2 comments about Matchibako: Japanese Matchbox Art Of The 20s & 30s.

1. The most commonplace items of the past occasionally become treasured collectibles today. But miniature advertising graphics that adorned Japanese matchboxes were more striking (forgive the pun) than common as one discovers in this delightful introduction to Matchibako by Maggie Kinser Hohle.
   
   The matchbox labels depicted in forty-two full-color plates are from the collection of designer Naomichi Kawahata. The collection itself spans the 1920s and 30s and provides snapshots of a country in transition and internal turmoil, both embracing and decrying modernist influence of industrialist nations.
   
   Above all, the images in this micro gallery had one intent, to advertise anything from sox to sex. These palm held billboards enticed the holder with promises of "modern" life, euro-hairstyles, jazz cafés with sexy moga (modern girls) or pitched the entaku (yen-taxi) delivering fares anywhere in Tokyo for only one yen.
   
   It is said that "good things come in small packages" as does this superb gallery of 42 plates, with one matchbox label to a page, perfectly frames the near-actual sized labels so that each reproduction appear larger than life.
   
   Another highly unique aspect of Matchibako is the accordion page format, which if you were to unfold would stretch over fourteen feet from cover to cover. Hohle's 4.75 x 4.75 inch art book was not meant for the bookshelf, but to be left in plain view to entice closer inspection in the same way the original matchbox labels delivered their messages over seventy years ago.



2. This tiny little book is a perfect gift for any Japanophile or matchbox collector. Built like an accordian, its pages exhibit gorgeous Japanese matchbox covers from the 20's and 30's, images like I've never seen before, accompanied by explanations chronicalling why the covers are so unique: they were manufactured during a time when Japan was transforming from traditonal to modern, from culturally-singular to Western-influenced. One panel, for example, shows a Japanese girl depicted in a strikingly untraditional manner, not simply because of the flapper haircut she sports or the cigarette hanging from her mouth, but because of the decidedly cubism-influenced illustration style.

2 comments about Spectacular Homes of Georgia: An Exclusive Showcase of Georgia's Finest Designers (Spectacular Homes).

1. I purchase a lot of interior design books -- two from this publisher simultaneously. The photographic quality of this book is no different from the other one -- less than desirable. While the book is printed on nice paper and the cover is attractive, many of the pictures inside are out of focus, outdated, and very few of the rooms are "fresh" and inspiring. Most of the photographs, if not all, are from local showcase houses from the 1990's. I frequent many showcase houses in Georgia and have seem many rooms that are truly inspired and looked beautiful and designed by top notch interior designers. These authors missed the mark. The title does not do this book justice. I think the title should have been "Out of date and late in Georgia" or "My high school art project". At best, this was a very disappointing purchase.



2. When you think of 'Spectacular Homes' you tend to think of LA or New York, maybe Aspen or some place like that. You don't think of Georgia, or at least I don't.
   
   This book shows that I should think more about other places. And to be sure, Atlanta is home to some large companies (Coke for instance) that have produced wealthy families. So why not Atlanta.
   
   This book showcases the work of nearly fifty designers that have produced homes easily worth picturing. As one of these architects says, 'what's right is whatever the client wants.' And the homes shown here vary from ultra modern to Gone With The Wind traditional, from formal to casual. Above all else, the rooms shown are 'Spectacular.'
   
   The book is on interior design, so it does not show the exterior of the house and its settings. The rooms may be in the houses of the designer, they may be of clients. The designer picked the house and the room to show off their work. The photography is excellent, including some very tricky views where the sun coming from outside would tend to confuse the camera. After that it was beautifully printed, on high quality paper to show off the photographs.
   
   A good idea book, a good coffee table book.

2 comments about Friendship: Celebration of Humanity (M.I.L.K.).

1. I saw the exhibit of these photograghs at Grand Central Station when I was in NYC. The pictures were beautiful and you could truly see the humanity in the eyes of the people photographed. The photographers really captured the spirit of the people in these pictures. I was moved to tears just looking at the pictures. If you love photography you will love this book.



2. I saw the exhibit of these photograghs at Grand Central Station when I was in NYC. The pictures were beautiful, and you could truly see the humanity in the eyes of the people photographed. The photographers really captured the spirit of the people in these pictures. I was so moved just looking at the pictures. If you love photography you will love this book.

2 comments about DVD: Magic Lantern DVD Guide for Nikon D80 Digital SLR Camera.

1. I found this DVD very helpful in understanding the use of the camera. I will agree with previous reviews that it is somewhat superficial. It should be noted that this is instructional only in the use of this specific camera. It is NOT a good introduction to digital photography.



2. I am new to dslr's. Inching my way into the D80 with just the manual was a long tedious process. The DVD guide was very helpful in getting started, but that's where the help ended. It got me started but no more. I expect a lot more depth into digital photography in general and on using the advanced modes (P, S, A, M) specifically. The DVD describes these modes and provides the obvious. But we, novices, need most of the help with the PSAM modes, not the PhD (push here dummy) modes. The result - I have yet to get a picture in one of these modes that is better than the PhD modes. The editors may excuse this superficiality that depth is beyond the scope of the DVD. Well, OK, that's why they get only 3 stars. Add more depth and you may get five.

2 comments about Creative Careers in Photography: Making a LIving With or Without a Camera.

1. I purchased this as a gift for my sister. I was impressed with amount of information this book offers about all different areas of photography. It is well-organized and thorough. My sister enjoys it.



2. Career opportunities and challenges in all areas of the photo industry are presented for any aspiring photographer who would turn a passion into a paycheck in Creative Careers in Photography: Making a Living With or Without a Camera. All kinds of photography careers are considered here, from architectural photographer and art dealer to photo researcher, curator, and college professor. Students who love photography will be avid patrons of libraries who stock this practical guide to a photography career both behind and beside the camera.

5 comments about Flickr Hacks: Tips & Tools for Sharing Photos Online (Hacks).

1. Granted, the book is pretty good. But why? All the information is readily available in the Flickr help, Flickr forums, or just performing a google search. Not to mention, by the time the book arrives, there will be newer methods/ techniques. I love Flickr, but the point is having your 'visuals' online- information on Flickr is more dynamic online too.



2. 'Flickr Hacks: Tips & Tools for Sharing Photos Online' by Paul Bausch is a great guide for anyone that likes to share photos online and uses or plans to use the incredible web app Flickr. 50 Hacks/Tips await you in this book, and I'll highlight some of my favorite hacks here:
   
   07. Feed Your Latest Photos to Your Web Site
   08. Make a Photo Gallery in 30 Seconds or Less
   11. Play with Tags
   23. View Flickr Photos on TiVo
   33. Download a List of Photos
   42. Build a Custom Upload Script
   44. Find the Dominant Color of an Image
   50. Make a Slideshow
   
   If you enjoy working with photos and want to get more out of your experience, start using Flickr and learning from this guide... FUN awaits you!!
   
   ***** RECOMMENDED



3. Flickr is not just a photo sharing site. It's a community, a toolset and maybe it's a way of life. You can post images from Flickr to your blog or other web site. You can upload images via e-mail or direct from your mobile phone. You can swap, share, geo-tag (add location data) and creative commons copyright your photos, screen shots and digital artwork. Think of Flickr as your personal image management centre.
   
   This book provides an "open sesame" to this Aladdin's cave.. in one 'easy to read' volume. It delivers both an overview of the vast range of Flickr uses as well as detailed recipes, including code, on 'how to'.
   
   The code samplets might just deter some less technical book shop browsers from buying. That's a shame, as even those with no intention of ever writing any Perl or PHP or otherwise accessing the Flickr API will find more than enough to interest them.
   
   This single volume overview helps 'fast track' your Flickrability, giving you a short cut down the learning curve. That's what "hacks", and the whole wonderful O'Reilly Hacks series, are all about.
   
   The exposition of the variety of these Flickr apps actually inspires you to think outside the frame and conjure up your own Flickr apps.
   
   It's got me using my camera phone shopping and in household and automobile maintenance. See another great O'Reilly book in your local book shop but want to compare prices with another store? Click the book's image and check later. We needed oven repairs but couldn't tell the model, so click and Flickr, forward the URL to the supplier's tech department for advice. There's a crack in the retaining wall. Click it, date it, check back later to see if it's getting worse. Not all these uses are flickr apps, of course, but they show you how the 'new' technologies of cameras, camera phones, and the web work together. And Flickr has emerged as a key part of the story. They are delivering new "synergies" for everyday life.
   
   I've been thinking of using my camera phone and Flickr to create a web based inventory for my book, CD and DVD library. Click and flickr avoids lots of typing. Sounds good to me. Why not a Flickr based 'business card' database? It would be shareable and accessible, for both upload and view, from multiple platforms. And you can control user access fairly easily. And the relatively small size of camera phone images is an advantage. It makes uploads easier. The Flickr hacks book doesn't tell you how to do these two specifically, but it does provide the tool kit.
   
   "Flickr Hacks" gives us a few hints at the life story of Flickr itself. It tells us how Flickr began life as multi-user on-line game. It would be great to get more background of this kind. I suppose that will have to wait for another book. Hopefully we'll see "the Flickr Story" one of these days.



4. Flickr is one of those web sites that has gone in directions I don't think anyone ever imagined it would go. What started out as simple photo-sharing is now a full-featured site with a programming API. Many of these are covered and explored in the book Flickr Hacks - Tips & Tools for Sharing Photos Online by Paul Bausch & Jim Bumgardner.
   
   Contents: Sharing Photos; Tagging Photos; Viewing Photos; Community; Maintenance; API Basics; Custom Applications; Index
   
   At the core, Flickr is a site to share pictures online with friends, family, or anyone else you open your pictures to. And pretty much, that's all I've used it for. I don't take a lot of pictures, but the ones I have taken that relate to shared experiences (like Lotusphere) have made it up there. In fact, someone sponsored me for a professional Flickr account (thank you!), but it's about ready to expire. I wasn't planning on renewing it at that level, but I may have to reconsider after reading this book. The book is about the size of a normal Hacks title, but there's only 50 hacks in here. As you can imagine, each one goes into much more detail than normal. And there *is* some fun stuff in here. If you have a little background in PHP or Perl, you can really get crazy, too. For instance, I didn't know you could email photos to your Flickr account. Hack #6 shows how that works, and it explains how Flickr can often serve as a real-time look into breaking events such as the London train bombing. People were using their cell phones to take pictures and then mailing them in to the Flickr account. Or for fun stuff, you can use the Flickr API to build routines to create "ransom note" messages (a different picture for each letter, "glued" together into sentences) in hack #47. Hack #48 shows you how to take one of your photos and create a "slider puzzle" out of it. And in between those two ranges you'll find a number of things that will cause you, like they did me, to say "Flickr can do that?"...
   
   If you use Flickr and actively load photos out there, this will be a "must read" book to enhance and expand your Flickr experience. Even if you're just a casual user like me, you'll have your eyes opened to some new possibilities. Now where was that Flickr renewal email?



5. [...]
   
   Flickr has to be the best and most popular photo sharing website on the planet, without doubt. Over the past year since I've been a member and wrote an article for MyMac on this number one shutterbug community. I've amassed a couple of dozen bookmarks and RSS feeds based Flickr and Flickr related websites. Some include RSS feeds to my favorite photographers, others include sites that help me do fun and cool things with my photos, and others are just cool ways to navigate Flickr's immense collection of images. In fact, for the last six months, my Safari homepage is a Random Photo Browser that delivers me a page of fresh photos every time I open Safari.
   
   If you're new to Flickr or want to get more out of it, Flickr Hacks covers just about everything there is know about storing, sorting, and sharing your photos as a Flickr member. What has taken me months to learn and collect in my Flickr bookmark folder, you can learn in about a weekend. One of the appeals of O'Reilly's series of hack books is that they give you the tools to expand and deepen your experience and use of popular sites like Amazon, Ebay, and Google.
   
   For those new to Flickr, Flickr Hacks introduces you to the basics of setting up an account, uploading your photos to the site, sharing your images, tagging them, joining Flickr pools, and building your own Flickr screensaver and random desktop backgrounds.
   
   The book explains several ways to upload your photos to your Flickr homepage. You can do it through the site itself, you can download a batch loader or your can use two of my favorite apps developed by Fraser Speirs of Connected Flow. He's built a plug-in uploader for iPhoto and has just released, probably as this book was going to to press, an a Tiger Automator action that enables you to upload a selected image file directly to your Flickr homepage. With this action, you don't have to open an application, fill in a box, or even convert the size of your selected image. Just control click and upload. Simple, easy, and fast.
   
   For us advance Flickr members, Flickr Hacks reveals what is called the API underpinnings of the site. According to the authors, API is an "incredible application program interface (API), which lets you interact with Flickr in unique and powerful ways." Pages and pages of various codes and command line language might scare off many potential readers of this book. Even a title with the word "hacks" might either excite the loins of young emerging computer programers or make novice computer users scared they're doing something illegal. But the latter is not the case. If you carefully read the instructions for the 50 different hacks explained in this book, you can possibly have more fun and save more time navigating Flickr itself.
   
   Of course, the book gives a link to a ZIP archive file of all the individual codes and scripts discussed in the book already saved as text files. As of this writing, the webpage for this link is not posted, but I'm sure that will be remedied very soon.
   
   Some of the more advanced hacks in this books don't seem worth the trouble for me personally, but many others I plan to give a try. I would like for example to customize my Flickr badge for my blog site, create contact sheets of my favorite Flickr photos, capture all the comments I've made on the photos of other Flickr members. The advance hacks explained in this book are not essential to exploring the site, but if you're interested in learning more about the underpinnings of web programming, learning how to run these programmatic hacks on OS X's Terminal (Unix) command line or as CGI or PHP scripts on your web site or server, it wouldn't be a waste of time.
   
   There are other advanced hacks about building a Flickr Color picker, modifying the metadata of your posted photos, tracking the favorite photos of your Flickr contacts, using Google Map to locate other Flickr members, or finding which Flickr members might be listed in your Address Book.
   
   Many hacks in the book are crossed referenced so that after you've signed up as a Flickr member, you can basically start with any hack you like. Some hacks are merely just links to fun things you can do with your and other Flickr member's photos. For example, Hack #46 references FD's Flickr Toys which is a great collection of online apps that will convert your Flickr images into calendar pages, posters, mock magazine covers, slide shows, and much more. Numerous Flickr pools have been created to showcase cool photo projects based on these fun online tools.
   
   
   [...]

5 comments about Japanese Homes and Their Surroundings (Tuttle Classics).

1. Several years ago I bought a reprint of Dr. Morse book and it has become not only a treasured Clasic but a Bible of information. Although there are no pictures, none are needed with Dr. Morse drawings and detail descriptions.
   E L Smith



2. I bought this book about 3 years ago from Amazon. So you'd think that it would be old hat by now. Yet I find myself picking it up at least once every few months to either refer to it for a construction detail or just to look for something new. What a wonderful resource for traditional Japanese design this book is.
   
   Trained as a Zoologist, Morse put his scientific powers of observation and systematic description to work during the 1880's in producing the sketches and text that describes a world of everyday Japanese design right before it was swamped with Western influence and largely disappeared. There are plenty of books that can show you pictures of ancient Japanese temples and teahouses, but what about the method of constructing the roof of an ordinary 19th century Tokyo home? This was stuff that few people thought was worth recording for posterity. Which is why Morse's book is so unique and valuable to us.
   
   Anyone with more than a passing interest in the way that things are built or designed would do well to put this book on their shelf. Interior decorators, architects, DIY types (such as myself), finish carpenters, contractors and furniture makers should all have a tattered, dog-eared copy of 'Japanese Homes and Their Surroundings' within easy reach. It is a constant source of inspiration.



3. "Japanese Homes and Their Surroundings" is a great book. If you've any interest in traditional Japanese architecture, get this book. Edward Morse was an American who went to Japan in 1877 to study brachiopods. He ended up recording a vanishing way of life instead. He tells you how Japanese homes were built and why they were built that way. Not much escapes his eye. In serviceable prose and clear drawings, he tells us about carpenters and their tools, houses, furnishings, privies, fences and gateways, water supplies and gardens. Most of it he compares favorably to American and European counterparts.
   
   Best of all, it's a Dover book and cheap.



4. I picked up the Dover paperback edition at a library book sale and was charmed by the author's detailed drawings as much as the description of domestic life in 19th century Japan. Morse originally published this in 1885, barely 30 years after Perry's expedition, and traveled around Japan documenting as many houses and styles as possible (including those of the Aino culture). There are no photographs, but the intricate line drawings and intimate descriptions of functional households -- kitchens and cooking utensils, washing areas, sleeping quarters -- are minutely detailed and thoroughly described in the text. Not just a book for those interested in architecture but history as well.



5. I purchased this book simply to get a quick overview of Japanese domestic architecture. The price is always right with Dover books so I just ordered it without any research. What a pleasant surprise to find myself reading a definitive work on the subject a few days later. The text is thoughtfully written and the illustrations skillfully done. As with any well written and illustrated book, color pictures are not overly missed. As a result of this book I find myself much more interested in Japanese architecture than I ever intended to be and heartily recommend it to anyone with an interest in home or interior design.

1 comments about Chicago: A Photographic Celebration.

1. This book Shows most of the well know landmarks in Chicago and many more obscure but beautiful Statues,Buildings,etc. It is More Picture than text making it an Ideal gift for foreign visitors to remember their vist to our beautiful City.

1 comments about Scottish Houses and Gardens: From the Archives of Country Life.

1. With its informative details and beautiful pictures, this book would interest history and gardening buffs alike.

5 comments about Fresh: Girls of Seduction.

1. I got this book because the magazines that publish these photos, titles like Tight, Purely 18, and Finally Legal, tend to fall apart over time, plus the paper used is thinner and has lots of bleed-through from other pages, and I wanted a more permanent copy on nice thick paper stock. Erotic photos like these are a form of raw visual poetry, and on that level this collection succeeds admirably, but I am disappointed to find that the book stays away from the "harder," more graphic material found only in the magazines. As to the other reviews, this is far from the "kiddie porn" accusation, and the young ladies are very attractive, though I would imagine every individual reader would choose different models as their favorites. I am glad I got this, but I do wish it were "harder." As it is, it's surprisingly demure. Still, you get Teagan and Loli and many of the top young ero-models of the naughty 00's.



2. This book features a dozen or so models in the type of layouts normally seen in girlie or soft porn magazines. However, the book suffers from the drawback of being significantly smaller than a typical magazine. Also, the girls are not especially young or pretty. You're much better off sticking with the magazines or going for an art photography book that's a little more orginal.



3. This book is truly a work of art. The quality of the pics of this book is wonderful.
   It makes a wonderful gift or addition to a collection. Highly recommended.
   This is great a coffee Table book.



4. There are close to 400 color pages of very sexy, very naked, and very young-looking girls in this book, so it's hard to say a bad thing about it. Oddly enough, though, although all of these girls have spectacular young bodies, I only found about half of them to be truly pretty. To me it would have made more sense to put out a 200-page book of only the prettiest girls instead of a nearly-400-page book that contains a lot of filler. But then again, who am I to complain: the pictures are sharp and clear, the girls are wonderfully-naked, many of them are gorgeous, and there are plenty of them to go around.



5. i just got this book in the mail yesterday. i feel dirty having this book in my collection. most of the girls look 14 or 15. they are mostly posed photos that don't look natural. if you're just wanting a book of naked YOUNG girls this is a good book for you. this is not an art book in my opinion...