3 comments about Eternal Ganesha.

1. Gorgeous, this book provides a breathtaking glimpse of a beloved deity who transends the linguistic, economic and political differences of the Hindu people. Not only it is worthy of any art book collection on the coffee table, it is filled with delightful stories and can serve as a wonderful resource for students of world religions.



2. This book makes me feel lle Im right there at the Ganesh Festivals in India. From the making of the enormous statues they carry down the roads and release into the Ganges, to the candid faces of the people, the dancing, the lights...Its really a beautiful book that bring pleasure to me and my family. I truly hope someday I get to see this in person in India! Its a lovely conversational coffee table sized book. There is also much reading inside. Truly amazing and what great price! Thanks Amazon!
   
   ***Reviewed by Chizzle's wife:
   
   Shishya Gauri-Pahari Sitaya Das



3. Ganesha, revered elephant God of Hindus, is a universally familiar icon around the world. Gita Mehta's book is a succinct pictorial compilation of the significance, mythology and modern evolution of Ganesha. We learn the gamut -from conceptualization, abstract reduction to iconography and commercialization. Vivid color photographs, majority from Mumbai and Maharashtra, depict wood, ivory and stone idols, and forms derived from plantains, paintings and stained glass.
   
   To the Hindu eye these illustrations are beautiful and evocative. Literalists will nod in agreement as they read time-honored stories about how Ganesh derived his elephant head and his snake belt. Symbolists also will find sufficient material -from the curvature of the trunk representing OM (the Pranava Mantra) to the multimorphic body symbolizing unity in diversity. Mehta quotes Cicero, Amartya Sen and the Manchester Guardian to enhance her interpretations. I find them interesting and thought provoking. She does not provide source citations. She decries the recent trends towards garish commercialization and ridiculous mechanization of the idol, - an anathema to "A Perfect Ganesh," in the hearts and minds of many.
   
   This is a 129 page coffee-table sized, profusely illustrated, lovable volume about Ganesha, a universal Hindu god. The prose is highly readable and not at all ponderous. I find it mythologically balanced and symbolically intriguing. Hindu readers, and perhaps others also, will find this volume uncontroversial and endearing; this will be an excellent nugget source for educating the young. I believe that John Joseph Campbell would have found the pictures, text and interpretations appealing. Both Hindu and non-Hindu readers would have benefited from a bibliography and index, currently missing in this volume,

5 comments about Photoshop Channel Chops.

1. I found a copy of this book in a used book store recently in 2008. Information still relevant and very good. Understanding Channel and mask in essential in using Photoshop. The information were presented in clear language unlike most other good book about PS



2. A classic, if you can find it. If you have one, don't let it out of your sight. A master course on channel theory that is a must have for forensic professionals.
   
   Sell the Nordic Trak on ebay and buy this book.
   
   Jim Hoerricks
   http://forensicphotoshop.blogspot.com
   Author of Forensic Photoshop - a comprehensive imaging workflow for forensic professionals



3. Wow! The authors really know their stuff! There is so much information in this book it's scary. This book is a must-read for anyone who takes Photoshop seriously. Sure, it was written years ago when Photoshop was at version 4, and sure the writing gets a bit corny at times, but it is still a "killer app" among Photoshop books.



4. If you aspire to be a hardcore Photoshop user, this book is probably the one you want above all others. It's not a step-by-step tutorial, a mere reference book, or a book that leads you through the tools and various functions of the software. Instead it discusses the fundamental concepts you need to know to use Photoshop to its fullest. Some statements in the book are outdated, but fortunately, they are usually statements of opinion and occur only in a few places. Most of the book is still applicable since Photoshop today still has channels, alpha channels, paths, layers, and calculations. This book hasn't been updated since it was written in 1998, but it really doesn't need to be. It's not about how to use particular tools and new features. It's about how to think with Photoshop. And it's deep enough to read over and over for reference. I would encourage even beginner Photoshop users to read this book if they are really committed, especially if they want to learn about compositing. By the end of this book, you'll be able to understand how Photoshop does what it does, and why it is such a powerful program.



5. I hate the books that only talk about particular special effects and how to achieve them, without telling you why it should be done that way. With Photoshop, you want to be in control. This book allows to be in control. It will explain exactly what's going on behind the scenes. After reading this book, I felt like being a Photoshop guru. It was nice.

5 comments about Photography: The Art of Composition.

1. This was a painful read and I'm minimally better for it.
   
   The author breaks the book into several 1-3 page chapters about various
   shapes and objects - the goal here being to teach you how to "see" each
   object. The concept is unique, but unfortunately the author starts each
   chapter with 3 or 4 paragraphs of absolutely irrelevant, useless history
   of each shape or object. It was a waste of ink and space that could
   otherwise been used for more (and much better) illustrations. Furthermore
   if the author had any geometrical or scientific basis for his lessons, it
   failed to show through in the book.



2. Very poor presentation with poorly printed BW images and composition is not fully explored. There are much better books on photographic composition. Skip this one.



3. Maybe it was just my copy of the book but the images are not very good (fuzzy and flat) and do not reinforce the text.
   
   One particular example stands out. The author talks about removing clutter in a photograph. However, the example is so cluttered and flat, it is difficult to determine what the subject is supposed to be. The text goes on to say "...notice how the flower stands out from the busy background..." . Actually, no, I don't!
   
   There are many thought provoking exercises. And maybe the quality of the photos causes you to look at them a little closer than you normally might be inclined to.
   
   It isn't a bad book. With a little more attention to the images, it could be a GREAT book.



4. Countless books have been written about composition. Many of us go by the basic, "seat of our pants" approach of "If it looks good in the viewfinder, shoot it!" However, Bert Krages, the photographer and attorney, has not given us just a book... he has given us a workbook.
   
   The Book opens with basic Visual Skills information - primarily, the importance thereof. His section about viewing other people's photographs I found useful in not only looking at my own photography, but at others. Perhaps a valuable skill for readers, not only for judging photo competitions, but to help us compare our own work to the masters of the 20th century.
   
   The remaining chapters touch base on the camera as a tool, then it jumps into the exercises. And there is an exercise for darn near everything! I think that is what so fascinated me with this particular book...it is not all concepts, but rather, practical working exercises. The author walks you through everything from points to lines and shapes. Each exercise has subheadings of "About the Genere," "About the Exercise, "Setting Up the Exercise," and "Technical Considerations." In short, everything you could ask for - you just supply the equipment and other materials necessary to make it happen.
   
   The closing chapter is probably one of the most important in the book - "Thinking Like an Artist." About 10 pages, primarily of text, Krages explores how photography has influenced the other visual arts, and the acceptance of photography as an art form. It is a section I find myself reading several times a week, to reinforce some of the other material in the book.
   
   The only negative I can really say about the book is that the photographs appear to be dark and murky, and a book like this really should have contained color images.



5. Where is the 'art' in photography when the typical discussion revolves around technical camera operation? It's right here, in photographer/attorney Bert Krages' Photography: The Art Of Composition, which should be required reading for any photography student. Krages uses the same methods used to teach fine arts to draw important connections between photography and art, providing a group of some sixty exercises which teach readers how to perceive points, lines, shapes and more through the camera's eye.

5 comments about Timeless.

1. this is a great book, the only problem was the seller didnt mention the outer cover wear and many of the inside pages were dog-eared.



2. The quality of the photos and the actual pictures are pretty good, BUT I would have to say that if your looking for erotic photos, you won't see many in here.
   
   The book is nice, the pics that are in it are good, but it's a PG-13 photo book basically.



3. This feast of pictoralesque men in their natural beauty (without body art, buzz cuts, studs, and other inventions)is always a joy to remind us of nature's artistic work perfected in the male animal.



4. There are 82 pictures in the book (and an additional 2 pictures on the cover).
   
   Of those 82 pictures 13 of them show full frontal nudity. In most pictures, however, the model covers his genitals with his hand.
   
   The models look good for the most part. Their age seems to be in the late twenties. They are well-worked with a lot of muscles. Whether that is beautiful or not, depends on the reader. In my opinion there are only few beautiful models in the book.
   
   If you prefer to look at naked males, who cover up their genitals then this book would be right for you. If you prefer to see it all in nude pictures then do not buy this book!



5. David Vance has produced a fine book of black and white photography of the male nude, the black and white format emphasizing his recreation of timeless attitudes and poses of athletic young men. The Kouros of Greek origin were statues of young athletes usually placed in courtyards or public spaces to either celebrate the glory of the male physique of prominent athletes, or to engender fertility!
   
   At first glance the poses in which Vance captures his models may seem theatrical to the extreme, but given the concept of the volume - that the male physique at its peak form has been a model of excellence since time began - the poses soon capture the imagination and the possible sculptural ideas begin to leap of the page.
   
   These models are beautifully muscled and developed athletes whose forms in the natural state before the camera vie for the best in the sculptures of the great artists of the past and present. Erotic, yes. Pushed to the extremes of definition, yes. Prettified at times, yes. But it all works. Vance has a keen eye for the juxtaposition of hard flesh with soft drape and soft light and his photographs are for the most part timeless in nature. A fine exhibition, this, and one that deserves attention as much as his famous celebrity photography ventures. Grady Harp, October 06

1 comments about Creative Scrapbooking with Your Computer (Memory Makers).

1. I really liked this one, unlike another "digital" one I got which was actually about paper (Point and Click Scrapbooking). This one is 100% digital with lots of ideas and layouts to snag ideas from. One of the best things about it is that it doesn't waste pages with projects that I would never do. It's just page after page of full color wonderful layouts showcasing a subject/concept/idea. There are a few pages on equipment and such, but not enough to deter from the layouts/ideas.

1 comments about Hidden Underneath: A History Of Lingerie.

1. I saw this book in a local bookstore and as usual came to Amazon to make my purchase. It's a great book with wonderful photography. I recommend it to anyone who needs a little something to take their mind off of a day's work.

4 comments about Big Thicket People: Larry Jene Fisher's Photographs of the Last Southern Frontier (Bridwell Texas History).

1. Sitton and Hunt recap the Great American Story, told many times in many places in this great nation. Blending a worthy narrative with an amazing array of photographs from Larry Jene Fisher, the authors remind us why and how America became so great and why East Texas is such a magnificent story of its own. Read this book if you want to understand what made America and Texas rich and dynamic. Study this book if you want to recall what we must build on to keep our nation great. There's a reason we are who we are and Big Thicket People captures that story superbly.



2. This book does a magnificent job of capturing a poorly documented chapter
   in our nation's history. Sitton and Hunt's text combined with Fisher's
   amazing photography magically transports you to the East Texas of the 1930s and 1940s. In reality, the book transports you to the Old South for these "lost" lifeways were common throughout the South before WWII. If you'd like to know more about the Old South, whether it be fox hunting, tie hacking, turpentining or just the old free range livestock culture, this book is a must.
   
   Again, Sitton and Hunt do a great job of telling/showing the history of the rural South which has not been heavily documented. I highly recommend this book, it is a MUST have.



3. This book offers wonderful photography of an almost lost era in American history. The history of the rural South has not been heavily documented. Sitton and Hunt combine the outstanding photography of Larry Fisher with their wonderful text to make this era come alive. Many of these photographs provide extremely rare documentation of old Southern lifeways, such as turpentining, marking ears of free-range hogs, stave making, etc. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in the history of the South or East Texas. It is a fabulous resource.



4. Big Thicket People by Thad Sitton and Charles Hunt provides an invaluable pictorial record of a back woods culture that has faded from the scene.
   Larry Jean Fisher moved to Saratoga, Texas and the area called the Big Thicket in the mid 1930s when his first career as a silent movie pianist was ended by the "talkies". We are extremely fortunate that he chose to apply his artistic talents to photography for his pictures provide authentic images of a lost culture.
   The Big Thicket is a unique ecological area whose major feature is quite well described by its name. For some the "Thicket" provided a hiding place and for others it meant a meager livelihood, but its harsh and also bountiful environs shaped the lives of those who established homes there. Fisher took pictures of the rustic culture that he found in and around Saratoga. The negatives of his pictures were fortunately passed to the custody of the Lamar University Library where they were finally published by Sitton and Hunt.
   The natural history of the Big Thicket was significantly altered by timber-cutting and oil exploration, but it is now slowly reverting to its original state under the protection of the National Park Service's 100,000 acre Big Thicket National Preserve. The Preserve, however, can not bring back the way of life so we are left with the Fisher pictures and the descriptions by Sitton and Hunt.
   This short volume provides an excellent review of life in the Big Thicket, but it leaves one wanting more than just this taste of what once was.

1 comments about Extreme(ly Dumb) Sports (Duckboy Guides).

1. Extreme(ly Dumb) Sports: The Duckboy Guide is a humorous black-and-white photographic gallery inspired by the "Duckboy" line of postcards and other products. Actual live models demonstrating silly activities such as "table tenis" (played with a tennis ball, a tennis court, and two actual tables) make Extreme(ly Dumb) Sports a chuckle-inducing feast for the funnybone. Lighthearted essays round out the delightful gallery, recommended as a giftbook for sports lovers who also love to laugh.

1 comments about A Colorado Autumn.

1. This book was very good. It has beautiful pictures with amazing color!

2 comments about Understanding RAW Photography.

1. Although I am an experienced photographer I have not been brave enough to venture into the world of RAW photography. Wanting to optimize the quality of my photos, RAW seemed to be the next logical step. However, I was unable to find any books on the shelves of the local bookstores that provided more than a cursory overview of RAW. Certainly, none of my questions got answered. After reading reviews about this book on Amazon I decided to order. I was not dissappointed. The book is extremely well-written in layman's terms with examples so that even the most dense photographer (such as me) could figure out how to shoot in RAW. I would certainly recommend this book to anyone worried about striking out into new territory!!



2. Understanding RAW Photography is a rare gem. In 140 pages, Andy Rouse explains the basics of how to deal with digital images from the photographer's point of view. This book is not 500 pages of fluff with some good information tossed in. It is a handbook of what steps the photographer must perform after the shutter is pressed.
   
   Workflow is thoroughly discussed in 16 pages. Workflow is simply setting up the camera to shoot RAW file format, managing the RAW data, and editing/correcting the RAW data. This is tedious but not difficult work. Every DSLR camera manufacturer has their own proprietary software to deal with their own version of RAW data, so read the owner's manual for your camera and use the proprietary software or use freeware that accepts your camera's version of RAW data.
   
   Chapter 2 "In the Field" has many excellent exposure tips, techniques for keeping the camera sensor clean, and backing up the camera memory card while on assignment.
   
   The rest of the book deals with image editing, correction and processing, printing and digital asset management. These topics are discussed in a straight forward manner with enough information given so that the user can get an understanding of the process and then seek more advanced texts if greater detail is needed.
   
   Every DSLR photographer today has the ability to become their own photo processing laboratory. Gone are the days of dropping off rolls of film at the processor's facility and then reviewing proof sheets or slides. Each user can set up the camera, capture the image, download the RAW files on to the computer, edit, correct, process and finally print the photos. This book helps the busy photographer understand and master this series of steps.