3 comments about Roadside Photography Guide to Glacier National Park.

1. I'll agree that some of the photos aren't of the greatest quality but I would still recommend this book. This book will definitely be going with me the next time I visit Glacier National Park! And I really like how the author included the odometer readings along with the photographs.



2. The photos in this book range from average to very, very bad. After flipping through it once I'm not sure now if I should throw it away, give it away, or try to get my money back. I cannot believe that these images ever made it into a book. I will see if there is any way I can get my money back from amazon.



3. I bought this book to help me plan a trip to Glacier National Park. It is nice when people tell you that you "must see" but actually seeing the pictures to know where you are going and what you will actually be seeing makes the trip must more pleasurable for me. Great book wonderful pictures.

3 comments about How to Grow as a Photographer: Reinventing Your Career.

1. While reading some not so positive reviews from the post but went ahead to buy it anyway and am glad I did. This book is for photographers and their business. If you want to be inspired or having creative block, then other books may be relevant. There are some practical and difficult questions to the readers on growth and change which I myself is resisting or too lazy to adapt. Mr. Luna shares some honest and practical based stories and interviews from the pros to illuminate some of the myth about success. If I may be bold to say, do your best work and tell everyone about it and hopefully you get noticed. But read it and get inspired.



2. I have been a working photographer for 20 years. I only wish I could have read this book before I started. This book reveals the peaks and valleys that we all deal with and how to make the most of every situation. I highly recommend this book to any person who is making a living in the commercial arts.



3. Not only should one not judge a book by its cover; one should also not judge a book by its title.
   
   To me growth as a photographer means becoming a better picture taker. That can be accomplished by learning and applying technique and, as or more importantly, developing one's vision so that one can more easily see the photographic. (I know that's probably a tautology. But a clearer explanation will have to wait for a different book.)
   
   That's not what growth as a photographer means to Tony Luna. To him, growth means striking out in new career directions. Perhaps Luna ought to call himself a career consultant instead of a creative consultant.
   
   Luna's book is centered on what he calls "Transition Analysis", a five-step process that includes recognition, assessment, planning, implementation and validation. Luna's method is to recount his interviews with various professional photographers whom he suggests have changed their career directions. Most of the stories are interesting, but they impressed me not as stories of changes in direction but rather as stories of natural growth that didn't require much conscious application of the author's process. Alternatively, it may be that the process described is just a natural way of doing things. What would have convinced me of the value of transition analysis would have been the story of a photographer who was dedicated to a specific genre, like, say, landscape, who had reached a creative and financial dead end, and had then applied transition analysis to find a new career as, say, a wedding photographer. (Perhaps I'm not being fair. The author does recount the tale of a photographer who wanted to spend more time with his family so he gave up being a car photographer and became a wedding photographer. But that sounded like such a natural change that I don't feel it supported the author's process.)
   
   Moreover the advice to "follow your passion" which is reemphasized throughout the book reminded me so much of Joseph Campbell (George Lucas' mentor) saying "follow your bliss" that I half expected Obi-Wan to whisper "Let the force be with you."
   
   Other than aiming his book specifically at photographers, there's nothing here that other creative consultant's like Eric Maisel haven't been saying for years. Moreover, if you are a true artist and driven by your art, the kind described by David Bayles and Ted Orland in their brilliant "Art and Fear", neither a five-step method nor a twelve-step method may be of much help to you.
   
   Still, if you're a professional photographer, and you feel like you've hit a wall, and have to change something, this book may help you to change direction. But if growth means greater vision, don't look here.

2 comments about Time: Annual 2007 (Time Annual: the Year in Review).

1. It is a great book to review the "major" events of a given year with good text and photos. I give one to each of my grandchildren with a personal note on what I observed about each one for that year.



2. I started collecting "Life ~ The Year In Pictures" in 1985 and looked forward to the annual edition. In recent years, I feel the change to hard-cover has lost some of the originality of the earlier issues. As with everything, the cost increase does not equal the increase in quality; the quality of early issues is gone. I miss the old "Life" and much prefer the magazine format. It seems that as this publication grew in popularity, it was issued later and later each year (missing one year altogether)and now we have an "editors idea" of what happens when you fix something that isn't broken. Very disappointing in recent years!

No comments about Icons of the Highway: A Celebration of Small-Town America.

No comments about Magic Lantern Guides: Nikon D60 (Magic Lantern Guides).

5 comments about Camera Maintenance and Repair Book 1: A Comprehensive, Fully Illustrated Guide (Camera Maintenance & Repair).

1. Good follow up for Book 1. If you are interested in camera repair this is a good place to start.



2. good starter for the novice. sometimes difficult to follow initially. but
   over all a good intro.



3. too few illustrations, too much "figure out the construction", too much "make notes", that is not helpfull



4. The book offers a guide to what you will face in undertaking camera maintenance and repair work. It does not offer detailed procedures for the repair problems of specific camera design. You will be on your own which is only good if you have the making of a good camera repair person.
   In my opinion the book will not be helpful for the majority of readers who have dreams of doing serious camera repair work.



5. Great companion for when you are traveling and need a quick fix

No comments about Artists and Their Studios.

2 comments about Chicago's Nelson Algren.

1. With an artful eye master photojournalist Art Shay gives a treasured glimpse of American culture and Chicago history. Not just outstanding images, but Shay provides a wonderful read as well.



2. Art Shay's latest work will certainly contribute to his status as an American Icon. Every time I look through the book I delight in finding something new. This book would make a great gift for Nelson Algren and Chicago fans alike.

3 comments about The Big Book of Babies (Big Book of . . . (Welcome Books)).

1. As a photographer and the proud owner of 26 images published in this book I should also admit that my review might be a tad biased. Still, I was completely impressed with the presentation of this coffee table book. The images featured showcase a variety of styles from your totally adorable every day snapshots, to some truly stunning professional portraits in addition to several very famous images of celebrity babies. The sentiments added to the pages seem to bring just the right touch to the photographs. Well designed and well printed, this is a must have for anyone who loves babies!
   
   Terrilyn O'Neil - [...]



2. As a baby and child photographer, I LOVE this book. Beautiful photos and really cute stories throughout. Who doesn't love pictures of babies??!!



3. Since 34 of my images appear in this book, I am likely a bit biased. But it is a beautifully printed book and quite a joy to thumb through and take in the imagery and sweet quotes.
   
   Connie Groah, Barefoot Photography

No comments about Cool Shops Los Angeles (Cool Shops).