4 comments about Studio Photography: Essential Skills, Fourth Edition (Photography Essential Skills).

1. What a horrid book. Full of ugly example images, it fails to cover what is really needed in a studio book. The practice quiz after each chapter are a joke, with no answer key given. Some of the questions are over things that the author did not even discuss. Don't waste your time and money.



2. since their are not many digital photography books for instructors,
   they pick what they think will fit the bill-it's irritating when they don't even look at the book before requiring it. the book is o.k., but
   should not be used for a textbook! it's insulting. to anyone interested in
   photography keep this in mind-photography books, especially
   the old and true, and info. on the internet will teach you the basics. because photography is mainly digital, it is very well suited for self-study. don't waste your time buying required marginal books and paying for photography classes. your money will be better spend on good glass(lenses) and a tripod, and of course learn photoshop--just my opinion
   on a friday night.



3. This book really is an insult. It's "lesson" and "assignments" are HORRIBLE. They ask you to research in magazines different lighting effects that you think were used in his book. In a field where doing is truly the best learning experience this book is not worth the paper it was printed on. Check it out from a library if you must but you will shortly find it is an insulting read.



4. I had to purchase this book for a university studio photography course...unfortunately, the instructor never even flipped through it. It is by far the WORST photography book, really the worst book I have ever purchased! There are typo's, the "example photos" and instruction sometime are not the same. The projects are lame and really teach nothing. I would not recommend this book under any circumstances...AVOID AT ALL COST!!! [...]

5 comments about Magic Lantern Guides: Nikon AF Speedlight Flash System: Master the Creative Lighting System! (A Lark Photography Book).

1. I like this book. Unlike most of the book in this series that mostly written for people who lost a manual this one goes far beyond manufactures manual. Even if you a not a Nikon flash users it contains some information that could be interested for anyone in flash photography.



2. I have been looking for help with the Speedlight system for over a year - since first purchasing my SB-800. There only ones I found were out-of-print and obviously too outdated to matter anyway! If you think figuring out how to access all the power of one model is difficult, just imagine trying to cover all the models Nikon has produced since it introduced TTL. Add to that the fact that Nikon bodies change the available features. (The current digital bodies like D200 are covered as well). A daunting prospect for any author. So the good news is that I found the book very helpful and it clears up a lot of my confusion. The bad news is that you must sort thru a lot of info about Speedlight models and film bodies that you are unlikely to own.



3. This book was WAY over my head. It was a struggle to understand and I did not finish but about half of it. If you are not an advanced lighting technician you should look for a more simple SB-800 guide. I wish I had known this before I purchased it. Nikon has a CD that I wish I had purchased instead. This book was too technical for me.



4. Here's a book aimed at Nikon camera owners using the speedlights that make up the Nikon Creative Lighting System (CLS). Perhaps the most innovative function of this system is the ability to exercise a new degree of control in the use of multiple lights.
   
   The book starts out providing some basic flash concepts and explaining Nikon's nomenclature (which is often confusing because of the similarity of terms over the years) for its different flash modes. The author follows with a discussion of flash techniques, including direct flash, bounce flash, and repeating flash. The most practical chapters tell you how to use a single speedlight to take pictures, and how to use multiple speedlights. Finally, there are descriptions of both the early digital speedlights, i.e., the SB 28DX and the SB-80DX and then the components of the CLS. There is an addendum on the D80 which has a built-in speedlight that works with the CLS, and which probably was necessitated by Nikon bringing that camera to market as the book was going to press.
   
   The book is aimed purely at the technical side of using these speedlights and does not touch on the artistic use of the lights. This book probably was in response to the difficulty that some people had in understanding the manuals that come with Nikon products, and integrating the manuals from several different products. But this effort at integration creates its own brand of confusion. The author tries to tell you how to use the products with both film and digital cameras, but since the automatic features of the CLS have to be handled differently for film and digital cameras, the instructions are somewhat confusing. I suggest you go through the book with a magic marker and highlight the sections applicable to your type of camera (and if you shoot both film and digital, you'd better use both a yellow and a blue marker!)
   
   Moreover, don't think you can skip over any of the material, because important information may just have a passing reference in an unusual place. It took me several readings to understand that I could not use my SB-28DX with a digital camera for multiple speedlight use. (That's not altogether true - it's possible to shoot in manual mode, but if you are going to do that, you lose all the advantages of modern speedlights. You're better off junking your old SB-28DX and getting a new CLS speedlight).
   
   There are several pictures included in the book but they are of a rather pedestrian nature and add nothing to one's understanding of Nikon speedlights. Additionally, except for the cover there is no color printing in the book. Finally, for a system that has been on the market for a couple of years, this book looks like it was rushed to market with many typographical errors.
   
   The Nikon CLS system offers unprecedented opportunities for photographers to use flash for better pictures. However, if you are looking for ideas on increasing your creativity, look elsewhere. On the other hand, if you are still having a problem with the technical side of your speedlight, like how to set your SB-800 to control the lighting balance of a second flash, this book will prove useful to you.



5. I have Simon Stafford's "The new Nikon compendium" and use it all the time as reference. I purchased the current book before purchasing a Nikon R1 flash kit. While Mr. Stafford mentions the compatibility problems between various camera bodies and this kit, no mention is made (in the book) of the fact that you CANNOT use the R1-kit, or the SB-R200 flash system, with a stack of Nikon LENSES - they are incompatible - and serious damage may result, esp when using AF. Nikon says "the weight of this Speedlight when attached to the front of the lens will cause excess strain on the barrel and helicoid, affecting lens performance". Whilst thankfully I have not damaged my lens (found the fine print in the manual before using the kit), I would have liked Mr. Stafford to have done his research, and I would have liked to have been warned! I have spent a lot of money on the R1-kit after reading this book. Not happy.
   
   Then I tried to refer to the book on how to use the Nikon D200 camera in commander mode with the new Nikon CLS speedligths. And while I could find the info on how to set up the SU-800 controller, I just could not find any info on how to set up the camera itself to act as a commander, when not using the SU-800 commander. My camera does not need the SU-800 commander, so I don't own one. So I ended up refering back to the Nikon camera manual to find out which menu item to set and how. Hmmm. Shouldn't this info be in the book? Easily accessible and indexed?
   
   Anyone want to buy a slightly used book about the Nikon AF Flash system?

5 comments about Lapdancer.

1. I liked this book but couldn't get through a lot of the letters, they were so fake seeming, though I'm sure they weren't. The general storyline was good and the pictures are telling in their crudeness. A nice "coffee table" book.



2. Juliana Beasley shows a real and sometimes shocking side of the strip club industry. The pictures are not of glamourous dancers, they are of real women who work in strip club, and their stories aren't always pretty. She is honest about what goes on in the lap dance rooms.
   
   As a dancer I can relate to what was written in this book. My experience has been different than the author's, but I recognize the stories she tells and I appreciate that she didn't sugar coat the truth of the matter. She was honest about her participation, and that is refreshing, and her photography is beautiful.



3. I was happy to get my hand on this book, since it truly changed my opinions about people in the sexy dancing industry. Who are the victims here? The dancers? The customers? None of them? All of them? There are no easy answers after looking in this amazing piece of work. Beasley has managed to really look into the human side of this world, which is all to often showed in a matter of cheap sensation. I would say this is documentary photography at it's very best. Moving, clever, passionate photographs that really makes a difference.



4. when I first saw this book, it captured my attention right away. Finally, a real life account of a woman with a plan who "chooses" the darker side of employment to find finacial security. Not only that, but it included short stories from the woman she worked with AND the customers they served.
   How could this get better?
   PICTURES! very real pictures of real people displaying the Grit, the Glamore, and sometimes the "I don't want to see that". I love artsy coffee table type books and this is now a permanent fixture in my living room.
   I've spent many a night in the loud, dark, smokey clubs filled with naked woman shaking their ass-ettes in my face. I never truly understood the truth behind their job or life style untill I picked up this book.
   This book is real, its raw, and it sheds a dim light on the subject of stripping. I recomend this book to anyone who has ever been to aa strip club, or entertained the idea of working at one.



5. Great book, the photo's are an insightful look into a world most of us never see.

   Beasely captures natural and spontaneous moments that at times were shocking and sensitive towards the subject matter. As a veteran stripper, she looks wisely at her own experience working as a lapdancer. The book is also interspersed with sincere interviews with customers and dancers. throughout the book.

   Unlike other readers in the review section, I was particuliarly moved by the humanization of the subjects instead of what one normally sees--sensationalized male fantasies. No Barbie dolls here! Most impressive are the customers' honest dire need for closeness and the dancers sincere ambivalence about their relationships and simultaneous cunning to make a good salary.

   I found this book a contradictory pleasure and at the same time a bolt disturbing reality of a world in which the lonely buy affection and attention.

   I'm thankful there are some artists out there who are not afraid of showing the truth without imbedding their own feminist agendas into the framework of a documetary book which is complete with photos and text.

   A must read!

5 comments about Annie Leibovitz: American Music.

1. I am conflicted in how this book could reflect American Music. I bought this book as a requirement for my doctorate of music. The pictures, though they were sometimes vivid, I do not feel the book accurately paints a picture of American Music. Perhaps, Ms. Leibovitz should have gotten help from a musicologist (one who is an expert on the history of music) because it is a poor representation of music. It is like saying pop singers are musicians, which they are not. It is an insult to all true musicians in discounting their hard work. American Idol does not represent American music and neither does this book.
   I wasted $30 on this book and though I have never resold a book, I will gladly sell this book back. Do not waste your money.



2. If you love the blues, or love photography this is a great book. While not specific to just Blues musicians this book just makes me think of good old delta blues. The prints in this book shine like they were hand printed by Annie herself. Theres a heart and soul driving this book from begining to end.
   This is a more personal project for Annie Leibovitz and so doenst allway have her studio style inside.
   That does not mean that each photograph is not amazing for they are, but some are a smaller more
   candid world that Annie Leibotiz is capturing.



3. I just saw this exhibit at our MoMA, and the work is outstanding. Some of the images are color, some black and white. There are a number of styles and artists, ranging from the very famous to those unknown outside of their small communities. The point is that these are images of musicians--it's that simple.
   
   Sometimes, Liebovitz's work is witty, sometimes it is unflinching in its honest portrayal. There is vulnerability in the subjects of her black and whites because they are so close, often just the face of the subject. To term them "ugly" is simply wrong. It is rare to see behind the artifice of celebrity images and see performers without makeup and with their skin texture and pores visible. Some of the photos are taken in people's homes, or backstage rather than on a set. This lends considerably to the intimacy and honesty that she is trying to convey.
   
   If you want shots of your favorite singer looking oh so pretty, go to their PR person. This is a serious body of work from a renowned photographer. It blends both her celebrity work with her own private interests in portrait photography for non-commercial audiences.



4. The catalog is gorgeous, the photographs are indeed spectacular. While the written entries were wonderful, they were too few and left me wanting more. I guess that's a good thing!



5. In response to another review on this site, clearly if you think the book has "poor aesthetic quality" You know nothing of photography or art for that matter.
   The people in this book are beautifully portrayed in silver and in color. Clearly the photographs were taken over a number of years, which shows the scope of the project.
   The only thing that I find wrong with this project is that it may be unfinished. The book is called American Music. Cleary that is why there are mainly blues, rock and roll and hip, country/folk and hip hop artists. Obviosly everyone would like to see their favorite artists in the book and have the ones they dislike removed. I however feel that this is the artists choice, and we have to live with it. If Leibovits decides to put out a 'Part II' it would do all of us a favor.
   The only reason why I don't give this a 5 out of 5 stars is that most of the photographs don't grab you by the face and demand your attention. The ones that grab me the most are the artists I folllow, so perhaps there is something in that. Some measure of knowlegde that must accompany the photographs. Buy the book anyways...and listen to more blues albums. I didn't check this review for spelling, HA!

5 comments about Inside Havana.

1. I was born and raised in Havana. After 13 years of living in the States, I recently purchased this book. The handling of lighting in the pictures is just masterful. Because of my familiarity with some of the places pictured and with the architectural styles depicted, I could almost feel as if I was part of the scene; I could smell the air and hear the voice-filled environment of some of the street scenes captured. This is the best photography book in my collection, despite a handful of pictures being on the weak side as far as the theme is concerned. The rest more than makes up for it. Highly recommended!!



2. All the pictures are beautiful, the photography is excellent, but some of the images are a little weak and uninteresting. With a little more self-criticism and a little more work the book could have been really good.



3. I was so surprised that I actually found 2 pages of pictures from my Aunt Amelia Pelaez'house in this book!!! And what pictures!! Shows her bedroom perfectly. Other pictures are of a real and depressing Cuba. Some people think Cuba is a Tourist paradise and they forget the citizens of that same heavenly paradise! Cuban people are dying of hunger and many parts of the city are hidden from tourists, they're not allowed to see the real Cuba, which yu can see in this book. Wonderful pictures of Cuba! Bought 4 kept one gave others as Christmas presents!



4. I thought it would have more of a written description, not just pictures



5. This book is such a great buy. The photographs are amazing; filled with rich textures and colors. If you are looking to expand your art library, I would definitely recommend this book.

2 comments about Penguins.

1. Ok, I'll admit it, I love penguins. I loved Happy Feet (the animated movie). There is something about these human-like creatures that enthralls and this book fills in all the gaps in what I know - and didn't know! - about these marvelous birds. Of cours, like his other book (bought 4 of them for friends!) Wingtips, this book has images that really, for the 1st time, bring their world to life. The penguin scrathing his head is so human, it's frightening! If you even like penguins, you'll love them after this book. And for kids, it's just about the most useful, understandable and interesting book on birds I've ever read. I'm using it as a bedtime story book.



2. A large format style book that primarily consists of photographs with only relatively minimal text in comparison. This isn't a negative as the photographs are excellent. Every page has at least one near full-page sized photo, with some pages having up to two or three at most while other photos span both pages. The photo captions are brief: stating penguin type, location, and time of the year taken.
   
   The penguin photographic coverage consists mostly of the Adelie, Rockhopper, Gentoo, African, King, and Magellanic penguins although some others are covered in much less detail. One type noticably absent is the Emperor penguin - although the Emperor is well covered in many other publications. Here though there is only one photo in the back in the species section maybe? Would possibly have rated this as a 5-star book if it was expanded to include the famous Emperor penguin in the same detail as the other penguins covered. As is though, definitely recommended.
   
   If you're looking for a photo book detailing multiple penguin types then this is a great start.

5 comments about Primitive Photography: A Guide to Making Cameras, Lenses, and Calotypes.

1. This book is perhaps one of the best ever written in the field of alternative photography. And while that may seem like a bombastic statement, I assure you that nowhere else will you find a book in print that lays out the complexities of lens design, camera construction, photographic chemistry, etc. in a way that a non-math, non-science layman like myself can understand. I thoroughly recommend this book for any person tired of the "digital revolution" and want to get back to the true joy of photography- the process!



2. With the rapid disappearance of film, this book is the perfect vehicle for anyone wanting the capability to produce photographs that are truly original. Not only make the photographs, but the camera and lenses, too. And each facet of each component of Victorian photography is evaluaetd and then the ideal process recommended and detailed. Great book!



3. Originally conceived as a means to "photographic self-sufficiency" -the ability to make photographs completely from scratch, author and photographer Alan Greene has written an impressive guide to making cameras, lenses, and calotypes that will be invaluable to students of mid-19th century photographic technique and any photographers who would like to discover new ways of seeing and photographing the world around them. The book consists of five chapters: "The Film Holder", "The Camera Body", "The Lens", "Calotype Paper Negatives", and "Salt Prints by Development". Each chapter provides detailed step-by-step instructions on how to make these items, along with lists of the tools and materials needed, and some historical background. Instructions are accompanied by detailed diagrams where appropriate and sometimes by photographs illustrating the procedure. Most of the necessary materials may be found at hardware and art supply stores, although you will have to get some chemicals, lens elements and a contact printing frame elsewhere. There is a list of sources for supplies in the back of the book, as well as a bibliography that may interest photographic historians, and an index.
   
   Chapter 1, "The Film Holder", is dedicated to making film holders and focusing screens. Instructions are given for two sizes, one that is intended for wet paper negatives and one for dry negatives. You may choose to make the holders in a different size, however. Supplementary measurements are provided for those wishing to construct a film holder for use in a modern 8x10 view camera, so you won't have to do the conversions yourself.
   
   Chapter 2, "The Camera Body", is dedicated to making two types of cameras: a sliding box camera for use with wet or dry negatives and a collapsible folding camera for use with dry negatives only. (The collapsible camera is meant to be portable, and wet negatives aren't ideal for hauling around, as they don't stay wet for long.)
   
   Chapter 3, "The Lens", is dedicated to making 4 types of lenses: the singlet (landscape lens), the symmetrical duplet (periscopic lens), the asymmetrical duplet (portrait lens), and the symmetrical triplet. These lenses may be used with a modern view camera by substituting the appropriate lens board. Instructions for making lens boards for both cameras from the previous chapter are provided. This chapter also does a nice job of explaining the basics of simple, combined, and compound lenses and the properties of lenses in general: focal length, angle of view, circle of illumination, aperture, transmittance, and various types of aberration.
   
   Chapter 4, "Calotype Paper Negatives", is dedicated to 2 types of paper negatives: wet-paper process and waxed-paper process. Wet-paper is considered most appropriate for portraiture because the negatives must be used quickly after sensitizing, before they dry out. Waxed-paper requires longer exposures but is dry and need not be used quickly. These negatives are suited to landscape, architecture, and anything that requires time to locate. There are lists of recommended papers for both processes. Step-by-step instructions take the reader through Iodizing, Sensitizing, Exposing, Developing, and Waxing the negatives. You can choose from several recipes for Iodizing and Sensitizing solutions.
   
   Chapter 5, "Salt Prints by Development", is dedicated to making prints. The author has chosen to give instructions for making prints "by development", which is a combined chemical and sunlight procedure, because those prints are faster, less expensive, offer more contrast control, and are more stable than prints made with sunlight alone. There is a list of recommended papers. Instructions are given for both Immersion and Floatation Starch-sizing procedures, Salting, Sensitizing, Exposing, and Developing the print. Greene has also included instructions for The Serum Process, which uses whey instead of salt, including directions for how to make the whey from milk.
   
   "Primitive Photography: A Guide to Making Cameras, Lenses, and Calotypes" is a terrific manual for mid-19th century printing processes. I love the digital darkroom, but I find the basics of image capture and camera construction fascinating. To say that building the equipment in this book or making calotypes is a lot of trouble would be an understatement. But being so directly involved in creating an image on paper has an appeal, at least from time-to-time, that pressing a shutter button on an impressive piece of 21st century technology does not. "Primitive Photography" provides some interesting alternative ways to see the world and to capture it.



4. Very interesting stuff. This author does a very accurate job of describing primitive techniques in the darkroom and in the making of a camera. For darkroom enthusiasts, you'll really enjoy this stuff. It's a bit heavy on the mathematical technical stuff, sometimes I felt as though I was sitting in a calc exam. Now if you'll excuse me I have a salt print to go make.



5. This is an absolutely amazing book. The reason I would call this "Advanced over Primitive Photography" is that most photographers are not in love with the processes, rather simply composing the image. With that in mind this is indeed advanced in concept and requiring more than just an "eye."

   This is not simply a guide to building a camera; it is a look into the history of photography as well. If you love your dark room as I do, then this is definately a book you NEED to have. I intend on purchasing a second one for the shop/darkroom and maintain one for my library.

No comments about Industrial Landscapes.

No comments about American Landscape 2009 Wall Calendar (Calendar).

4 comments about Santa Barbara.

1. This book really shows the heart of Santa Barbara through beautiful photography that really captures all aspects of such an amazing city-- we are using it for guests to sign at our Santa Barbara wedding :)



2. I have been a Santa Barbara resident for over twenty years and the book truly captures the beauty of our city. We recently purchased the book for family in Germany so they can share in the blessing we call our home.
   
   Sven Klein - Santa Barbara, CA



3. The pictures are increadible. This truly captures the beauty of Santa Barbara. There are many shots from areas that most tourists will never see. This is a great book to suplement a travel book to help plan a trip.



4. It's a wonderful book for keepsake!
   Great pictures that capture the beauty of Santa Barbara; the book also provides ideas for sightseeing. With the book, you don't have to worry that you don't take good pictures or you miss any thing. If you enjoyed sight seeing or taking photos, this that sure worth what you'd paid for it..