No comments about Striptease Artists of the 1950s.

1 comments about All Aboard for Glacier: The Great Northern Railway and Glacier National Park.

1. This was a nicely done book about the history of Great Northern in general in addition to highlighting how important the development of the U.S. was on the railroads. I like old advertising images and this book has a nice selection of the ads that enticed people to venture into desolate areas for the shear beauty of the country. Many of these people decided to call these areas home with the help of the railroads. Santa Fe was largely responsible for the settlement of the Southwest and Great Northern of the Northwest territories when there was just about nothing there. An enjoyable book to read with great illustrations.

No comments about Digital Infrared Photography.

No comments about Saltwater Aquariums Made Easy: Advanced Reef Aquarium Keeping.

5 comments about Universal (Kingdome).

1. The sepia tone and setting add to sensuality of the well defined male form. It's good to see well toned male body that is not the overly developed muscle form. Keeping it on end table for all to see.



2. The book wasn't the best I've purchased, but it was definately a good book. My friends and enjoyed the imagery. However, the photographs are mostly in sepia style.



3. As a photographer, I collect a wide variety of photo art books. Of all of the male figure study books I've collected, this would be my least favorite. To me, it seems far less about art and more about the photographer's obsession with very well-hung men and hangs closer to porn than art. I don't have a problem with porn, but it's not what I was shopping for and I probably won't be holding on to this book.
   
   That said, there are a handful of creative and intriguing photos in here. But not many.



4. If you like em big then you'll like this one! I was however not pleased with the clarity of the photos. I found that the black and white coupled with the somewhat distorted look of the photos was not all that appealing. Not sure I'd put this one on my coffee table though, I suppose it all depends on what you put/have on it! Definitely worth the sticker!



5. UNIVERSAL is a successful collaborative effort between Kingdome 19 (the well known carpenter/graphic artist turned photographer) and Henning von Berg (an equally well known architectural engineer turned photographer), both artists from Germany and both highly respected in Europe and now the USA. Their subject matter is the male nude and their similarities are their focus on non-studio settings and on their brave depiction of the aroused male.
   
   From von Berg's vast collection of photographs, Kingdome 19 re-worked many in his developing room, adding graphic details, works, markings, and other artistic elements, enhancing von Berg's sometimes static works immensely. But the book also shares many of Kingdome 19's own photographs, all presented in sepia toning, all with some degree of handcrafted manipulation to enhance the artistic aspect of the finished product, and all sensually beautiful in the casual manner in which he shares his models' willingness to be totally free with their posing.
   
   As the art world (since Mapplethorpe) has matured more and more to the point that male nudity, and even aroused male images, is becoming more accepted. Certainly at the top of the list of brave photographers is the always exciting work of Kingdome 19. This book contains nearly 150 images that are strong and challenging. Another fine book from Bruno Gmunder Verlag GmbH. Grady Harp, January 07

1 comments about Waterfront Retreats.

1. My compliments to both Ana and Harper Design for this publication. This is a book about 21 uniquely Modern homes on the waterfront. Each is showcased with a floor plan, quick synopsis, and photos. It is mostly a picturebook. One of the wonderful things about this book is that it presents itself as a portfolio. You get the sense that such a presentation was handled with the sense of care and understanding that each architect himself would have put into representing his/her house had they done them individually. Unlike other books showcasing Modern architecture, this one provides a good range of solutions architects have employed to capture that "million-dollar view", whether it is siting, materials, or spatial organization. I would have rated it higher had it given the details to compliment the photography. This is a wonderful addition to any architectural library.

2 comments about Williamsburg Before and After: The Rebirth of Virginia's Colonial Capital.

1. As a big fan of Colonial Williamsburg, I purchased this book years ago. The story of the restoration is really interesting. The beautiful photographs capture the essence of the story--so it's a nice "coffee table" book as well as an engaging read.



2. I have checked this book out at the library looking for 'GOOD' photos of some of the older homes and the resconstructed homes from the 1700's. The photos are absolutely breathtakingly crystal, clear, show wonderful asthetic views, and give a simple and linear time frame of ownership and construction/demolition, reconstruction of many of the homes in the Williamsburg area. This book is worth every penny if you buy it for research and historical purposes. Of all the books on Williamsburg that I have ever read (dozens and dozens), this one is the most excellent!

5 comments about Pinhole Photography, Third Edition: Rediscovering a Historic Technique.

1. It's a very good book for those who want to learn more about pinhole photography.



2. I highly recommend this book for anyone interested in pinhole photography. It thoroughly covers history, camera construction and technique. I use it for my photo class and the students love it. the book has many examples that are very helpful in showing my students the various possibilities of pinhole imaging. A wonderful book and an excellent resource.



3. Fabulous book. I, like other reviewers it would seem, got a bit bogged down in the early chapters that cover the history and science that led to pinhole photography. I just really wanted to get to the "how to make a pinhole camera" part. However, having read all the other chapters, when I did get to the "how to" section, I now understood the physics behind the technique, and was therefore able to design a camera to do exactly what I want it to do - a clever way to get you there. The book is also loaded with diagrams and photos, both of equipment and of actual photography. Highly recommended.



4. When I first received this book, I was a bit disappointed. I'm just starting out in pinhole photography, and I wanted my hand held while learning the ins and outs of this new skill. This book doesn't do that. After it sat around for a few days, I picked it back up and started actually reading it. What the book DOES, is give you a wonderful historical perspective of this most unusual and artistic art form...because that's what pinhole photography is, an art. Photography in general, especially digital photography, is SO controlled and SO exact, that it's lost a lot of it's magic. While certain scientific aspects of pinhole photography can exert a meaningful amount of control over the subject at hand, in it's heart of hearts it is still a wild and free spirit making images however and wherever it desires. Where else can you make an image by putting a piece of film in your MOUTH and using your lips as the aperture? Where else can you make a camera out of a shopping bag, a purse, a hole in the ground, a red pepper? (Dark red works best by the way.) This book gives you all these examples along with rich and varied historical perspective into this most fascinating aspect of the photographic world. If you are a serious pinhole photographer (...or have intentions of being one), you owe to yourself to read this book. It's not a "how to" book by any means, but it is a "where you came from" book of the 1st degree.



5. Simply put, this is the BEST book available on the subject of pinhole photography. Eric Renner has found a balance between the art and science of this art form and put it in to print for all of us to share. If you are going to buy only one book on the subject, this is the one to get.

5 comments about The Avid Handbook: Techniques for the Avid Media Composer and Avid Xpress, Third Edition.

1. I don't usually give 5 stars but this was a very good book. It was extremely well organized. I have been edited on Avid for 4 years now, and this had some very cool new tricks to try.

   I will say that the edition I read (third edition) was a bit out dated. It is tough for print literature to keep up with the rapid changes in technology.




2. Steve is a long time Avid editor and Avid employee. I worked with him years ago, while he was an online editor, just as this digital technology was maturing and gaining acceptance. His book is well written and is constantly revised to deal with the latest versions of the Avid software when needed.

   It's great for beginners and also as a reference for pros.




3. I thought I knew it all! The Avid is a mystical downward spiral of techniques, shortcuts and quickies. There is no better guide for Avid enthusiasts.



4. This is an always useful, comprehensive, interestingly opinionated and well-written guide to Avid's industry-dominant editing products. Steve Bayes was a venerated Avid editing instructor and is now one of the people closest to Media Composer/MCX/Symphony's design and their future within the company. Bayes gives insider-quality instruction on the applications themselves as well as good rule-of-thumb advice about the editing process. If you buy one Avid book as an editor make it this one.

   Note: I have seen this book prove surprising helpful for long-time Avid editors.




5. Fanstastic book for a learning AVID user who understands the basics involved in how to make the machine work, but is ready to broaden thier understanding of what it is capable of. Easy to look up or index specific issues, and also up to date.

3 comments about The Grand Canyon and the Southwest.

1. I bought this book seeking pictures of the Grand Canyon by Ansel Adams, although I did not find as many as I wanted, I did find some great pictures!!! He was an amaizing photographer. I thoroughly enjoyed reviewing the book and the pictures. Anyone who is interested in more thean the Sierra Nevada range and the outdoors, as well as Ansel Adams, will find something here to enjoy!



2. First book I have looked at by Ansel Adams. There are a few Grand Canyon pictures in here and other southwest pictures. Also included are some letters he wrote.



3. The 86 black and white images in this book reflect dozens of visits by Ansel Adams to the Southwest over more than 50 years. Adams liked what he saw, and felt that "this land is offering me a tremendous opportunity; no one has really photographed it."

   This volume has two weakneses. The images are often too small to accurately reproduce the detail that Adams intended us to see in the foregrounds and backgrounds, and many are over inked. Second, the introduction by William A. Turnage is not up to his usual standards. He makes a number of strange assertions such as that Moonrise, Hernandez, New Mexico, 1941 (poorly reproduced in this volume) is "beyond doubt, his most famous photograph." Hmmm. What do you think? In other places though, Turnage adds interesting details about Adams' introduction to the Southwest and the influence on his photography of Paul Strand.

   The book contains many letters from Adams about his experiences in taking the photographs, including many near disasters with his station wagon breaking down. One of the really interesting ones is to Patsy England in 1936 in which he says that in many ways the "Carlsbad Caverns are symbolic of my life; beautiful and exquisite things that exist only in the light of the moment." That may be the finest characterization of Adams' work that I have read.

   Here are my favorite images (as reproduced here) in this book:

   Saint Francis Church, Ranchos de Taos, New Mexico, c. 1929

   Monument Valley, Arizona, 1937

   Canyon de Chelly National Monument, Arizona, 1942

   Georgia O'Keeffe and Orville Cox, Canyon de Chelly National Monument, Arizona, 1937

   White House Ruin, Canyon de Chelly National Monument, Arizona, 1941

   Big Room, Carlsbad Caverns National Park, New Mexico, 1942

   Burro Mesa and the Chisos Mountains, Big Bend National Park, Texas, 1942

   Farm, Autumn, near Glendale, Utah, c. 1940

   Tree Against Cliff, Zion National Park, Utah, 1947

   In Cedar Breaks National Monument, Utah, 1947

   Manly Beacon, Death Valley National Park, California, c. 1952

   Grand Canyon from Yavapai Point, Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona, 1942

   Grand Canyon from Yavapai Point (Bright Angel Canyon), Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona, 1942

   After you have finished reading about Ansel Adams' adventures and learning in the Southwest, I urge you to take your own driving trip through this beautiful country. Be sure to visit the spots that Adams did. I also suggest that you be sure to add Sedona in Arizona, Mesa Verde, the Meteorite Crater in Arizona, Frank Lloyd Wright's Taliesen West in Scottsdale, and the Navajo reservation to the areas depicted here.

   See the most beautiful places you can as often as possible! The beauty will seep into your soul.