp cuz it includes a photo from 1993 roseland nyc fugazi show and i am in this photo



3. "It's odd how many of the photographs are familiar. Five minutes with the book and I'm counting the number of shots that were on my bedroom wall growing up." -NEW YORK PRESS

   "Many of these pictures are recognized as the subjects' definitive portraits, and it's a revelation to find they were all created by one man... Friedman is in awe of the loudest loud young mouths of the last fifteen years. He respects their impact immensely and he's committed to passing inspiration around." -WARP MAGAZINE

   "Fuck You Heroes & Fuck You Too have all star casts that'll make any coffee table look dope." -SLAP MAGAZINE

   "If Glen E. Friedman's pictures of seminal punk rockers, daredevil skateboarders and ground- breaking Def Jam artists were set to a soundtrack, it would have to be "Rebel Without A Pause". They, like the photographer, are energetic, gritty and awash with old school cool... If you're into grunge, hip-hop, or skateboarding now, this is the photo album of your roots." -SOURCE MAGAZINE

   "The lineup of defiant faces and quotations he's assembled is a challenge to all up-and-comers." -REQUEST MAGAZINE

   "This book is an important social document... `People need to see these pictures; they need to be reminded of what they were like when they were young.' And that according to Friedman is the point: `Who needs to grow up? All you do is lose your integrity, lost your ideals, lose your drive.'" -VIBE MAGAZINE

   "Honesty, unfettered by dogma and convention, can only survive outside of limitations, Fuck You Heroes and Fuck You Too are pictorial documentation of that wide open world... Seeing these edgy, exciting images in one package is an unforgettable experience... FYH & FYT are not for those who think punk, rap or skating is a fashion statement. It's only for those who had no choice but to grow up different, real and true." -RIP MAGAZINE

   "Up close and intense... It gets to the nut, then cracks it." -SPIN MAGAZINE

   "In Friedman's images--bird-flipping skaters, snarling punks and posing-hard rappers alike-- the overarching message appears to be more than, simply, fuck you. It is instead fuck you with a subtext: I reject you outright. Reject you and all of your stupid, petty beliefs and limitations; I am against you and that for which you stand, so high and mighty. In the shorthand for , the sub-language of the moving body: the finger. I don't need to talk to you. Fuck you. Think for yourself." -NEW YORK PRESS

   "For nearly two decades, Glen E. Friedman's noted photo work has served as a historical log on the seminal suburban/urban subculture. From his earliest days as a 13-year old skateboarder photographing top mid-to-late 70's skate icons like Jay Adams and Tony Alva, to his documentation of the burgeoning early-80's hard-core punk scene (captured in the `82 cult soft cover classic My Rules), to his high profile work as a renowned hip-hop photographer (most notably, the legendary album jackets for Ice T's Power and Public Enemy's Yo, Bum Rush The Show), Friedman has kept his finger on the pulse--not for fame and fortune but as a vital lifeline." -PAPER MAGAZINE

   "Revealing, naturalistic and deserving of attention... Friedman's approach, his dedication and the quality of his photography should all be applauded." -BLUR MAGAZINE

   "In twenty years these collections will be considered time capsules, an encyclopedia from an important decade and a half of modern mayhem and change in popular culture. What makes FYH & FYT fly is the intensity and honesty that looks you in the eye from Friedman's 1/250th second perspective." -JUXTAPOZ MAGAZINE

   "Friedman has trained his lens on groups like Minor Threat, Black Flag, Fugazi, the Beastie Boys and other punk pioneers with the same skills with which he's frozen hip-hop pilgrims like L.L. Cool J and Chuck D. in honest, intimate moments of power and integrity. Friedman's camera seems to have been part of the action, so when Friedman's there, you're there. And Friedman has literally been there throughout his career. -LA VILLAGE VIEW

1 comments about Artist's Digital Photo Reference - Landscapes.

1. The CD that comes with this book is great. It has lots of hi-res photos, organized by category. I was less impressed with the example projects in the book. Load these photos into Photoshop, and go crazy!

5 comments about Digital SLR Photography with Photoshop CS2 All-In-One For Dummies Reference For Dummies (For Dummies (Computer/Tech)).

1. What a wonderful book! Turns out the book goes above and beyond the great description that I read. I'm very happy with my purchase and will purchase 30 more for my photography students! It really breaks down a complicated hobby into easy and understandable information.



2. Although not new to digital photography I have found this book reveals many aspects of the subject which in many other books are frequently not explained fully enough to totally grasp the concepts or are explained in such detail that one has to fathom what it's all about.
   
   Explanations are clearly detailed on how to optimize such subjects as exposure, balancing white point, controlling color, archiving images and numerous others aspects of digital photography.
   
   Kevin gives readers the opportunity of trying a number of exercises relating to the contents of the book and even offers images which can be down loaded from his web site.
   
   This book is well illustrated with explicit explanations and the setting out of topics makes for easy understanding. A book well worth reading for both the enthusiast and experienced photographer.



3. After much thought and reluctance I finally have made the transition from film to digital and purchased a DSLR. I needed a book to help me make the transition and decided on Kevin Ames' book. A very fortuitous choice on my part indeed. He writes in a fashion that is interesting, informative, to the point and most importantly easy to understand. As a result of using the book as a guide I have enjoyed the digital transition thoroughly and have come to realize I have made the right decision.
   What impressed me the most was when I had a problem registering for downloads from his website and I emailed him. I was expecting an email in return. Got not an email but a personal phone call from Kevin to help me with the problem!! Kevin was extremely helpful. He not only took the time to solve the original problem but gave some very good advice on other issues as well. His enthusiasm for photography and willingness to share with others his knowledge and expertise is evident in the book and was borne out by a personal phone call from him. I am very impressed. Buy the book, you will not be disappointed.



4. I have enjoyed this book which provides a good blend of 'understanding your camera' with 'how to work magic with it' in CS2. I have recommended the book to others; especially those confused with all the camera and CS2 technologies. I refuse to lend it as I'm afraid I won't get it back.



5. For those not fortunate enough to attend one of Kevin Ames' workshops, as I recently did, this "Dummies" book is the next best thing. Whether you are a beginner to digital photography or a practicing professional, Digital SLR Photography with Photoshop by Kevin Ames is a valuable addition to your "toolbox."
   
   Ames is that rare combination of artist and teacher, and this book is one of the most comprehensive, clearest and easiest to follow "how to" books that I have come across.
   
   I've been a photography hobbyist for more than fifty years and the early chapters on fundamentals were still a worthwhile refresher. As a serious amateur my pictures are important to me, so I found Ames' unique approach to non-destructive image processing, disciplined file organization and foolproof archiving to be extremely valuable and essential information.

5 comments about Women Who Light the Dark.

1. "Hope is not a noun but a verb. It is something that one does. Do nothing, and you will have no hope. Do something and you might make a peep hope in the world through which hope could sneak back into the world." This quote from Joe Volk, Executive Secretary of the Friends Committee on National Legislation, speaks so directly to Paola and to "Women Who Light the Dark." Paola and all these women are doing something to bring hope back into the world. Thanks to Joe and Paola for bringing hope back into the season. Give this book to others and share the hope.



2. If they can do it, we can do it. If women in desperate straits can Light the Dark, so can we. That's Paola Gianturco's message to me in her most recent photo essay book on bright, brave, colorful women. Paola's own creativity and courage show in her exuberant, emotion-laden pictures and accurate, persuasive writing. All of her books are beacons of hope and achievement. Having or giving this book affirms our own values and indeed Lights the Dark, since all of Paola's royalties will go to the Global Fund for Women.



3. I was lucky enough to hear Paola Gianturco speak about her new book, Women Who Light The Dark. She is just an amazing woman and it's so incredible and wonderful what she has chosen to do at this time of her life--she's in her sixties and she's trekking up mountains in Nepal to see a special graduation celebrating young women trained to be mountain guides, sitting in cement block class rooms with young women who have been raped in Zimbabwe (you know the story--men thinking they can be cured of AIDS by raping virgins as young as six--some of these men are these girls' fathers and brothers!) listening to their terrible stories and sharing in their joy at becoming educated and capable of taking care of themselves. Everywhere Ms. Gianturco goes she documents not only the abuses heaped on women but women's indomitable spirit--to not only survive and find a means of supporting themselves but their determination to make sure their children have a future and that includes education! It is truly inspiring to see what these women create out of nothing but imagination, hope and sheer indomitable will! The photographs in the book are beautiful and evocative, capturing the spirit, the hope, the beauty and vitality of women in almost every part of the world. The accompanying narrative is also fascinating as you follow Paola Gianturco on her incredible ventures around the world. To add to the pleasure of purchasing Women Who Light the Dark, Ms. Gianturco is contributing ALL of the royalties to the "Global Fund for Women." In short, there are many, many reasons to purchase a copy of this beautiful, uplifting book.



4. The photos are riveting, and the text is compelling, but what's really special about this book is the women it features. Their courage and imaginations will give readers hope -- and goosebumps.



5. This book is a gift to all of us who wonder how will we move beyond the darkness that seems so universally prevalent today. Paola has traveled to some of the darkest areas of our world, where women and girls are gravely endangered. She has found remarkable women, who have little, use their imaginations, creativity and will to alter the resigned lives of many. This is so much more than a 'coffee table' book with gorgeous photography. It is to be read and savored and see that there is real hope in these desperate degrading situations, to change the lives of many for the betterment of us all. It is a gift to give yourself, as well as your friends and family to start 2008 with hope and possibility for a more caring world.

5 comments about Understanding Adobe Photoshop: Digital Imaging Concepts and Techniques.

1. As an instructor, it is helpful to have a book like this available as a reference for my students. Each topic is well presented and the included DVD is a great bonus.
   
   This one is on my must have list.
   
   Jim Hoerricks
   http://forensicphotoshop.blogspot.com
   Author of Forensic Photoshop - a comrehensive imaging workflow for forensic professionals



2. This is by far the best Photoshop book I have come across for beginners. As the description states: "teaches you the fundamental digital imaging techniques" ... "many Photoshop books focus on features, tools, or techniques, this book covers both the basics and delves into specific skills, tricks, and uses" ... "in a friendly style" ... "with a DVD-ROM" (excellent companion to book). In my humble opinion, that is exactly what it delivers. In fact, I was impressed with this book for those beginning in Photoshop as it delivers the key core skills (regardless of software version) needed to develop as a Photoshop buffin, that it is now one of the core books we provide our students at the start of their graphic design course. Highly, highly recommend it.



3. I have found this book to be very easy to understand. The DVD is a great companion, showing exactly how to do certain things in Photoshop. I am a college instructor and this is one of the sources I use to teach my students the ins and outs of the program.



4. Super didatico de com as aulas em DVD , onde podemos fazer passo a passo em uma forma direta, e uma dedatica bem voltada ao photoshop avançado



5. I am using this book for my high school Photoshop class this fall. The video lessons and the organization of the material will work well for my juniors and seniors, most of whom have had some prior exposure to the program. The cachet of using a college text will also appeal to them!
   Brenda Godwin
   Proctor Academy
   Andover, NH

5 comments about Reading National Geographic.

1. Quite simply, I don't buy into 90% of the authors claims, and the authors seemed to be completely blinded by their own preconcieved ideas that they can't be at all objective in their interpretation of the subject matter.

   Ultimately, this books is nothing more than rhetoric about "white male dominated racist Western culture".

   The authors clearly had this notion in mind when they wrote this book, and it taints virtually the entire book to the point where their conclusions aren't even remotely believable as being the result of objective research.




2. I found this book to be thorough in its research of the geographic as an American institution. It presupposes that the reader is well aquainted with Gramsci's notion of mass media and the Frankfurt school borne out of this belief of hegemony perpectuated by a controlling elite. The author also takes liberty that the reader is aquainted with research methods using coding to differentiate subjects responses to pictures portrayed. Lastly, the author's use of interviewing technics and the subsequent interpretation of those responses enables the reader the opportunity to realize how the geographic and social background of the readers influence the perceptions people have when encountering this quasi-scientific journal. As an anthropological study this book illuminates the ethnocentric idealations of the Geographic's demographic readership, that is upper middle and middle class white euroamericans.



3. The book is about the "making and consuming of images of the non-western world." And images, after all, "have taken over from written texts the role of primary educator." The two look at a set of 600 photographs published in the magazine from 1950 to 1986 (roughly their NG -reading lifetimes). They argue the photos are selectively chosen to present a view that does not disturb middle-class American self-identities and connected views of the 3rd world. The photos usually show a gentle, peaceful, content, colorful exotic people who, though they might not be wealthy yet, are on the road to modern progress on the Western model. The non-Western world is appropriated, its description has helped maintain social hierarchies in the First World. Even worse, the NG's practice goes so far as to abet war-making on the people it purposefully misunderstands.

   There three methodological steps are to look at the process of producing the images (a social endeavor over which no individuals have total say throughout the process), examine the structure and content of the images, and identify how readers view the photographs.

   "We chart the tendency of the magazine to idealize and render exotic third-world peoples, with an accompanying tendency to downplay or erase evidence of poverty and violence. The photographs show these people as either cut off from the flow of world events or involved in a singular story of progress from tradition to modernity [ahem, two very different things unless you're not thinking hard about "modernity"], a story that changes with decolonization."

   Their goal is make NG and other mass media "understand and historicize the differences that separate interconnected human beings," to heighten empathy without fostering stereotyping or paternalism.

   Criticism: I can't deny that the writers made such a negative impression on me with their dogma and attacking hyperbole (and dripping class resentment) that their useful ideas are weakened in my view. I wouldn't assign this to students I hope will write well.




4. The title of this book grabbed me: READING NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC. I now wish I had not grabbed up the book. Doing what the title suggests is a fairly benign activity; the only danger you face in reading the magazine is falling asleep in an inappropriate place. Let's admit it, National Geographic articles are written in a very prosaic style. This however is not news. We have been reading the magazine long enough to know the truth behind what one of it's past editors is quoted as saying: "only what is is of a kindly nature is printed about any country or people, everything unpleasant or unduly critical being avoided". Most of us have been around long enough to know that such cultural relativism, homogenization, and plain-vanilla humanism makes for some very boring reading.

   That however is probably the only thing that you really need to know about NG. I certainly didn't need to know - and now knowing, don't believe, - as the authors believe that in depicting the naked breasts of native women: "the magazine and its readers are caught between the desire to play out the cultural fantasy of the oversexed native woman and the social controls of sexual morality..." This fixation which makes up an entire chapter "Women and Their Breasts" only highlights the real difficulty with the book's analysis. It is shallow and leans heavily towards a feministic cultural critique; it's also narrow in that it mostly looks at how NG depicts cultures. What about the other subjects the magazine looks at?

   Boring writing aside my continued enjoyment of National Geographic comes from its explorations of wild places and its emphasis on nature. I much prefer this to what READING NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC would have me do - ponder whether the magazine is a pernicious contributor to the spread of Western supremacy, colonialism, imperialism, and the homogenizing influences of a white middle class world view.




5. In this book, Lutz and Collins deconstruct the system of misrepresentation in which National Geographic functions as purveyor of cultural/historical fact. The authors problematize NG's systematic misrepresentation of the non-West and examine how those misrepresenations resonate with its 'American' audience through reinforcing the self-other binary. NG encodes a white, middle-class, male (straight) worldview, and as such, tells us more about the standardized/naturalized/anesthetized 'American' culture than about those it 'studies.' Through analyzing photographs and their captions and interviewing NG staff, the authors reveal the racism and paternalism that are at the heart of the National Geographic gaze.

No comments about The Amazing Life Picture Puzzle Page-A-Day Calendar 2009 (Page a Day Fun & Games Calendr).

5 comments about The Nikon D200 Dbook: Your Interactive Guide to DSLR Photography.

1. I can not get this CD to work on my system. Maybe your experience will be different, but for me this purchase is just a loss.



2. The idea of an interactive manual is a good one but I think this one got a bit lost along the way. The use of tables, pictures, and sidebars is a normal practice in printed books where you can see two pages at a time but on screen when you can only see one page at a time interruptions to the text in mid-sentence can be disconcerting. Also, buyers should be aware that the photoshop actions have to be downloaded from the publisher's website since they were left off of the cd.



3. I love my Nikon D200 and am always on the lookout for a book that will help me to get more out of this expensive collection of hardware and glass. I own several D-200 books that are, at best, annotated, paraphrased, and rehashed versions of the existing Nikon User Guide. So it was with some degree of doubt that I approached the Nikon D200 Dbook. My first surprise was it was not just a manual on a CD. It is truly an interactive reference guide. For example, when I read the section that covered menu settings for saturation, the book not only made recommendations for the settings, but when you clicked on the menu setting (which looks exactly like the one in the camera) the photo in the book changed to reflect what change was produced. Too cool. They also include some step-by-step solutions to common setups. I especially enjoyed the section on flash photography in which they showed examples of the effects of different different flash settings and the effects that could be created. In addition to covering what appears to be all aspects of the D200, they have also included a fairly detailed course on digital photography in general. The printed book (about 30 pages) provides a snap summary of how to use the Dbook, an overview of the camera controls, and the menus.
   As both an author and a photographer I think this is an excellent book that should serve as a model for all books of this genre. The only limitation is that you must have a computer to read it but if you are a serious digital photographer you already have one or more notebooks. If you are shooting with a D200 you need to get this book. Eat beans for a week or put off buying your next camera accessory, whatever it takes. This book, if you read it, will make you a better D200 photographer period.



4. 'The Nikon D200 Dbook: Your Interactive Guide to DSLR Photography' is more like a book that comes with a disc. Yes there is a hardcover 50 page book that has bright, nice pictures, but the content of how to use your camera and what it can do for you is all found on the enclosed CD with the book. Does this type of 'book' work for everyone? Probably not. It's a very niche way to teach and learn. If you are the type that likes thumbing through a book and book only to learn how to use things, this will NOT be for you. If you are the interactive type of person that wants to sit in front of the computer and flip through pictures and learn in an interactive way, the content on the CD is thorough and usable.
   
   Recommended for those that don't care about how the information is presented and want to learn how to use their Nikon in a good way. Also recommended for those that prefer to learn on the computer. Not for those the want to do it "old school" and sit with a huge reference manual on their lap.
   
   **** RECOMMENDED



5. Rockynook was of great help in solving a problem initially caused by an incomplete Adobe Reader download. I can now make full use of the Interactive Guide Manual. It's an outstanding publication, revealing every aspect and all functions of Nikon's D200 in a very special way. In comparison, other publications previously purchased, do not come close.
   Udo Koch - Stuart, FL

1 comments about A Year in Japan.

1. If you liked A Year in Japan (the book), you will love this, because it's reproductions of the best parts of the book, in postcard form. I may never actually send any of these postcards because they're almost too beautiful to send.