5 comments about Survival Kit for Overseas Living, Fourth Edition: For Americans Planning to Live and Work Abroad.

1. 
   I'm so glad there are expatriation books like this one that teaches you the practical aspects and prepares you for culture shock. Expatriation from America is a subject that the US media considers taboo and non-existent. But yet, it's very real because many are dissatisfied in America and realize that it's not the ideal world it claims to be, nor is it the place where whatever's not possible is not possible anywhere else.
   
   In fact, my greatest discovery overseas is that: "Beyond North America, the social climate is INFINITELY more natural and free flowing, and I am NEVER without attractive female companionship."
   
   This book though, only gets into a few reasons for expatriation, describing only a few benefits that are at the tip of the iceberg. The rest if mostly a how-to guide that covers some practical aspects of it. So far, there hasn't been a book that addresses all the deep real life reasons for living overseas. In short, it talks only about the HOW of expatriation, not the WHY. And shouldn' the WHY be dealt with first? That's what all these authors seem to be missing, except for me. Perhaps the WHY reasons are taboo?
   
   Thus, I've volunteered to become the first one and put together a website and ebook called Happier Abroad at http://www.happierabroad.com to help inspire people to pursue international living, dating and traveling, and cultivate an awareness of the positive benefits overseas unknown to most Americans, who instead are living in fear and isolation perpetuated by the US media and culture which tells them that there is nothing good outside the US and that you are empty inside and need to work and consume to fill that emptiness. It's a soulless life lacking connectedness with others and inner life.
   
   In fact, some of my fans say that my ebook is the perfect complement to this one, making a great combination together. You can read my ebook, Happier Abroad, which is the Gospel inspiring Expatriation from America, at: http://www.happierabroad.com/ebook/Contents.htm
   
   Thanks for reading this review.
   
   Sincerely,
   Winston



2. This book was wonderfully practical and succint. I think the author did a fine job challenging Americans to consider that other cultures are different, not necessarily wrong.
   
   I purchased this book in preparation for a semester abroad, and though it is targeted more towards Americans staying abroad for a longer period of time, I found all of the information relevant and helpful none-the-less
   
   I have only 2 complaints about this book. First, many of the resources the author refers to are out of print or unavailable. That was a point of frustration because many of the books seemed like excellent resources. Also, unfortunately, this book was published just prior to 9/11, an event which significantly affects American travelers.
   
   Despite these shortcomings, I highly recommend this book for anyone spending significant time abroad!



3. This book is terrible! Don't buy it! it is very condescending and generally stupid. It has a very high-and-mighty sophomoric attitude, while not really giving any worthwhile information. To add insult to injury, it is also out of date and contains misleading information. This book actually has excersizes to teach you what 'stereotypes' are, what 'culture' is, etc. Ugh.



4. This book, first published in 1979, is still timely and useful, though it shows a few signs of age. It's hard to believe that any Americans in the CNN age are quite as ignorant of the world abroad as they were in the 1970s. However, diversity training and exposure to Thai and Mexican cuisine only goes so far to inoculate Americans against their own inherent cultural assumptions. Yes, this is written for people from the United States and addressed to them directly, but it would be useful to any sojourner trying to shake off hometown assumptions and adapt to life abroad. This volume treats every reader as a neophyte, a Dorothy in the Land of Oz. Author L. Robert Kohls offers a useful series of self-tests and questionnaires, psychological and anthropological frameworks, and practical guidance on routine matters. The book, which is engagingly written, with a wry and sometimes ironic touch, also contains useful appendices. We believe that it merits a place in the library of anyone, particularly any American, who is taking an overseas assignment, however brief.



5. This book was a gift given before my overseas service with the US Peace Corps. It ended up being the most valuable resource I had in my overseas experience. Over the years I've referred back to it (even in moving across the US) to deal with cultural changes.

5 comments about Mutter Museum Historic Medical Photographs.

1. The truth is this books is in between two worlds, that of the scientific and that of the freakshow. I could say I'd prefer the former being a person with a disability myself (some of the photos here of people with "afflictions" like cerebral palsy would today lead normal lives) but also like any human being can understand your Malady of the Month curiousity about the whole thing and for that I'd reccomend the book "Death Scenes" (if you can stomach it and frankly the intro to that book has far more informative analysis of the photos than anything in this book). But the Mutter Museum although a sort of "odditorium" is also a scientific museum to inform people so I want facts. Obviously, the photos taken at the time and their captions don't depict current scientific knowledge. Many say "unknown disease" although a current scientist or medical provider could make a good guesstimate from the photo alone. What was the treatment at the time? What would the people have gone through? What would happen now? One photo particulary striking (among many though I'll choose one) says "meningitis, injected with serum, discharged 5 days later". The photo (striking to me because I have a neurological disability as well and after recovery from this disease people have long term after effects and disabilities that are neurological) unconsciously reminisant of the famous Victorian era photo "Fading Away" shows a girl in what appears to be a coma from that disease and one would assume she died after. But when it says she was "discharged five days later" she recovered, at least enough to be released. What happenend? A good "update" might read "the antitoxin available at the time would stop the progress of the disease and enable people to live though not nearly as effective as antibiotics did save some lives. But with the long term after effects of the disease people would often develop mental retardation or mental illness and in those times eventually end up in institutions which would not occur today". But that infomation (scientifically correct) is missing. The museum promises to be "shockingly informative". Good enough. Shock value I'll grant you but its a little lacking in the "informative" department.



2. This is a good source of interest for human oddities, and of history for conditions that are routinely corrected now.



3. oh my my my... i've seen a few programs on television that spotlighted the mutter museum, and one day i should so love to visit. but this book has given me more insight into the history of medicine and such. i was smitten by the pictures, and it makes me want to visit the museum even more! beautiful photographs. i poured over each one intently before turning the pages.
   i would have liked just a little bit more information about the subjects, otherwise it is a beautifully edited book!



4. This book is very interesting if you are intrigued by medical history. but I wouldn't necessarily call it fascinating, like I was thinking it might be. it does, however, provide an insight to 19th century medicine that I had no idea existed. pioneering lifesaving medical techniques and even astoundingly advanced corrective procedures that I had no idea were even possible during this period are shown.



5. I got this as a gift for my sister and having previously been to the museum, she was thrilled to have a book about it to look at whenever. It is packed with eerie pictures and information and is definitley worth giving it a look. If you or someone you know is interested in strange things, this is a perfect book for you. She said more than once that this was her favorite Christmas gift. Enjoy!

1 comments about Arizona Highways Photography Guide: How & Where to Make Great Pictures (Arizona Highways: Travel Arizona Collection).

1. This book is a must keep for all nature photographers. The books is well organized into basics,types of photography and places for photography with directions to the best photogenic locations in arizona. The portfolio section is amazing and has some of the outstanding photos one has ever seen about american southwest. The articles and photographs by outstanding photographers like Jack Dykinga,David Muench,Gary ladd,Peter ensenberger,Richard maack,Tom vezo,Leroy dejolie etc are both a visual as well as aesthetic feast to all photo enthusiasts. The experiences they have mastered over the years cannot be found anywhere else in one single place. This is a great travel guide too giving good directions to the best locations through out arizona. A jem of a book. Highly recommendable.

4 comments about Slim Aarons: A Place in the Sun.

1. Beautiful pictures that tell us volumes about the social class portrayed in them.



2. Being that Slim Aarons recently passed away, his work warrants an even closer work. What this book and the equally impressive Once Upon a Time have in common is that they portray true grace, elegance and class that makes todays celebrities look like a bunch of bums.



3. With the recent death at age eighty of Slim Aarons the end of the time of the 'beautiful people' seems at an end - at least the photo documented class of the rich and famous as seen by the chief photographer of that elite group.
   
   Slim Aarons earned his place in the sun. He was a combat photographer in WW II and after the war in which he lost his twin brother, he simply elected to not look at things that were ugly any more: saturation from the scenes of war played out its dynamic in a distant path for Aarons. He spent his fifty-odd years photographing the haunts of the wealthy and the beautiful, finding the special places, and openly introduced to the clans. He found the elegance of wealth as his subject, photographing beautiful people in their beautiful surroundings. Some would call this a shallow obsession, but his photographs became famous, e.g. Hollywood Legends, Joan Collins demurely stretched out on her bed with her pink poodle, etc.
   
   Now Slim Aarons is gone and with him has passed the time when leisure among those who had it all has been tainted by the paparazzi. Aarons kept it clean and eloquent, and we are fortunate to have this excellent volume of his works as a celebration of his talent. Christopher Sweet is the one to thank for that and he has created a photo album well worth perusing, well worth remembering when times were different. Grady Harp, June 06



4. Slim Aarons really knew how to capture the jet set of a certain era, his images are so well crafted and the lucky subjects are always shown in there best light, literally and figuratively. The best picture in an array of amazing photography, and one that perfectly captures this rarified air, is the iconic picture of CeZe Guest standing by her pool, it captures all you need to know good and bad, through the prism of a beautiful woman, in a beautiful setting without a seeming care in the world, the very definition of, "To the Manor Born". Mr. Aarons captures so perfectly a life of unapolegetic jet setting opulance, and whether he means to are not he also captures the shallowness of it all, and you wonder, with all of this, are these people really any happier than the rest of us?

5 comments about New Directions in Altered Books.

1. One of the best guides on Altered Books and the one I refer to on a regular basis as a means of learning new ways to approach altered books. I have learned so much from this book.



2. I like this book. I have many others about altered books and collage so not much is new to me but this one does it better.



3. This was a well made book with good photos etc. It was not entirely visually appealing to me however and I felt a little let down. If I had seen it in the flesh prior to purchasing I would have left it. (One of the pitfalls with internet buying I suppose).
   However, maybe I am not into the whole 'altered book' process and as such my comments may not be a good overall yardstick.



4. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The instructions are very good, there are many creative ideas and the photography is wonderful. There are some really unique approaoches to wall art using altered books, as well as using CDs, picture frames, etc. What I like best is that this book has some new and refreshing ideas which I haven't seen before and that always gets my creative juices flowing. There is also a great gallery which showcases the work of other artists. For those just beginning, the book starts with how to choose the right book for altering. For the more advanced enthusiast, there is a section that asks, "What if...? and explores new possibilities with other artists. Something for everyone and definitely one of my favorites.



5. This book was initially recommended to me by an art instructor. It has proved to be a well-founded recommendation. Clear instruction and inspiring.

2 comments about Adobe Photoshop Elements 6 Maximum Performance: Unleash the hidden performance of Elements.

1. This is slightly unusual in for a photography book as it's project based. Think of it as an extended set of the sort of tutorials you find in the digital photo magazines.
   
   It's split into 3 sections with overall headings of "Optimize" "Enhance" and "Montage" with individual chapters each covering a particular technique in Elements 6.
   
   A DVD is included with video and image resources covering all the projects (which is unusual) - 5 hours of video and high quality images (including RAW and PSD with all layers). There are also some potentially useful actions (I haven't got round to using these yet, as I'm running the Macintosh beta version, and haven't figured out how to install them!)
   
   As with all the most recent Elements publications I've seen, this is based around the Windows version, but it doesn't seem to be so focussed - I found no problems following the projects on a MacBook, as there is less emphasis on keyboard shortcuts in the text, and the menus and interfaces are pretty much the same for each platform.
   
   Mark Galer writes in a style that I find refreshing - it's witty without detracting from the technical content, and I found that the techniques 'stuck' very quickly without repeated re-reading.
   
   Unusually these days (or so it seems) there's no accompanying website for the book, but I didn't find this detracted from the overall experience, perhaps because the DVD content is so comprehensive.
   
   If you're a newcomer to Elements this isn't the book for you - it's not going to teach you how to navigate the interface - I don't think that there's any one image in the book that shows the whole screen - but if you want to learn some more high end techniques which you may not expect possible from Adobe's budget app then you may want to consider buying it.



2. This is an excellent product IF YOU DON'T ALREADY HAVE "ADOBE PHOTOSHOP ELEMENTS 5 MAXIMUM PERFORMANCE" BY THE SAME AUTHOR. I was so impressed with the author's previous book, that I bought this one. How disappointing to find all the chapters are identical except three. They use the same text, the same photo images, the same tutorials in both books --except that if there is a difference in the way Elements 6 uses a particular tool, it is noted. Either book is an excellent resource, but don't buy both, unless you like identical twins.

5 comments about Spirit of Place: The Art of the Traveling Photographer.

1. Good book
   
   I got this book in anticipation of an upcoming vacation and it was worth the money. I think it serves the target market (amateur photographers on vacation) pretty well. It makes a few references to stock photography but doesn't dwell on shooting for it, doesn't mention selling it except in passing.
   
   It starts out with a basic overview of composition (rule of thirds, Depth of Field, directional light, patterns etc). Other books cover this in greater detail, it is only an overview after all. The author does include a few tips on how each might apply to travel photography. After photo 101 it goes on to cover specific environments/situations. Cityscapes, tropics, winter etc. This was the meat of the book, each subject was given and adequate overview with a few specific examples to illustrate. There are also chapters on underwater and Ariel photography. Good intros but if your going to be plunking out the bucks for that I'd look for more specialized instruction.
   
   He finished the book with some travel tips that may not apply to the non-professional (especially about packing in the post 9-11 travel climate) and on gear selection.
   
   There are plenty of example photos that more or less illustrate the point he was talking about. Most of his shots seem to come from the Caribbean or North America, a few from Europe. Preferences to the Caribbean. On the plus most of them seem to be something that a person with normal means might replicate using moderately expensive gear. He did most of his work in the 20-35mm and 80-200mm focal ranges with full 35mm film. The cameras he used were by no means top of the line. He also addresses what is realistic to expect from the traveling photographer vs the pro who has been on location dozens of times.
   
   The biggest shortcoming of this book is that it is film-centric (35mm). It was published in 2000 which was really before the digital age really took off. Most of the tips and techniques (The real meat of the book) are universal regardless of what kind of camera you use. But he does spend some time on film selection, care and feeding (especially filters and white balance) that are very different in the digital. Of course there is no information on digital care and feeding as a consequence.
   
   I'm interested to see how well this book holds up over time. Years ago when I was starting out with photography I got a book on composition. At the time I felt it was an "overview" and probably lacking something. Now after years of experience I see that book really had it all, all the subjects were there, what was lacking was my experience to implement them. I suspect in time I will come to see this book the same way.
   
   Pros-
   Good book on the subject written to the beginner-intermediate level
   Good pictures to illustrate the subjects
   Focuses on "achievable" pictures rather than the extreme works of art
   Covers all the bases
   Great advice on film (if your using it)
   
   Cons-
   Needs updating. Lots of good film info but nothing on digital and the new capabilities (and liabilities) that it provides.
   Some may want more in depth instruction on specific areas.
   
   Conclusion
   A great resource for travel/location photography. If you already have the basics down (Fstops and exposure and whatnot) then this is a good next step. I'd recommend it for anyone looking to make their vacation photos better.



2. It's amazing that in 7 years since this book was released, the transition of most enthusiast's and amatuers photo capture is now almost entirely digital, that this book seems "old". However the basic's of capturing the light, composition of the photo and the steps to recording the countries, cities and inhabitants don't (it just how they're recorded).Bob Krist workflows that he outlines and the tips provided in my opinion are well suited to the beginner and enthusiaist photographer. In fact, it would be a great idea to copy the simple steps down onto a card and slip in the camera bag for a checklist when travelling.This book precedes my copy of Lonely Planets Travel Photography but is simpler and more anecdotal. A good read and recommended even if your capture is digital. This book will be the one I use for reference before my next attempt of capturing the "Spirit" of the places I travel to and not just taking the pictures.



3. This is film photography that is fully compatible with the digital age. It is not so much on what settings he used but on the planning and preparation that matters the most. What was in his mind when the shot was taken is fabulous. While he shoots landscapes mostly at the time when we are either calling it a day or still sleeping in the early morning, there are certain tips that opens our views on not only what, but also when and how to take a shot! This is a must have book for travellers wanting to have beautiful memories of his/her travel. We will never reproduce the same scene on a given place or event but it will surely open our eyes on what to look for and how to be a more creative photogpraher. I agree with Bob that when you know what to look for then you will realize how abundant there is to shoot wherever you are!! A must have book indeed! I give it 6 stars but unfortunately 5 is the best there is to choose from!



4. I bought quite a few books before a recent trip to Kauai where photography was a large part of my experience. This book provided as much or more insight into how to approach a place and experience it through photography as any other I read. Part of the value of this book will be in re-reading parts of it over a few times, before any major outing, at least until you take what it's saying to heart. In the end, photography is an active thing, and reading about it will only take you so far.



5. Spirit of Place provides an excellent overview of travel photography. It is well organized, written clearly and concisely, and is filled with beautiful photos to help illustrate the points made in the text. The author discusses techniques to help you deal with various difficulties from how to find the best vantage point when shooting tall buildings to dealing with people that you may want to photograph. One thing that I really appreciated was that he also gave advice on which equipment to use in various settings and situations.
   
   For travel photographers, the topics covered are pretty comprehensive. The author walks through some basics of composition. There is a full chapter devoted to working with various light sources and using filters to enhance that light. There are sections on skylines, architecture, shooting in the tropics, wildlife, and more. Each section is fairly brief. This book is more about giving general direction and ideas then trying to offer a detailed approach to all possible shooting possibilities. I found the level of coverage just about right. No one can provide detailed direction for every possible consideration for travel photographers so the author wisely offers some general advice to start you thinking and leaves it at that.
   
   If the book has a weakness it is that it was written back in 2000 by a photographer who obviously didn't so much as scan his slides for further editing. This is strictly centered around film photography and that definitely limits the usefulness of the material focusing on film selection if you use a digital camera. Forturnately, most of his advice is sound regardless of whether you use film or digital so I would still highly recommend the book.

5 comments about Boink: College Sex by the People Having It.

1. This book was really great except for the fact that I didn't find the tall blonde girl that attractive. She was kind of odd shaped and I didn't enjoy any picture that she was in. Also the male mexican was kind of "small". I found the book humorous but not erotic.



2. I love this book-- the photos are erotic and naughty but still maintain their class and are tasteful. I would definitely say that this book is geared towards a female audience however, but its still a very sex positive book and the stories inside are great!



3. If you are looking for the cutting edge, you won't find it in Boink. The photography is of pretty people in a tropical setting in various combinations. It's fun and sexy and softcore, but it's not breaking any boundaries.
   
   The "real college kids" angle is not fully realized. It doesn't convey the reality of college sex - at least in appearances. The writing is more successful, but hard to navigate. The table of contents does not tell you whether a piece of writing is fiction or non-fiction. On one hand, that means that it all COULD be real. On the other, you have no way of knowing what is real or not, which is an essential part of the appeal. The colleges are NOT named, as has been stated in some of the press coverage, and the authors are also not given their full bylines.
   
   Another problem is the illustrations, which violate an essential rule of publishing - to not previsualize for the audience what they are supposed to imagine. The illustrations are often literal depictions of story content, rather than (like The New Yorker's presentation of short fiction) evocative pieces of artwork that underscore and accentuate what the audience is supposed to be feeling.
   
   Boink is an admirable attempt to champion sex-positive expression in young adults, and has achieved a fun, tame, mainstream appeal. But they miss the essential aspect of their mission - to portray people as they really are, in the environments they really live in, doing the things they really do. And that means unflinching honesty and grit. Which is not found here.



4. I am sort of in the middle ground between the one reviewer that blasted the book and the others. On the one hand, I agree with the guy that was disappointed, but for different reasons. Does "no holds barred" for women mean girls that are skinny A-cups? There are a LOT of other body types in this world but you would never know it from the pics in this book. And to agree with the one star guy, these pictorials are FAR from no holds barred. They are tamer than even playboy other than the fact that a flacid penis is snuck in there occasionally. The girls are pretty but I wish there had been some other types of women than these skinny girls.
   
   How is the writing? I think that for the most part, it is superb. As a kid, I was an avid reader and grew up prior to the advent of the internet. So, my titallation came from girlie mags and penthouse/Gallery letters. The writing in here is on par with those as far as explicitness goes but is far more realistic and literate. You find yourself living vicariously through the stories as opposed to simply being excited. I love the stories in this book. Please release another one!



5. This book is different from most that I've seen. It contains both nude pictures and illustrated stories mixed between the photos. The writing is mostly focused on college experiences and the pictures have a "spring break" feel. The models are natural... not airbrushed and stylized like you'd find in Playboy, SI or Maxim. They have more of an amateur feel, which is not surprising since the book was put together by actual college students.
   
   There's a good mix of girls and guys. Many of the spreads feature couples both guy/girl and girl/girl. There are also a number of solo spreads... basically something for almost everyone.
   
   The reviewer that claims there are only pictures of men obviously hasn't really seen this book. But if you are homophobic and the sight of a naked guy freaks you out... then you should know that this isn't your typical men's publication that features only girls. But I personally find it sexier to see girls and guys together.

5 comments about The Studio Photographer's Lighting Bible.

1. This book is definitely not what I expected. Too brief lighting information for every setup, not supporting the book title. Hardly any discussion of the lighting, just a description how to arrange it (with little explanation how and why it works). A lot of extra discussions which one would not expect looking at the title (for example, how the author arranged a stylist for a model shoot). I would prefer fewer arrangements with more discussion of the lighting, or at least a change of the title.
   
   At the same time I bought "Creative Lighting Techniques for Studio Photographers" by Dave Montizambert. That I consider a much better choice to understand how studio lighting works and get creative ideas.



2. Good book. But I just have a home studio (Hasselblad, Novarton 3 head set up) seemed like everything had 2 BIG soft boxes plus 3 to 5 more strobes, geared towards a much larger studio. Lots of thing I think I can glean out, A good book!!! Not what I wanted, But a real good book, Goes into lighting of People, still lives, Pets, Food Lots of Cool Information



3. 
   
   At the middle of last year I opened a photo studio. So, I can say, I'm still beginner int this topic. So, this book was very helpful for me to gt advance knowledge about art of making great photos.



4. I thought this book was very helpful it gave many tips that will be useful. I would recommend this book to a friend.



5. This book does not live up to it's title. If you are looking for a technical reference book to all aspects of studio lighting, lighting equipment, technology and techniques then you will be disappointed.
   This book gives simple examples of different subjects and genres with nice photo's and a basic description of the lighting setup involved.
   I'm only an amateur and found this book disappointing as I thought I'd find all my answers and learning in one book. I'm going to have to purchase individual books on studio lighting get the technical help I was looking for.

5 comments about Composition Photo Workshop.

1. THe lens hood for the 50 mm lens works well. ALso i am very happy with the service.



2. How a photo is composed can determine what it communicates, and while Photoshop and after-shot programs can help render images with greater precision, they are no substitute for decent composition. That's why any college-level class on photography and any library strong in photography references needs COMPOSITION PHOTO WORKSHOP: it shares all the elements which make up a masterful design, from color and lighting to design and symbolism. There are different techniques for portraits, landscapes and still lifes alike: COMPOSITION PHOTO WORKSHOP covers them all in great detail.
   
   Diane C. Donovan
   California Bookwatch



3. Unstoppable woman running at full gallop into focus and into the future.
   A page-turner. Articulate, pleasant reading. Not too much jargon
   A buffet of eye candy and brain candy and camera candy
   Opened my eyes and enhanced my views in many ways
   So many avenues and so many approaches expressed
   Provides skills to make me and my camera more versatile and powerful
   A ton of info in one book. A treasure chest of tips, tricks, and fundamentals.
   Sort a personal guide, cicerone, to a world of photography that is becoming more complex and more simple at the same time
   A nice addition to my art library.



4. I am an advanced amateur who purchased this book hoping to improve my skills, or at least learn something new. This book was a total disappointment. The author simply fails to uncover in depth the principals of composition. If you are a total beginner and want to learn about photography and the history of photography in general, this book is for you. You will be reading pages and pages of completely useless and non composition related information only finding the mediocre picture and a very brief explanation on how the author took that shot. The pictures are short of being "fantastic" and leave you with serious doubt of whether you are really learning from the best.
   
   As for me, I will continue looking for a truly educational book.



5. Since moving to Alaska two years ago, I've taken up photography. The abundant wildlife and breathtaking natural scenery moved me to purchase a digital camera and start shooting. I had no formal training, but figured, much as with automobile repair, if I could read about it, I could figure it out. I read a variety of websites, participated in discussion forums, took many photographs, and generally have been trying to figure things out myself. With this background, picked up this book with interest and curiosity.
   
   Composition is divided into eleven chapters, breaking things down into background, compositional elements, photographic styles and tips for improvment. The first chapter goes over a variety of background bits, talking about the the history of photography, sight and optics, eastern & western approaches to design and layout, and the interrelation between these items which is what makes up composition. The book clearly states that it comes to the discussion from a 'western' point of view. With the foundations properly set, the book delves into meat of the topic. Framing is tackled first, with discussion of shapes and thematic elements, shapes, the rule of thirds, symmetry and other topics explored. Next, focal depth and shutter speed, how lens selection determines output characteristics and photographic capabilities, ISO speed selection, and on. The quality and types of light are examined, and how to best make use of what is available at any given time. Two chapters are spent on color and black & white photography. Filters are examined for the positive effects they can have in bright and contrasty situation, and when they can be beneficial to filter out or highlight a particular portion of the spectrum. While some will argue that postprocessing and editing on the computer afterward render all filters other than ND and polarizing ones useless, I appreciate that the information hasn't been discarded onto the scrapheap of history. The final three chapters of the book deal with portraiture, landscape/scenic photography and tips on improving your photos further through post-processing.
   
   I found Composition to have a nice layout (which it should, considering the subject matter); it is full of useful information and generally an enjoyable read. I had no problem picking it up and reading through a chapter here and there, then getting back into it later. At the end of each chapter, there is an assignment which directs you to apply the topic covered in the chapter in a variety of ways and try to get a better feel for what they are discussing. In addition, there is an accompanying online forum where you can upload the photos you take for the assignments, discuss them with others, and see how other readers approached the topics. A brief exploration of the website took a while to find the proper place to go to upload and see the images others have captured. As of this writing (10/1/2007), the forums there do not appear to be terribly active, with perhaps 11 photos uploaded to the busiest assignment; as the book was released recently, I'm sure the activity will pick up.
   
   Composition is written for someone with an SLR camera - people with simple point and shoot cameras will gain some knowledge from the book. To be able to take full advantage of the book should have an advanced P&S camera - one that falls into the super-zoom or bridge-camera categories - if not a full dSLR setup. (This isn't necessarily a complaint about the book, per-se, but hey, we non-dSLR owners are photographers too!) With the stiff competition, many new models and rapidly falling prices in recent years for dSLR cameras, this book could act as the missing manual. While it won't tell you what all the switches do on your new Nikon D80 or which lens is best for your Canon 400d, it goes a long ways toward giving you a better understanding of how to make use of the capabilities of your camera, and will help train your eye to find those details, the shapes, colors and lighting which will produce outstanding images.