No comments about Wild & Scenic Pennsylvania (Wild & Scenic).

5 comments about Bert Monroy: Photorealistic Techniques with Photoshop & Illustrator (VOICES).

1. As an Artist, i have had deep respect for Bert monroys craft for some years.....only recently have i traded brushes for a stylus, and having come upon Revision3 and Berts video's...i was compelled to buy this book....i am not disappointed in any degree....having only a few months of illustrator ( self-teaching) i can't begin to describe the asset this book will become as i plug through......Thanks Bert......great book, and for the awesome art you create,.......



2. Although the versions of Photoshop and Illustrator he discusses are much older than what's currently available, this book remains the best for tutorials on creating photorealistic drawings in both programs. I am in awe of his skills!



3. Truly, truly awful book. Mr. Monroy should be ashamed. If you know the first thing about art or photoshop you do not need this book. I sincerely regretted buying it .



4. This is a truly great book but Monroy has made a new book called "Photoshop Studio with Bert Monroy" which is essentially an updated version of this book. I bet it would be a better buy.



5. I picked this book up, looking on how to make more realistic, complex surface maps for my 3D models in LightWave. Should have bought this book when it first came out. Can't imagine were I would be if I had back in January 2000...

   This is the first book that I've purchased that's helped me out in less then a week. By just sitting around the house and looking at a few pages, reading the text that goes with the images and I'm actually learn something. After reading the chapter on Metal and wood, then sat down I did a few things, and I have now awesome results.

   Bert Monroy and company teaches you how to use tools in ways I couldn't imagine before. Sure, you're going to think to yourself- "I could have thought of that"... much like I did. But fact is, you didn't. He did and he put it in a book. Many books are too vague and get bogged down in theory. Other books are far too simplistic and do a good job of insulting the reader's intelligence. This book is the Goldilocks of PhotoShop How-To books... it's just right.

5 comments about Self-Made Worlds: Visionary Folk Art Environments.

1. I was first turned on to this book by Ross Ward of Tinkertown. I like the good photos. The writing is good because it doesn't make fun on the subject and it doesn't try to "explain" the subject. If you are interested in what the odd guy in your town is doing with the shiny things he picks up off your street - then you should get this book.



2. I'm a fan of what the author calls 'self-made worlds' and take pictures of them wherever I find them. This book treats its subjects with respect, but could include more photos of each place, and perhaps a general map to its location. I find myself wanting more from each section. Also, there are some particularly famous spots that are missing from the book, most notably Gilgal Gardens in Salt Lake City. There is a very handy index to self-made worlds in the back.
   Maybe a Self-Made Worlds Volume II is in order?



3. As a collector that is just getting started in this field, I found this book both highly interesting and amazing. Anyone who is interested in this field will find this book enjoyable. I would have given it five stars, but it is the first one I have read and did not have a reference point.



4. I just keep buying this for gifts -- it's a coffee-table book that not only stays on the coffee table, it gets read and passed around. amazing background on how America's visionary roadside shrines are imagined as well as built -- i love the insights into the hearts, minds, and spirits of these folk art contrarians. by giving copies of this book as gifts, i feel i'm doing my own small bit to help people appreciate this art form -- and maybe even create something startlingly original of their own someday! the perfect present for every outer yuppie/inner wildchild on your list, or for anyone who's stuck in a rut or going through a life change. this book reminds us all to cherish eccentricity -- keep America weird -- and nourish our own (and everyone else's) inner visionary.



5. Having met with Mr. Leonard Knight of Niland, CA (Cover Picture), and visiting his "Salvation Mountain" it amazes you to think of what can be accomplished with inspiration and hard work. You don't have to be a person of faith to come away impressed with his artwork. It doesn't matter where your personal inspiration comes from as long as you have a clear cut goal and are willing to do whatever it takes to develop the skills and resources. I listened to Leonard describe the setbacks and saw the faith he had that he would obtain the tbings he needed. Nothing could have been more impressive or beautiful than being shown around the mountain and listening to him talk. Another remarkable thing is that he NEVER asks for money or donations and absolutely does not allow endorsements or affiliation with any group or denomination. Pure faith and determination sustain him and his mountain. It's up to the individual to decide where the personal faith and inspiration come from. A very nice man and a remarkable achievement.

5 comments about Visions of Heaven: The Dome in European Architecture.

1. David Stephenson's exquisite photography reveals these architectural marvels as never before. Coupled with Victoria Hammond's illuminating essay, this book is an excellent buy.
   
   My quibble is that there is no photo of the dome of Hagia Sophia in Constantinople, surely one of most important domes as Hammond's essay itself states. The Church of St Sophia in Kiev is represented but not the Hagia Sophia



2. I purchased the book as I am a decorative artist who has been doing more and more ceilings in similar fashion to the illustrations in the book. This has inspired me and filled me with awe as I see some of the God given talents being used for the glory of God. I believe my company faux-creations will start to go places with this book as a reference in Lexington, KY as well within the States and Europe.



3. I don't have much to add to the earlier reviews except to say that if you like kaleidoscopes, mandalas or snowflakes, you will probably love this book. It is full of images of 6-fold and 8-fold symmetry and even one each of 3-fold and 5-fold. The pictures can be viewed as realistic depictions of parts of buildings or as abstractions, pleasurable purely for the pattern. There is something in the human brain that loves this sort of thing, and if you want to indulge that something and just wallow in beauty, get this book. Wow!



4. 'Visions of Heaven: The Dome in European Architecture' is one of those apparent coffee table books made to grace the room of art lovers and to initiate conversations about travel and architecture and art among guests. But this splendid book is far more than that (though a magnificent 'coffee table book' it most assuredly is!).
   
   Photographer David Stephenson has traveled throughout Europe from Italy to Spain, Turkey, England, Germany, Russia and beyond, intent on capturing the magnificence of the domes that crown the cathedrals, palaces, mosques, syngogues and other imposing architectural wonders of the world. Technically speaking, photographing these domes is a feat unto itself: much time must have been spent on the floors or these edifices to capture angles of intent that would allow the resultant photograph to not only give the exciting detail of a concave surface but also to allow the available light to make the colors true.
   
   The result is a book of over 120 full color photographs of art that too often goes unnoticed as visitors to these special places fail to strain necks to see the entire masterpiece above their heads. But the aspect of this book that makes it even more successful is the fact that Stephenson acknowledged the need for historical background to supplement appreciation of these domes and to that end Victoria Hammond in her essays and Keith F. Davis in his seductive foreword open discussions not only of the art itself, the creators, the materials, and the history of each dome, but they also address the concept of the dome as a reaching to heaven. The writing works as successfully as the photography and together create a book that is not only beautiful but also grandly informative. Highly recommended. Grady Harp, December 06



5. Dome architecture is something special: and its special qualities and art are captured by photographer David Stephenson in his images of dome interiors VISIONS OF HEAVEN: THE DOME IN EUROPEAN ARCHITECTURE. Stephenson traveled across Europe and even into Turkey and Russia photographing churches, palaces, mosques and synagogues created from the second to the 20th century: his visual display captures over a hundred images of some of the finest dome construction in the world, while an essay by Victoria Hammond tracks and dome and its decoration.
   
   Diane C. Donovan, Editor
   California Bookwatch

5 comments about 40 Digital Photography Techniques.

1. I purchased 8 books on photography after I completed a photography course.
   This book was one of them. It covers many of the things I already learned in my course but gave some specific f-stops that my course instructor never told us.
   My teacher felt we would learn more by taking the shots ourselves.
   I disagreed.
   I felt this book gave practical advice on how to set your f-stop to achieve the desired photo.
   It is a book for the beginner and easily read.
   There are lots of photos but I would have liked them to be a bit larger.
   For anyone who did not take a photo course or has not figured out how to play around with your f-stops to get the desired shot, this is a handy book to read.
   It also briefly touches upon diffusing the flash, exposure settings and other topics every photographer needs to know about, but in a general way.
   Definitely not the book for intermediate or advanced photographers, but recommended for the beginner.



2. This book is great for starters in digital (or even film) photography. If you don't quite understand what all the settings in your digital camera are or used for, this book will open your eyes and will have you using all different settings really soon.
   The book is very easy to read and explains a lot with pictures to show you the results.
   Also, this books talks about lightining, how to take better photos of people, how to adjust the settings to take inside and outside photos. It gives plenty of neat tricks for you to try out with your camera without having to buy extra equipment.
   Although if you really want to spend some money, this book also talks about good equipment, like lenses, light bouncers, and more.



3. This book is written in simple lucid language, with good clear pictures makes it perfect for beginners and 'getting semi serious' photographers,
   my pictures have become much better as result of the knowledge out of this book plus i have a better eye on photography on the whole, in the past had never put a thought on clicking a button on the camera..no complains



4. As a semi-professional photographer I am often asked for camera and photography advice which I gladly provide. What I am more at a loss for is what you get is the best resource for someone trying to learn a little bit more of their own. This book is a great solution, for which I am keeping a copy around simply to loan out to those in this situation.
   
   40 Digital Photography Technique is designed for the beginner and maturing intermediate photographer and does an excellent job covering everything from the basics of how to use your camera, to composition, how to shoot in various lighting situations, macro photography and much more. Though it does not go into great depth in any one of these subject areas, it is a great overview and touches on a lot of areas that new photographers may not think of. It attempts to be a beginner's guide and provide ideas and how to use on a wide variety of areas pertaining to photography, and it does a great job.
   
   I highly recommend this title to anyone who has picked up a new digital camera or may have one laying around that they have not gotten as much use of as they thought they might have won about it. Your camera along with this book may become a new hobby and passion that you never knew you had within you.



5. This book teaches the principles of digital photography--the quirks, the problems, the peculiarities, and how to work with these to get the most out of your camera. Most of the other books on the market spend one chapter on these fundamentals and then spend the next 400 pages discussing the functions of expensive, prosumer DSLR's like the Canon Rebel or Nikon D50/70, and post-processing on the computer. This is great if you have a DSLR and are looking to do a lot of post-processing.
   
   However, if you have a consumer level point-and-shoot camera like the Canon Elph, Nikon Coolpix, Kodak Easyshare or Sony Cybershot, this extra material won't apply to your camera because it doesn't have these advanced manual controls. What this book does for the P&S user is teach you why some of your photos are coming out blurry, overexposed or dark. How to frame an exciting picture. How to use the flash to improve some pictures, and when the flash isn't appropriate. How to use the manual controls that are included on these cameras and how these controls can help you succeed in taking better pictures.

4 comments about Panda Cam: A Nation Watches Tai Shan the Panda Cub Grow.

1. If you are looking for cute pictures of Tain Shan's first months, here you find them. Simply the cutest pictures ever!



2. This book is a good collection of photos of the first year of the new panda cub at the Washington Zoo. It is especially useful for those interested in pandas who have not seen them and want to get a sense of the behaviors and expressions of a young panda cub.



3. This is a wonderful book for those people to get to see the first seven months of Tai Shan's life as it was actually recorded on the National Zoo Panda Cam. Tai Shan, whose name means "peaceful mountain" in Chinese is a must see attraction for people when they come to Washington



4. This is definitely the book for those of us who spent the last year staring at "0026 HOLD" on our screens and watching Tai Shan and Mei Xiang but I am sure adults and children who like pandas will also love it. Like many people, I spent several hours every day watching Panda Cam from the first weeks when Mei Xiang cradled Tai Shan 24/7, to his early morning forays in Exhibit 3 last fall, to his adventures in the great outdoors and the surprise discovery that panda cubs routinely climb trees and nap in them for hours at a time.
   
   One of my favorite Panda Cam moments came late one night in mid-January when Tai Shan slipped headfirst between his mother and one of the walls of the dry pond in Exhibit 2 and then couldn't get back up -- all you saw were his little back feet and legs waving in the air. After a few minutes of this Mei Xiang obligingly moved over so he could free himself.
   
   Back to the book: the photographs are wonderful and there are many here that have never appeared at the website (nationalzoo.si.edu/Animals/GiantPandas/). The book is arranged with a photograph on the left accompanied by, in most cases, sections of diary entries from the past year. I really enjoyed reading these again but I do wish they had included a date with each entry so you have an idea of how old Tai Shan is in each picture. I also liked that they included information on the web campaign to name the baby bear "Butterstick" and to promote "Stickmas" to celebrate his birthday every year but I was disappointed they didn't attribute this to Wonkette where it originated. And I wished they had included a picture of Tai Shan just after he was born, back when he was still in his "Butterstick" phase.
   
   One really cool thing about the book is that there is a small photograph of Tai Shan on the bottom corner of each right-hand page so you can use it as a "flipbook" -- if you hold the book so that you flip very fast through the pages back to front, you will see a little animated Tai Shan doing somersaults!
   
   PS: Mei Xiang and Tai Shan are on the cover of the July 2006 "National Geographic" which features an article about them and the pandas at the Wolong Nature Reserve's Giant Panda Research Center in Chengdu China. (rissa@panix.com)

2 comments about History of Men's Magazines, Vol. 1 (Dian Hanson's The History of Men's Magazines).

1. I already have Volume 2 of Dian Hanson's encyclopedic _History of Men's Magazines_, detailing what I believe to be the golden age of that genre (the 1950's), so I was really looking forward to getting Volume 1. This volume is presented just as beautifully as the other five volumes in the series, with lots of gorgeous full-page color and B&W photos.
   
   However, there is a very big oversight, not to say error, in the material contained in this volume. Let me explain; Volume 1 bills itself as covering the history of men's magazines from 1900 to the period immediately after World War II. OK. So where are all the pictures from 1900 to the beginning of the 1920's? Certainly, there weren't very many magazines specializing in girlie art or photography before the Roaring Twenties, but France did have several, most notably the famous "La Vie Parisienne", which started publishing in, I believe, the 1870's and ran almost continuously for seven or eight decades. There was a LOT of first-class girlie art in that 'zine from the 1870's to the 1910's (including some classic art produced during World War I) that Hanson could have located and reproduced. Also, what about the Gibson Girl in "Life"? That's not strictly "girlie" art within the parameters set by this series, to be sure, but she was such an iconic figure that she should have gotten at least a couple of pictures. Or what about all the "French postcards" of the Gay Nineties and after? Those directly adumbrated the later girlie magazines, and also go unrepresented, at least in the pictures.
   
   Furthermore, Hanson errs seriously in putting a large number of pictures from the 1950's and 1960's in a volume that is expressly _not_ dedicated to those decades (the 1960's, in fact, get two volumes later on in the series). She may have intended to show how girlie photography developed over the decades, but there was plenty of room later on in the series to do that. The space misappropriated to those pictures would much better have been allocated to the kind of imagery I described in the previous paragraph.
   
   Sorry, Dian. I really like Volume 2. Volume 1, however, is a rather disappointing introduction to what should have been a definitive reference work on a little-studied genre.



2. I can't think of another publisher, other than Taschen, who would risk publishing a six-volume, extravagantly produced history of men's magazines and who better than Dian Hanson to write it. She has had plenty of experience in this section of the magazine trade.
   
   This volume covers the fourteen years from 1945 and really it is not too interesting until Hefner starts Playboy in 1953. Until then the market was basically down-market cheesecake and burlesque oriented magazines though there are chapters devoted to John Willie's 'Bizarre' and Lenny Burtman's 'Exotique' but these were hardly mass-market titles. Chapter three, nicely, features titles from Argentina and Mexico and chapter six covers England. Playboy was the title that makes this history interesting, unique when it first came out but not for long, titles like Nugget, The Dude, Swank, Rogue and others made this genre of publishing sort of respectable.
   
   The seventeen chapters follow the same format, a few hundred words of copy and then pages and pages of covers and spreads from the various titles. Chapter sixteen features the Top 5 Cover girls, Diane Webber, June Wilkinson, Jayne Mansfield, Bettie Page and predictably Marilyn as number one. Chapter seventeen is a neat finale, devoted to the tacky ads that appeared in the back of many men's titles. Major advertisers totally shunned most of this market for obvious reasons.
   
   Fascinating though the book is I do have a major disappointment (so four stars) and that is the paper, a matt stock that soaks up the ink so that none of the covers sparkle. I've bought several other pop culture Taschen books this year and they have all had semi gloss stock that reproduces covers and illustrations so well. There are a few hundred color covers in 'The History of Men's Magazines' and frequently the whole page ones look soft and grainy, they are, after all, reproduced from something already printed, a different paper would have mostly avoided this. Another slight annoyance is the three-language text (English, French and German) all set in the same typeface so at the end of a column one naturally goes to the next column and it is German. To my mind it would have been preferable to run each language in its own text block.
   
   Apart from the paper I thought the book was well worth having and if you
   read the Product Description you'll see what the other five volumes cover.
   When complete I think this will become the definitive work about this
   corner of the publishing world. I'm already making shelf-room for the set.

5 comments about Andre de Dienes: Marilyn.

1. Fantastic photos!
   Very subjective story of the relationship of Andre and MM. It is hard to tell if he embellished some of the facts of his books.
   I found it an enjoyable coffee book that is well worth it for the photos.
   A must have for MM fans!



2. Andre de Dienes has taken some of the most precious photographs of Marilyn Monroe that there are. If you know that, or are a big Marilyn Monroe fan, know this: they are not all here, not even close. However, it's one of the nicer books for the collector. I am disappointed because they've altered some photos, ie, placed the image of her head in the sky, etc., where I would have preferred to see the original photo instead. I am hoping for a more complete, color photo book of his work at some point, but this is definitely worth getting.



3. I picked this book up today and was intrigued by the direct casual photos of photos that I was not used to of Marilyn Monroe. Most photos that we see of Marilyn are glamorized by Hollywood. This book tells a beautiful memoir between Marilyn and Andre. The photos in this book are high quality and even in include about 5-6 color prints in the middle of the book. Highly recommended.



4. Even for non-Marilynphiles, this is a magic photographic trip of her metamorphosis from Norma Jeane to Marilyn - would have liked to have more of the pictures in 8 x 10 format, and information regarding the obviously enhanced ones with clouds, stars, etc. (why were they done, how were they done, when were they done)
   
   If you have a Marilyn Monroe library, this is a must. If you don't, it's a marvelous Sunday afternoon read and view.



5. This book is simply fantastic. Andre de Dienes captured Marilyn Monroe's beauty when she was still Norma Jeane, and nobody ever captured her in her truer state.
   These photographs (which of course are accompanied by a text of Andre de Dienes' memoirs--or is it the other way around?)-- they are absolutely the most stunning, beautiful images ever taken of the most photogenic GODDESS that the world-at-large has ever known.
   One of the most incredible ones is frustratingly not blown up to regular size, but merely shown from his proof sheets (pages 130 and 206 feature the image(s) I am referring to). The cover shot has long been my favorite Marilyn photo, and I now see that a few others that particuarly intoxicated me for many years are all here! Andre de Dienes was simply the best photographer Marilyn ever had; a photographic genius.
   But he was a lot more than that; a friend, a lover (who, like many of those who fell in love with Marilyn first-hand, never stopped loving her).
   The stories are riveting; incredible at times, even.
   And the aforementioned photographs are simply breathtaking.
   I particuarly love all the shots from Tobey Beach; she's never so radiant with her beauty so lush, warm and comforting. Pages 27 and 43 feature the Norma Jeane I TOO prefer to the more common image(s) of Marilyn Monroe, the "glamorous" Hollywood take on her beauty, which rings less natural in comparison to these wonderful shots. The photo on page 119 is one to die for, her tenderness so entrancing (and that's from the " The End of Everything" session!)
   The bubble bath photos from '52 are also unbelievable.
   The photos perfectly accompany the story, which add to them tremendously; seeing Marilyn eating a sundae -- as simple as that -- is an image that is heartwarming and beautiful in context, an absolute joy.
   
   Thi is neither just a memoir (albeit however fascinating it IS); nor a mere photobook (although when referring to Marilyn Monroe's beauty AND a genius photographer like de Dienes, "mere" doesn't fit either!).
   It's SOMETHING ELSE!
   
   I am very glad that Steve Crist put this together; he did indeed stumble upon treasure.
   And Mr. de Dienes' widow, without whom this could not, would not exist?
   Ms. Shirley T. Ellis de Dienes' acknowledgements in the back of the book were enough to bring me to tears.
   
   This book is an absolute must for any Marilyn Monroe fan.

5 comments about How to Create a High Profit Photography Business in Any Market.

1. I read this book first day I've got it. Great material about how to start your own company and what is common mistakes. This book is not about how to create best portrait in the business, its about how to treat customer right and sell your work. Actually, only 50% of the pictures was great, the other half didn't like so much. Thats why I striped one star. This guy is better businessman than a photographer, so if you dream about starting your own photography business you have to read this book. It is very simple and straight to the point. But If you want to take a great pictures just for fun, you should pass. He gave very clear formula to the success only your job is to make it happen.



2. Great book,very informative,learn about job opportunitys.And the correct way of going about getting them.



3. While there are some very useful suggestions in this book no matter what type of business you have, it is mostly geared to selling to an upscale crowd at extremely high prices. I was looking for other suggestions and ways to be profitable in my photography business - not just charging high prices and targeting the rich. If you are established in the photography business, have a fancy studio, and already have a large customer base, this may be the book for you to push you over the top. But if you are just getting started, want to keep your overhead low, and are targeting a larger clientele, this is not the book for you.



4. I bought this book because of other readers' reviews. I was deluded. I want to start a photography business, and except for some very flimsy public relations information and a few general suggestions about business practices, it gave me nothing. Nada. As soon as it came today, I plowed into it looking for help. I don't need a lesson on lighting, thank you very much. I don't need to know that the author has a high end studio that I can't afford yet. I don't need to know that telephone manners are important. Not yet. I want to know how to get launched, how to set up accounts, what I need for permission forms, what copyright issues I'm facing, and there's only a meager dry crust of bread in this book.



5. This book does a good job a mentioning all aspects of a successful photography business, from great lighting, treating your clients, and marketing. I think anyone who applies the information in this book to their own photography business will only prosper from it.

3 comments about Reflection of a Man: The Photographs of Stanley Marcus.

1. This book was a gift in at least three ways. First, it was a birthday gift from good friends. Second, it was a gift to give me a window into the world of the photographer, Mr. Stanley Marcus, a remarkable man. And third, it is a gift to the world of a view into the life and friends of this great man.
   
   Allison V. Smith, Mr. Stanley's granddaughter, and herself a gifted photographer has (together with her mother) done a great service by publishing this wonderful collection of photographs. The reader/viewer can travel the world vicariously through the eye of Mr. Stanley and the lens of his camera.
   
   Too bad Amazon only allows five stars.



2. As a young man, Stanley Marcus wanted to be a photographer; instead, he went into the family business and transformed a Texas department store into a symbol of international style. It goes without saying that the photographs he took thoughout his life are accomplished: elegantly composed and perceptive. But they are more than that. They also reveal the qualities of his heart: his generous capacity for affection, his democratic pleasure in all kinds of human experience, his ability to capture tenderness in faces and in postures. The result reflects his expansive spirit; it is also a testament to the grace and affection he passed on to his daughter and granddaughter, who edited the photographs. They have distilled decades of photographs into a visual memoir of an extraordinary life.



3. Every time I sit down with this book I see something new. It's like a trip back in time in every sense. I admire the elegant women in their gloves and hats, feel transported to places around the world I yearn to see, and of course marvel at Mr. Stanley's uncanny sense of style that is captured in every single shot. I'm very grateful for this keepsake reminder of him and the legacy he left.