1 comments about National Geographic Photography Field Guide : Action/Adventure (NG Photography Field Guides).

1. Bill Hatcher masters this guide with very useful and enlightening tips and ideas.....great great book, best photo guide i've read so far....

4 comments about American Women.

1. Here is an AWESOME ROCKSTAR who knows how to express his sensitive side through his impressive work of fine arts. He was able to capture the essence and inner beauty of a woman through his black and white photography. His images present simplicity at the same time timeless.
   
   American Women is an impressive collection of fabulous women photographed by an equally FABULOUS ROCKSTAR. That alone is worth adding to your collection. It will be the one of "THE BEST BOOK OF YOUR LIFE!" Cold Eyes



2. Bryan Adams (Summer of 69, Have You Ever Really Loved A Woman) lost someone close to him to breast cancer and decided to become a force in raising money to combat the disease. Having already published two books on women in the UK and Canada, Adams turns his attention to the U.S and dedicates the profits of "American Women" to the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York. That effort alone earns it all the stars in the sky. This is a very talented artist who is more famous for his music than photography. You won't find any award winning photography between these pages but that wasn't the point. I believe the point was to focus on women, their strength, beauty and their value. Bryan Adams has accomplished that with a touch of class. "American Women" is worth every penny, especially if "You Ever Really Loved a Woman."



3. I love the book. Tina Turner is in it and I love Tina. I would suggest this book to anyone that is looking for a photography book.



4. Beautiful photographs laid out well with a good mix of celebrity/socialite/political women who effect our lives. Very good value for money

5 comments about Loft.

1. I just purchased 4 books on lofts and this one had the widest range and most current pictures of well-designed lofts. Mostly pictoral--many creative ideas and approaches to this unique type of living space.



2. Short on words, but long on inspiration, this book is fabulous. If you want a book on lofts, this is it. From stark minimilism to chic downtown habitats, this book is for those that love lofts. You will love it!



3. Some of the best examples of innovative design and material usage in loft construction/renovation.



4. The best book published on loft spaces in Manhattan! Rus is the Vreeland of the interior design world!



5. This book focuses on the architectural realm of the loft apartment. Unfortunately it does not contain many pictures of different lofts that are lived in. Instead it focuses on the architectural design, which is quite interesting if you own or are interested in this living environment.

2 comments about Manhole Covers.

1. I put this book into our rummage-sale pile today. As a longtime fan of manhole covers, my high expectations for this book proved unwarranted. The author obviously knows a lot about manhole covers, but fails to share it with us. Instead, there is a minimal text and a great many repetitive pictures, some of which could only be loved by the photographer. If you want to read a model for what this book could have been, I would recommend "The Carriage Trade," or "Building the Nineteenth Century," or "The Baldwin Locomotive Works."



2. Mimi and Robert Melnick are my aunt and uncle. Uncle Bob is my father's brother. A lifelong non-smoker, Uncle Bob died of lung cancer in his late fifties. Uncle Bob and Aunt Mimi became objects of mild derision in my family when they first announced their project of documenting the manhole covers of Los Angeles and beyond. We found it a somewhat frivolous and Quixotic project; in a word, flakey. My wall-to-wall shag carpeted and formica topped parents thought Bob and Mimi were a little eccentric. Memory is fragile. My memory of them is fading and full of holes. I know that their house was full of antique farm implements. A large tangled mass of found wire hung above their mantle. Their fireplace screen was made of chains of old soda can pull tops. I know that I am wrong about this but I remember books in their library covered in yellow paper and shelved backwards. My parents were amused and puzzled that Bob and Mimi liked to vacation in Bakersfield but my aunt and uncle must have found something very rare there that my parents did not have the patience to see. I didn't really know what sort of incredible treasure Bob and Mimi were until Uncle Bob was dead and Mimi no longer attended our family gatherings and holiday dinners. I am very sorry that I didn't know them better but I loved them very much and their example inspired me to try to find a place for the whimsical or extraordinary in my life. You will find their book beautiful and strange. It is beautiful not least because Mimi and Bob found art and design, found humanity and dignity, in a gritty and ignored urban artifact. And this is pioneering work. Very few before them sought life in the abused quotidian. Now such books documenting the gorgeousness and variety of everyday or even debased objects are rather common.

5 comments about Houston It's Worth It (HIWI-The Book).

1. Being a native Houstonian though no longer living there, I was so thrilled to finally see a good book cherishing my hometown!



2. WOW! As I flipped through the pages of HIWI, that is the word that kept popping in my head with each turn. As a native Houstonian there were also many quotes and photos that I quickly related to - 'that is so true!' I have lived in my fair share of cities, including LA, Dallas, Hamburg and a few cities on the East coast, but there is something about Houston that is hard to explain. HIWI helps with that explanation. This book has managed to capture so much about the city and not in a pompus way. Sure, there are certain quotes and even photos that if you have not spent some time here only makes sense to those that have ("The way the Pierce Elevated makes your car go ka-thump, ka-thump" pg 120-121, I LOVE that about the Pierce Elevated!!). Houston is truly a magnificent and magic city and the gang at ttweak did a magnificent job of putting it all together - and all of the Houstonians that contributed their photos and quotes about the city they love!! A great book to be appreciated by both native and transplanted Houstonians, as well as those that have not had the opportunity to visit our fair city.



3. A loving portrait of Houston, Texas. If you live or have ever lived here, you will recognize the pictures. The photos are of the Houston that you rarely see in professional photography books: the people, the quirky stores and buildings, the events, and the little nooks and crannies of the city that are not exactly beautiful or awe-inspiring unless you are a Houstonian. The quotes about Houston are beautiful and strike home in the heart of its residents. This book gives Houston the love that it needs. Nobody else pays attention to our city, so it's up to the residents to pay respects, and this book is a great contribution to that end.



4. The book shows Houston in all its funkiness, which is how it should be. Why should every city look the same? And it might inspire folks to get out and explore Houston like a native.
   
   Must reading for anyone in the tourism. convention, or event planning business.
   
   Plus a great gift from anyone from Houston to send to the uninitiated or to share with those who know and love Houston.



5. This book is a groundbreaking visual testimonial of a vibrant, dynamic and culturally engaging American metropolis - words that, until this book came along, have NEVER been associated with Houston. We may be the country's fourth largest city, but we're the first on the list of American Cities That Are Misrepresented and Misunderstood - sorry Detroit!
   
   Finally - there is a way to show someone what Houston is really about, in a physical, tangible document. If a picture is worth a thousand words, this book has 258 photographs - and that's not including the quotes!
   
   I'm getting this book for all my friends and family members that continue to ask me - "Why are you in Houston?" This book is my calm, confident response to a question I can look forward to hearing no more.

5 comments about How to Create a High Profit Photography Business in Any Market.

1. I read this book first day I've got it. Great material about how to start your own company and what is common mistakes. This book is not about how to create best portrait in the business, its about how to treat customer right and sell your work. Actually, only 50% of the pictures was great, the other half didn't like so much. Thats why I striped one star. This guy is better businessman than a photographer, so if you dream about starting your own photography business you have to read this book. It is very simple and straight to the point. But If you want to take a great pictures just for fun, you should pass. He gave very clear formula to the success only your job is to make it happen.



2. Great book,very informative,learn about job opportunitys.And the correct way of going about getting them.



3. While there are some very useful suggestions in this book no matter what type of business you have, it is mostly geared to selling to an upscale crowd at extremely high prices. I was looking for other suggestions and ways to be profitable in my photography business - not just charging high prices and targeting the rich. If you are established in the photography business, have a fancy studio, and already have a large customer base, this may be the book for you to push you over the top. But if you are just getting started, want to keep your overhead low, and are targeting a larger clientele, this is not the book for you.



4. I bought this book because of other readers' reviews. I was deluded. I want to start a photography business, and except for some very flimsy public relations information and a few general suggestions about business practices, it gave me nothing. Nada. As soon as it came today, I plowed into it looking for help. I don't need a lesson on lighting, thank you very much. I don't need to know that the author has a high end studio that I can't afford yet. I don't need to know that telephone manners are important. Not yet. I want to know how to get launched, how to set up accounts, what I need for permission forms, what copyright issues I'm facing, and there's only a meager dry crust of bread in this book.



5. This book does a good job a mentioning all aspects of a successful photography business, from great lighting, treating your clients, and marketing. I think anyone who applies the information in this book to their own photography business will only prosper from it.

5 comments about Alter Ego: Avatars and their Creators.

1. What fun this book is! The front cover is a "hologram" just like on the covers of some of the books I had as a kid in the seventies, where moving your head a little morphs the photo of two World of Warcraft avatars into a photo of the couple who play them. The entire book is devoted to photos of avatars alongside their players, with brief facts given about each player and avatar. A perfect coffee table book for a gamer or digital culture scholar!



2. Interesting book. Good concept. Excellent cover. It becomes a little repetitive throughout the pages though... I wish there were more interesting people in it. Many of them are very similar to each other...



3. I thought it would be just a nice topical coffee table book, but it is way more compelling than I expected. The layout and form is quite unique. A precious work of art. Each pair of pages a jewel. There is a photo of each user on one side and image of their avatar on the facing page. But it's the couple of paragraphs in each of the users own words that wouldn't let me put the book down. Just amazing the various types of relationships these people have with their avatars. My favorite quote: "I used to be a satanic priest, but now I have a girlfriend."



4. Upon first discovering 'Alter Ego,' it's difficult avoid the feeling that you should have thought of the idea first: a book that pairs photos of people with their images of their avatars. It's not condescending, exploitative or academic--Cooper's images are presented factually, at face value and show that MMO gamers cannot be classified as geeks or otherwise. In fact, the diversity of subjects, both real and in-game, is the book's most enjoyable aspect. 'Alter Ego' may not attempt to engage the somewhat ridiculous debate regarding games as art, but it's depictions of elaborate avatars does prove definitively that gamers can be artists.



5. Alter Ego is very interesting and entertaining. It provides insight to a world of over 10 Million people and a Billion dollar industry. MMOs have been around for years and to see to what extent it has grown is amazing. My first experience was in 1976 at the computer labs at Miami University, Ohio playing a Star Trek game. I bought an extra copy of Alter Ego for my nephew since he will soon be playing MMOs. Excellent photographs and bios!

4 comments about Close Up & Macro: A Photographer's Guide.

1. This is an excellent book for the novice who desires to improve his craft. It is a book I recommend one read before making a serious purchase of hardware. You will find excellent recommendations that will enable you to purchase equipment needed for the type of photography you are most interested in. My presumption, you will not be purchasing equipment that will sit in a closet unused.
   
   In Part Two you will find excellent examples of how to put in practice parts of this craft you may have only dreamed of accomplishing. The author provides excellent help on appropriate backgrounds, composition and design, finding the right subjects, how to learn from others, photographing both flowers and insects, and achieving consistency in your work. Part Two is worth the price of the book.
   
   In the back of the book along with the index you will find three sources that I have found most helpful ... Useful Contacts, Useful Website Addreses, and Suggested Reading. As you would expect the photography causes one to say, "I can do that."
   
   Thus far I have purchased four books on Macro Photography. I rate this and one other with five stars.



2. Nice photos. However, throughout the book the author makes it well known that he primarily uses a medium format Mamiya 645. He has little use for 35mm and almost no use for D-SLR. Little actual "how to".
   Would have prefered more hands on instruction or tips.



3. This is actually a decent book to learn about macro photography. The author covers the basics of each topics in his book, but not much details as to why certain things should be or should not be done. I recommend John Shaw's Closeups in Nature.



4. I enjoyed the images in this book as well as the author's commentary on many of the shots. His thoughts on composition are insightful and very useful. I found this book to be a nice introduction, although the first few chapters where the author discusses equipment and the eternal film vs digital debate weren't very useful.

No comments about Documenting Disposable People.

1 comments about Vanishing World: The Endangered Arctic.

1. This book and its stunning photographs show us a beautiful world that is rapidly changing. "Vanishing World" is not only a tribute to the Arctic wildlife - we meet polar bears, foxes, seals, walrus, birds and whales - but also a fascinating tale of global warming. Words can not describe this extraordinary book. It is clearly the result of enormous patience and commitment, and deserves all the praise it is getting in the press. At a first glance, it is a magnificent coffee table book, but what this is more than anything else, is an urgent appeal to engage. "Vanishing World" is an impressive achievement, and probably the most beautiful nature book in years. Nearly unreal.