5 comments about Trees: National Champions.

1. As a Photographer this book is Fine, as a Sculptor it is OK, as a Botanist it is Minimal, as a Lumberjack it is a Bore. I would suggest you not buy this book if you are looking for Good photographs of Champion Tree Specimens. But if you are looking for Beautifull photographs of Trees this is a great book. The photographic style takes it away from a book of specimens and to a book of photographic art.



2. I found this book quite beautiful. Wall to wall black & white photographs of trees showing the intimate relationship with their environment. I would definately recommend this book to anyone who is passionate about trees. Or to anyone who is looking for great photograhic reference as I was. If you are concidering getting this book also look at "AMONG TREES" by Sean Kernan.



3. (Planeta Journal) -- Panoramic black-and-white photographs document the authors visit to the largest of their species in the United States. The National Register of Big Trees is updated every two years. It has prompted the development of a society of "big tree hunters" who track down rumors of possible champions and to verify the size of new contenders as well as the passing of old champions.



4. I just received this book in the mail. I was so looking forward to taking in the images - but now I am so disappointed. First of all, I understand panoramic images have certain proportions, but when an extensive landscape photo in a book is only slightly over 4 inches in one dimension, that is just too small to be able to show all the detail to the viewer. This book would be much more successful if it were larger. Also, I am a big fan of black and white, but I did not read in any advertisement that these images were black and white. I think that should be stated, especially in nature photography since black and white film creates an entirely different product from color film. The consumer should be given the information to make their choice according to their taste. I was looking forward to comparing the different shades of green in the different varieties of trees and landscapes I would be seeing. Looking at these trees in black in white is more a study in texture, tone, and form. The trees have been abstracted for me since these images do not make me feel like "I am there" since being "there" would be in color. Also, the majority of the images all have the horizon line in the same place and the tree in the same place in the photo, as if the trees were all taken to the same studio and asked to sit in the same chair. I'm sure this perspective choice brings unity to the photo series when it is hanging on a wall, but in a book it is visually boring, page after page. I am sure I would enjoy these photos much more in person. They are just not impressive in this book.



5. With all due respect, S. Bowman's (Very disappointed!, September 27, 2005) review of this volume must be the product of an extraordinarily tiny brain, enormously inadequate eyesight or both! Perhaps Mr. and Mrs. Bowman should consider exploring visual and literary experiences that are better matched to their obviously limited capabilities - The Hallmark Store!
   
   Bosworth captures the ineffable grace and dignity of trees with clarity and directness: the green ash that shades a midwestern crossroads, the common pear that blooms in a Washington field, and the Florida strangler fig with its mass of entwining aerial roots. Her photographs, panoramic views taken with an 8 x 10 camera, show the immensity of the largest species and the hidden triumphs of the smallest. Some trees are dethroned each year because of sickness or destruction, but more often simpy because a new and bigger specimen is discovered; only three trees from the original Register in 1940 are still living today. Bosworth's 70 photographs of champion trees are not only a collection of tree portraits but the story of an American adventure as well.
   
   When do we get to see Volume II?

1 comments about Great Escapes Around the World.

1. What a gorgeous book - fantastic, delicious photography, 400 pages plus, text in English, French & German (as with all Taschen books), and vital information about each resort such as current prices, types of food served, websites, e-mail addresses & even book suggestions for each destination. The only shortcoming is that Australia is not included AT ALL and this country boasts some incredible escapes, especially among the Great Barrier Reef islands off the coast of Queensland. If a title includes "Around the World" and continents such as Africa, North & South America are included as well as Europe and parts of Asia, it seems to me that Australia could have been included too and only added a few extra pages to this lovely tome. However, I still give it 5 stars and can highly recommend it as a gift for anyone who loves hotels & traveling or even as a present for yourself!

5 comments about Every Frame a Rembrandt: Art and Practice of Cinematography.

1. If you want to read a book about Andrew Laszlo then this is the book for you. The book takes you through projects he personally encountered and has little in the way of practical advise/techniques for the individual film maker developing their own projects. The book is easy to read and entertaining,although i was looking for a text book style read.



2. I first met Andy Laszlo some eight or ten years ago when he gave a two day seminar on Cinematography at NYU while I was director of the Department of Film, Video and Broadcasting at NYU's School of Continuing Education. One or two hundred students enrolled the first day, and as word spread across the campus of Andy's insights and trenchant comments, the attendance doubled on day two. When I learned of the existence of his book, I purchased it immediately. It is of immense value, not only to cinematographers, but also to directors, producers and writers: in short to anybody currently in film and video, or anybody who aspires to enter this field. It is immensely readable, written in clear, concise English and amply illustraed with some extraordinary examples, and a treasure trove of practicle knowledge. It is highly, highly recommended.



3. Cinematographer Andrew Laszlo has filmed more than thirty motion pictures, numerous television shows, TV movies and commercials in a career spanning more than fifty years. In Every Frame A Rembrandt: Art And Practice Of Cinematography Laszlo draws upon his immense expertise and experience to provide the reader with a comprehensive, single-volume introduction to this fundamental aspect of filmmaking. Laszlo' reveals the day-to-day activities of a cinematographer before, during and after filming a project, and discusses such critical and central issues as equipment, filmstocks, testing, labs, unions, agents, budget requirements, as well as working with directors, producers, and crews. Clearly and concisely written (and enhanced with additional material by Andrew Quicke), Andrew Laszlo's Every Frame A Rembrandt is a "must" for any aspiring cinematographer, and an essential reference title for professional and academic collections.



4. Laszlo's Hollywood career speaks for itself. Now, with great style and eloquence, he has set down a vital and helpful look at his field. As director of the University of Miami's Motion Picture Program, I can report that this book has proven useful and valuable to undergraduates and graduates. More than a technical manual, it will prove informative and rewarding to anyone who loves film.



5. The envelope please--best book by a cinematographer (or anyone else for that matter) about cinematography. Essential reading.

   There are books of theory, there are books of anecdotes, and there are books on how-to. This has the best of all.

   Andrew Laszlo, ASC is a wonderful storyteller, inspirational teacher, terrific writer as well as a distinguished cinematographer. His credits include Shogun, Owl and the Pussycat, One Potato-Two Potato, Newsies and many others.

   The book is a wealth of film criticism, tricks of the trade, technical details, wonderful anecdotes and behind-the-scenes stories.

   For example, Laszlo discusses how he lit a scene from Rambo with one match, and then explains that a second one was hidden behind. He is funny and iconoclastic at times: "I hate dailies," or "Taking a stand in the film industry is not an everyday event." But behind every attention-grabbing statement is a complete and highly intelligent, articulate explanation.

   The book covers five of his films: "Southern Comfort, The Warriors, First Blood, Streets of Fire, and Innerspace." There is insight into the politics, diplomacy and psychology of filmmaking--dealing with directors, producers, studios and crew members. Through the writing, we watch a truly masterful problem solver, consummate professional and talented artist at work and reflecting upon that work.

   Interviews done by Andrew Quickie (Film and TV Professor at Regent Univ.) punctuate the chapters.

   I eagerly await the sequel to this book, perhaps to be called "Son of Rembrandt," or "Every Frame a Laszlo." Certainly there would be enough anecdotes and information from his 42 or more other films to fill a dozen standard volumes.

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

4 comments about Katrinaville Chronicles: Images and Observations from a New Orleans Photographer.

1. Two years ago today I was in New Orleans, gutting houses for Habitat for Humanity. My son, my brother, his son and I were there for several weeks, and got to see first-hand what the aftermath of Katrina was like. It's similar to childbirth: until you've experienced it first hand, the full impact doesn't really hit you. I had seen the photos and the footage, but as we drove through the 9th Ward on the day we first arrived, I realized NOTHING had prepared me for what I was seeing in front of me, that day, June 18, 2006. It didn't seem as if we were still in America - it was more like being in the aftermath of a war zone in some other country. The wide streets, empty and silent; the school-bus-sized piles of what had been the entire contents of a family's home; the stench that lay over everything (this came from the refrigerators stuffed with food and rotten water: "Katrina Soup", my brother called it). And in the trees that were still upright, if you looked closely, you could see where strands of Mardi Gras beads still hung from people having thrown them up there, in celebration, over a year and a half ago. The book was so brilliant - his photographs bring it all back to me in vivid relief. The one that affected me the most was the one of the shrimp boat sitting at the end of the street. My brother took me to see that same boat the first night we were in New Orleans, and I visited it several times after. And his descriptions - !! The heat, the isolation, the fear, and the adventure of what he was living. God bless his friends and family for saving his e-mails and urging him to publish them. This book is an absolute treasure.



2. David Spielman's book is both awesome and emotionally jarring. It's as close as one can come to experience Katrina without having been there.



3. I evacuated, returned to my own Uptown neighborhood eight weeks after the storm... and after just now looking at David's book I'm seeing it all over again. And, I'm seeing things I've never seen (Six Flags under 20+ feet of water). The emails walk you through what it was really like, the photos are reminders of what happened to this American city. All Americans should see these unique photos, this unique perspective, as we continue to try and fathom what happened here. This is the perfect presentation. I don't live in New Orleans anymore for a million reasons... but these photos take me 'home' again, and this is a book you will show your friends for years to come.



4. Mr. Spielman's approach in presenting the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina is excellent. He guides the reader, using photography, to relate the sequences of events in a very clear, realistic and poignant way, especially, on his photograph depicting the sick and the poor waiting for medical services in a cold morning in Audubon Park in December nearly three months after Hurricane Katrina made landfall. showing a Third World situation inside the world's most advanced and richest country. All because of bureaucratic red tape and FEMA inability to handle a catastrophy of such magnitude.

5 comments about Creative Digital Printmaking: A Photographer's Guide to Professional Desktop Printing (Photography for All Levels: Intermediate).

1. While searching out another photography book, I stumbled upon this one and bought it on a whim. What a revelation! I am totally thrilled with the book, the authors' writing, and the info - both aesthetic and concrete - inside. I've had several print b/w darkrooms - bathroom affairs that I've loved - but no longer have the space. I really have missed the print-making experience. Thus Creative Digital Printmaking opened new and exciting doors to me. Even better, it clearly explained how to handcolor digiprints, something I'd done with my b/w images, but never imagined I could do with a digital print.
   The book's instructions and explanations are masterful - clear and concise, yet full of exciting techniques. While the book takes the reader on interesting creative journeys, Airey also focuses on the concrete, such as how to calibrate a monitor and the best way to scan a negative or photograph. The combination works. So do the excellent photographic examples. If you have the urge to make digital prints that last and ones that resonate with and excite viewers, this book will guide you on your way. I can't recommend it highly enough.



2. You can spend weeks following web users groups that discuss specific papers, inks, printers and combinations of archival inks and papers etc. You can subscribe to numerous artists' magazines. But in this book, you can save yourself months, because of Theresa Airey's practical information and lists. The book not only helps photographers looking for quality in printing but it also gives people who hand tint photos good advice with the current lineup of digital materials. From the applications standpoint, I like that this book takes readers from basics to difficult, creative projects. The listings for companies, websites, papers and other media are excellent. To Amphoto Books: Please give us more from this talented and extraordinarily helpful author.



3. BASIC Digital Printmaking -That should be the title of this book. Perhaps for the amateur photographer who is unfamiliar with basic digital processes. There is so much more that can be done, missed completely by this book.
   The book is filled with cheezy Photoshop effects equal to those "star" filters back in the 70's. cheezy, cheezy, cheezy...



4. For those who endeavor to perfect fine art digital printmaking, this is the book to read. It is a "how to" and so much more. The book covers paper, ink, techniques, hand coloring and the practical application and intereaction of all of these variables. The book is cogently written and elegantly displayed. It is a must for anyone's library who wishes to expand their horizons in the digital printing arena. Ms. Airey is a master of her craft and it shows.



5. For those who endeavor to perfect fine art digital printmaking, this is the book to read. It is a "how to" and so much more. The book covers paper, ink, techniques, hand coloring and the practical application and intereaction of all of these variables. The book is cogently written and elegantly displayed. It is a must for anyone's library who wishes to expand their horizons in the digital printing arena. Ms. Airey is a master of her craft and it shows.

3 comments about Bison: Monarch of the Plains.

1. This is a beautiful book, very well done. The photos in it are excellent. We give this book out to our Speakers at conferences. It is a great coffee table book.



2. I found this book to be interesting, with a lot of nice pictures, but sort of short on information. It's 128 pages long, many of them full page photos (which no doubt cut down the number of possible information pages)and is divided into several sections. Much of the book is done from a sort of American Indian perspective telling of their traditions and uses, conflicts with the white man. Later on you get some stuff on the buffalo hunting period, that's also interesting if not entirely error free (in one place the dates are given as 1934 and 1947, that should be 18, not 19. They also call buffalo rifles .50 caliber when one photo clearly shows mention of other calibers).
   Apparently a huge number of animals were killed even in the early pre- 1870's years.
   The last part of the book tells of efforts to save the remainders of the great herds and how that's worked out as well as hopes for the future.
   I'd liked to have had much more information (there are notes & a reading list at books end)but did really appreciate the large selection of photographs, most of them modern but some historical, that included not only the buffalo but some of the things made from or related to them. This is the real reason to buy the book.



3. If you love the Great Plains and have a heart for the prairie, this book will delight you. The photography in here is outstanding. After working with buffalo earlier this year, this was a book I had to get. Some of the photos, including the cover photo, bring not only the sights but also the smells and sounds of the giant herds to mind. These photos are worth more than 1,000 words... because they speak to my prairie heart.

5 comments about Better Picture Guide to Black & White Photography.

1. The format of this book is pleasurable but different. Rather than straight text and photos the author shows you an image and then explains how he made it by explaining three steps: Seeing, Thinking and Acting. There are also handy rules of thumb and the images show Busselle to be a really good photographer. I learned a lot from the book, but don't expect traditional,lengthy text. This was fine with me. Shorter explanations often require more thought on the part of the writer.



2. I expected concrete advices on exposure, lightning, how to see in black and white, specificities of b&w films, specific filters for b&w and got nothing. 90% of the book is made of generic, basic, uninteresting generalities on composition, camera, lenses... Technical details don't help at all: for each lense used, I would like to have the 35mm equivalent, shutter speed / diaphragms, paper gradations are never mention, neither the why or how of the exposure. Discussion of low key & high key is a joke. The seeing/thinking/acting structure of the book got on my nerves very fast, as is the very bad use of typography. Photos are flat and uninteresting, I don't think I saw one for which I thought "Gee, I'd like to shoot photos like that". All in all, I was completely disappointed.



3. I really like the concept in this series of photography books. Think about what attracts you about the image, then work to get that effect in the finished product. It's a very useful and systematic approach which one can follow in the field. My problem with this particular book in the series, as well as with his color photo book, is that his finished images don't move me. I kept thinking about the Ansel Adams remark, "Inside many a picture there's a good photograph waiting to come out", and I yearned to crop the image to something which had more effect.



4. An innovative approach to teaching aspects of Black & White photography that works very well: Each two page spread has a main photo that is used as an example. The author sets out what he saw when he first encountered the situation; what he was thinking about how to make a good photograph; and what he did to make the photograph. There is also usually a "Rule of Thumb" sidebar on the same spread, as well as several other photos or drawings that help to make the point. The graphic design layout keeps it very interesting, all I can saw is that it is not layed out like a normal book, and the layout helps with the learning process.

   Perhaps more importantly, the photographs are good. You can go back and look at this book over and over to tighten up your technique or to just admire the photos. The series title is "Better Picture Guides", and this book really will help you take better pictures, and is almost worhty as a small coffe table book.




5. Author/photographer Michael Busselle offers the reader both vision and insight. In razor-sharp prose, Mr. Busselle not only presents the final image, but also explains (in layman's terms) how that image was created. If you are looking to expand your horizons in black & white photography, this is the book for you. You will learn about lighting, shooting, printing and most importantly, seeing. A must have for the serious amateur or professional.

3 comments about Earth Then and Now: Amazing Images of Our Changing World.

1. While looking through the new books at the library, this one caught my eye. It wasn't that it was large, but rather the premise: looking at the Earth, the cities, rivers, glaciers, at different moments in time. In many of the photographs, they take the same picture, separated by centuries, decades, years, or minutes.
   
   Contents:
   Map Contents
   Foreword
   Introduction
   Environmental Change
   Urbanization
   Land Transformation
   Forces of Nature
   War and Conflict
   Leisure and Culture
   Index and Acknowledgements
   
   The basis of the book, Earth Then and Now: Amazing Images of Our Changing World by Fred Pearce, is set in the Foreword (written by Zac Goldsmith) as a showcase for climate change. The first chapter, Environmental Change, shows hard evidence that we are changing our environment. The pictures of glaciers, ice shelves in Antarctica, the Rhine River, and the Aral Sea are staggering (the latter is a direct result of man - an eco-disaster on par with the Dust Bowl). Once you have reviewed the pictures and the text of that chapter, Pearce brings more change to your attention, urban sprawl, deforestation, strip mining. The results of earthquakes, volcanic activity, hurricanes and tsunamis. The detestation of World War I and II and Vietnam. Finally, beaches in the heart of Paris, resorts at the top of the world, and more.
   
   The photographs are stunning and the text is sobering. By taking photographs and placing them on facing pages, separated by time, the result is an amazing "before and after" affect. The results, as shown in the photos, cannot be disputed. Not only are you shown retreating glaciers, but the effects of deforestation in the Amazon rainforest and the United States. Not satisfied with simple photographs, Pearce also bring satellite imagery into play. Thought provoking.
   
   If those stories and photos were not enough, you have to witness the chapter on War and Conflict. Man against man. And yet, we seem to have reclaimed some of the worst effects of war to create some beautiful areas of remembrance and reconstruction. The photos of Dresden, Germany and Caen, Normandy, France are wonderful. The rebuilding of Mostar Bridge in Bosnia (originally built in 1705) is especially touching.
   
   This is an amazing book. It should reach you on almost any level, between the spectacular photos or the text that accompanies the shots, you may not look at the Earth or your environment in the same way. "Thought provoking" is a good phrase and it is definitely worthy of your time.



2. Fred Pearce in his Earth: Then and Now manages to capture the attention of anyone that picks this book up. Wonderfully done, the book compares current photos to historic photos of the same scene from various places around the globe.
   
   Organized into 6 units or chapters ( Environmental Change, Urbanization, Land Transformation, Forces of Nature, War and Conflict, and Leisure and Culture) the images demonstrate how man can change his enviroment whether in a town or around a lake. Perhaps the most striking comparison are the images on page 30 of the Upsala Glacier in Patagonia. Having said that, there are other stunning images throughout the book. The most touching of the chapters in my opinion is the unit dealing with War and Conflict.
   
   At 288 pages, Earth Then and Now will be a book you want to return to again and again. This would make a wonderful gift.



3. I work at a library, and as I was covering this book, I just had to look inside. I'm a fan of satellite images of the Earth to begin with, so naturally my interest in this book was piqued. I only opened to a random page to take a peek, but I ended up completly hypnotized by the images and the concise captions. I literally could not put this book down. This book has an amazing magnetism to it; it draws you in and takes you for a ride around the world.
   
   Unfortunatley, a majority of the photos and explanations reveal the horrid and destructive ways of man altering the Earth and choking the environment. If anyone is in doubt that the Earth is being ravaged, this book will make clear to anyone of any age just how abusive we are of the planet. The section on glaciers is seriously scary. The images are just unbelievable, but sadly, they show the truth.
   
   From aerial shots of New Orleans before and after Katrina to satellite images of the recent growth of Las Vegas, this book explores not just the United States, but the world as well. Mountains after avalanches, volcanos after explosions, land after flood and drought, page after page you are assaulted with powerful imagery.
   
   Mostly focusing on the effects of climate change and deforestation, Earth Then and Now shows the "progress" that modern man has acheived on this noble planet.
   
   I reccomend that everyone on planet Earth read this book. It is a shocking eye-opener, and just simply unbelievable. A perfect coffee table book or addition to any library, you will not be dissapointed in Earth Then and Now.
   
   I just hope they printed it on recycled paper...

3 comments about Ray Gun.

1. Though it was published some years ago its nice to see that this lovely book is still in print. The landscape format is ideal for showing off the streamline design that was a requirement for any gun of the future.
   
   Each model is shown in profile and a nice touch is the removal of the photos background so the guns are floating on the page. Another idea that gives the book a lift are several pages of period graphics: movie posters, ads and the original gun boxes. The first blaster is from 1935, a surprisingly good condition Buck Rogers pistol, made by Daisy. The models are shown in date order up to the mid-sixties and mostly from the US and Japan with several from Europe.
   
   Considering that this was a really tiny part of the toy market you might think it surprising that a book should be devoted to the subject but there is another equally beautiful title showing more: Zap! Ray Gun Classics. This is out of print but you'll easily be able to pick up a used copy. Both books will give you a nostalgic blast for the past.
   
   ***FOR AN INSIDE LOOK click 'customer images' under the cover.



2. It is amazing that enough material existed on this topic to constitute an entire book. The text reads like a labour of love. Who else would write such a thing?
   
   For science fiction fans, or children of the 50s to the 70s, you can revisit your youth. Some of the ray guns might be recognisable indeed.
   
   The text is nostalgic retrospective on an era with no digital electronics, as we know them now. As far as I can tell, every gun depicted here lacked a microprocessor. Everything was hardwired analog.



3. This book is the bible for vintage rayguns.

   It was great to see the toys of my wonder years in full color. Inspires me to become a collector!

   Lots of fun!