1 comments about Love.

1. As I have come to expect from NG, the reproduction quality, size and price were great. This book contains photographs taken all around the world from famous photographers such as David Alan Harvey, interspersed with essays behind their provenance; e.g., the one about two men from Kabul having their passport photo taken while wearing make-up, in defiance of the Taliban (who banned photography except for identification purposes). Not all the photographs are recent (or grim); good selection!

5 comments about Natural Beauty: Farber Nudes.

1. This is a mix, some sharp-edged still-lifes (e.g., plate 35) and skyscapes (68, 75), among other topics. This is really about Farber's nudes, though. A few (e.g. 37, 78) are shot outdoors. Many of the models appear indoors, where jagged plaster (74) or stony, spare surroundings (85) set off the smooth curves of the model. In others, domestic surroundings (17, 51) set a gentler tone. Most of my favorites are among the studio shots, though. In them, Farber captures many moods, from dreamy distance (22, 28), to affection (69) or a lovingly humorous sense (61) that works at many levels. One grouping conveys a much more complex emotion. In includes Farber's Newseek cover (4) on breast cancer, but others (5, 25, 65) give a similarly defensive feeling, somehow afraid of betrayal by one's own body.
   
   Many of the images simply, almost abstractly express the elegance of the human shape. Some (83 and especially 49) examine the whole woman. A large number are faceless, sometimes captured from behind (6, 66) but more often cropped (13). Even the arms and legs of the model (39, 63) or group (40, 45) may be cropped, leaving only the elegance of the torso. I find something unsettling in these pictures - the anonymous intimacy, but also something I have no good word for. What's the opposite of "disembodied," when only the body is left?
   
   One thing about this collection works badly for me: Farber's fondness for graininess or blur. I like the informal sense of having escaped from a razor-edged world, but the degree and frequency of grain and blur suit an esthetic that I lack. So, on the whole, I come away from this collection with a mixed sense. I enjoy much of it, and big parts of many individual works. Much of it does little for me, though.
   
   //wiredweird



2. This is a book that could have been much better. Most of the photographs present a grainy, soft appearance, with varying degrees of abstraction. Many of the pictures are much smaller than the book's page, and too many extend across two pages--something that spoils the natural coherence and visual flow of a composition. There is a good mix of black-and-white, sepia, and color shots. The variation of natural objects and scenes with nudes is largely effective. Most of the nudes are partial shots, such as a torso. A couple of the photographs are outstanding, but only a couple.



3. Robert Farber is by far one of the most well known photographers of nudes and fashion. One can not mistake his work, his soft style with a mix of hard grain.
   This book is a large collection of his work in nude photography throughout his years in photography. Each plate in this book has its own feel and meaning, drawing the viewer into his work even more. It is no wonder that Farbers works are displayed in permanent collections around the world.
   The book is beautifully published on thick warm toned paper, which is perfect for displaying his work, do to the fact that these reproductions are about as close as you can get to the real thing.
   The book does not display just nudes either. Scattered throughout the book are chrome shots of landscapes and portraits of flowers as well, hence the name "Natural Beauty". Every page in this book is a wonder. Once you get to the back, a small index of each photo is displayed with text by Farber on how he went about making each and every photo in the book. This is great because you really get to see how he goes about his creative process.
   This is a great coffee table Monograph of beautiful photographs that cannot be passed up. This is a very important monograph that all photographers and collectors alike should have. Not many photographers are able to mimic Farbers style, other than the legend David Hamilton and the newcomer Richard Murrian, which makes the works in the book stand out like no other.



4. If you are a fine art photographer you already know the artist, he is without a doubt in the top ten today. If you are into fine art this book is a must for your personal library. If you are like myself a photographer who is inspired by incrediable work, both artistically and techincally this is a must for you as well. The images capture the hidden grace and beauty of the female form while avoiding being typed as graphic or other negatives. His style is well defined and the lighting is simple yet effect and the use of cropping guides the viewer along the lines like a short classical musical melody. Come and be inspired.



5. This book is a wonderfully presented collection of interesting fine art photos. The creative moody use of grain is quite inspirational. It occupies a proud place on my shelf.

2 comments about The Nethercutt Collection: The Cars of San Sylmar.

1. My father and I just got back from visiting The Nethercutt Museum. The book does a great job of bringing the museum home with you. If you can get to the museum you can pick up a copy of the book at the reception desk for [money]-a bargain.



2. For the first time, all of the automobiles in the Jack Nethercutt Collection are pictured in one book! This book exhibits all the characteristics a book on automobiles should have. Using it's horizontal format to great advantage, photographer Dennis Adler displays all of the cars in all their glory. Mr. Adler understands his subjects and each photograph shows exactly what the viewer would wish to see. The text is short, concise, and highly accurate. Due to space limitations, there is little technical data. This is not missed. Also touched upon, are the Nethercutts' collection of mechanical musical instruments-- pianos and automotive mascots. This book has my highest recommendation and exhibits better photography and more taste than some books costing many times over.

3 comments about Get the Picture: A Personal History of Photojournalism (Crime & Justice: A Review of Research; Crime & Justice: A Review of Research).

1. One imagines John G. Morris as the sort of grandfather with a thousand amazing stories, whom everyone in the family has asked to write a book for years and who finally sets about the task.
   
   As a sequence of compelling snapshots, Morris selects and arranges his tales into a layout that explores unresolved questions, ambivalences, regrets, hopes, thrills, and humor.
   
   For anyone interested in photojournalism, as a profession, its personalities - the lives, loves, and losses of those standing on the other side of the camera while celebrities splash across the pages - this book is an excellent starting place. His 'editor's eye' view of the profession turns the camera back upon the photographers, telling tales behind pictures generally left untold. By disclosing the various photographic negatives, he discloses a positively fascinating image of the origins of modern imagemaking.



2. This is a well-written rolicking ride through the last century and the history of photojournalism in the American media. It has an index that reads like the Who's Who of the century with anecdotes and insights galore on the movers and shakers of photojournalism and history. I enjoyed every word and I recommend it highly.



3. I just finished reading this novel and I must admitt it is one of the best novels I have read this year. It really is an exciting travel through the 20th century, through the eyes of a man who's carreer made him involved with major political and social events. I would say this is a must to anyone interested in photography and journalism, and a recommended for anyone with a heartbeat. I really loved this book.

3 comments about Vanishing Breed.

1. Color has a way of prettifying the West, and there are plenty of photography books that use color for that, some of them aiming for calendar art. Allard manages to use it with much broader intentions. He portrays not only the breadth and vastness of the Western landscape but the dust, dirt, and sweat of working with cattle and the irony of freedom when it's often just another word for nothing left to lose. If any book of Western photography captured the spirit of "Bobby McGee," this one surely does.

   There are about 100 photographs in this collection, taken in cowboy country from Mexico to Montana during the years 1965-1980. A few are landscapes; most are of cowboys, some Native Americans, a few women and children. Allard has also included photographs of a rural Hutterite community in Montana. There are rodeo pictures and scenes of roundup and of night-life, men either gathered around a campfire or hanging out in bars. There are many fine portrait shots of men, their faces showing the fatigue and the effects of weather and years of tobacco and hard drinking. Scattered through the book are pages devoted to brief profiles of men Allard has befriended, young and old. A brief foreword is provided by Montana novelist Thomas McGuane.

   My favorite images start with a shadowy landscape of Wyoming, dark and moody, while a setting or rising sun throws golden light over a ridge line in the middle distance. Second favorite is a swath of snow-covered Montana prairie with a fence line leading away to what looks like abandoned buildings on the horizon. There's a handsome portrait of a Nevada cowboy, bearded, looking into the camera under the brim of his hat with soulful dark brown eyes. There's a back-pocket view of a row of nine cowboys sitting on the top rail of a rodeo arena fence.

   Many photos are just plain quirky. Three women rodeo performers in brightly colored cowboy hats rub Vaseline over their teeth. A man stands with his arm around the shoulders of a smiling woman wearing woolly chaps, while behind them another man lies passed out on the ground. A cowboy in black Stetson and long yellow rain slicker bends with a pool cue to line up a shot across a smoky pool table. Sitting alone at the end of a long row of bar stools, lighted by a long shaft of afternoon light, a cowboy sits slack-jawed and staring, a can of Olympia between his legs.

   I loved this book and happily recommend it. If you can find a copy, it goes nicely on a shelf of Western literature. As companion volumes, I'd recommend Douglas Kent Hall's "Working Cowboys," Kendall Nelson's "Gathering Remnants" and a collection of vintage photographs, "The American Cowboy."




2. This book is magnificent. I found all kinds of new ways of looking at things, lighting. capturing the moment. I couldn't belive it. It effected something deep inside. not because of it "captured" cowboys, but because of the sheer artistry and Allard's vision and expertise.



3. A series of photo's that capture the modern day cowboys and the area countryside they call home.

   The pictures shows sides of America many people don't know still exist. I have treasured this book for several years.

1 comments about Techniques of Special Effects of Cinematography (Library of Communication Techniques, Film).

1. For many years, Raymond Fielding's "Techniques of Special Effects Cinematography" was the quintessential "how'd they do that?" manual for the field of Visual Effects. Apart from back issues if American Cinematographer magazine, if you lived outside the Los angeles area, this was your best source of info on everything from stop-motion and front screen projection to matte paintings and miniatures.
   
   Since many of the techniques in the book are now accomplished digitally, it makes this book a great film HISTORY book as well. But even still, for the filmmaker who wants to utilize tried & true, old school effects techniques (out of curiosity, artistic choice or necessity) this is THE book that covers it all. My only reason for giving it 4 out of 5 stars, is the lack of info on Digital Effects and CGI.

No comments about The Daguerreotype (Photography at the Musee D'Orsay Series).

1 comments about A History of Engraving and Etching.

1. This is an excellent reference work. A must for antique print collectors. It's value holds up no matter how much time goes by.

4 comments about A Smithsonian Book of Comic-Book Comics.

1. A SMITHSONIAN BOOK OF COMIC BOOK COMICS is a delightful book, emphasizing the vitality and creativity of the form. After a brief introduction giving a short history of the American comic book, the book is organized into a dozen sections composed of a short essay followed by representative stories. The first section is about the creation of Superman and includes the very first appearance of Superman. Superman inspired a host of "superheroes," including Batman and Captain Marvel, who each get a section. The book also covers the comic books aimed at young children (The Pie-Faced Prince"), war stories, comics for adult readers ("Master Race") and satirical ("Mad"). The part I enjoyed most was the section titled "Little Lulu and John Stanley." Lulu was my favorite comic as a child. I found those comics hilarious and even as a kid I appreciated the witty language. I had been giving all the credit to "Marge." As it turns out, Marge Buell created Lulu in 1935. A man named John Stanley inherited the job of writing Lulu comics in the late 1940s and was creating them when I was a child in the mid-50s. I think John Stanley was a genius. There are four Little Lulu stories included. "The Little Rich Boy" is especially impressive. The satirical Mad Comics is very well represented by the Superman parody "Superduper Man" and "Howdy Dooit," a rather scathing spoof of children's TV. This is a very entertaining book that I think offers much to think about regarding American popular culture. Four stars.



2. This book is nothing more or less than a series of reprints of what the author deems "important" comics. Each comic story faithfully reprinted, with the page emulating newsprint. (The entire comic is not reproduced, only the highlighted strip.) There is a little one or two page introduction giving a little history about each comic.

   What makes this book such a standout, is that the author's taste is singular, and not limited by a single company or genre. Characters from several different companies happily exist side-by-side in this excellent hardcover. The author has a confessed predisposition for "funny" comics, and these take up a large percentage of the book.

   This predisposition allows for several comics to be reprinted that are not normally available. There are numerous reprints of Action Comics #1 (The first Superman comic) and Detective Comics #27 (The first Bat-man Comic) but how many other collections include All-American Comics #20 with the first appearence of Ma Hunkle, the original Red Tornado?

   A list of comics included: Action Comics #1 (First appearance of Superman); Detective Comics #29 (Origin of Bat-man); All-American Comics #20-#14 (First appearance of the Red Tornado, and other Red Tornado stories); Police Comics #1 and #13 (First appearance of Plastic Man, and Woozy Winks); Captain Marvel Adventures #100 (Captain Marvel Battles the Plot Against the Universe); Sub-Mariner #4 (Dr. Dimwit by Basil Wolverton); Tessie the Typist #8 (Powerhouse Pepper by Basil Wolverton); Jingle Jangle Comics #5, 24#, (The Pie-faced Prince by George Carlson); Little Lulu Four Color 74 and Little Lulu #38, #40, #80; Walt Disney's Christmas Parade #1 (Donald Duck Christmas story by Carl Barks); Animal Comics #1, Pogo Possum #3, #8 (Pogo the Possum and Gang by Walt Kelly); The Spirit supplements August 10, 1941, September 5, 1948, September 11, 1949 (Great Spirit stories by Will Eisner); The EC Collection (Frontline Combat No. #4, Two-Fisted Tales #25, Mad #4 (Superduperman vs. Captain Marbles), Mad # 18, Impact #1)




3. This book is nothing more or less than a series of reprints of what the author deems "important" comics. Each comic story faithfully reprinted, with the page emulating newsprint. (The entire comic is not reproduced, only the highlighted strip.) There is a little one or two page introduction giving a little history about each comic.

   What makes this book such a standout, is that the author's taste is singular, and not limited by a single company or genre. Characters from several different companies happily exist side-by-side in this excellent hardcover. The author has a confessed predisposition for "funny" comics, and these take up a large percentage of the book.

   This predisposition allows for several comics to be reprinted that are not normally available. There are numerous reprints of Action Comics #1 (The first Superman comic) and Detective Comics #27 (The first Bat-man Comic) but how many other collections include All-American Comics #20 with the first appearence of Ma Hunkle, the original Red Tornado?

   A list of comics included: Action Comics #1 (First appearance of Superman); Detective Comics #29 (Origin of Bat-man); All-American Comics #20-#14 (First appearance of the Red Tornado, and other Red Tornado stories); Police Comics #1 and #13 (First appearance of Plastic Man, and Woozy Winks); Captain Marvel Adventures #100 (Captain Marvel Battles the Plot Against the Universe); Sub-Mariner #4 (Dr. Dimwit by Basil Wolverton); Tessie the Typist #8 (Powerhouse Pepper by Basil Wolverton); Jingle Jangle Comics #5, 24#, (The Pie-faced Prince by George Carlson); Little Lulu Four Color 74 and Little Lulu #38, #40, #80; Walt Disney's Christmas Parade #1 (Donald Duck Christmas story by Carl Barks); Animal Comics #1, Pogo Possum #3, #8 (Pogo the Possum and Gang by Walt Kelly); The Spirit supplements August 10, 1941, September 5, 1948, September 11, 1949 (Great Spirit stories by Will Eisner); The EC Collection (Frontline Combat No. #4, Two-Fisted Tales #25, Mad #4 (Superduperman vs. Captain Marbles), Mad # 18, Impact #1)




4. I love comic books and books about comic books. I have a collection of comic books in my room in a box. I have alot of iron man comics. I have some fantastic four comics too. My favorite comics and superheroes are Plastic Man, the Fantastic Four, and Iron Man. I love the Smithsonian Book of comic-book comics!

No comments about Boston in Photographs.