5 comments about Diane Arbus: An Aperture Monograph.

1. I bought this book as a birthday gift for my twenty-one year old niece. She is a photographer who would very much like to take photographs professionally. I read about Diane Arbus in a news story because there was a movie which was recently released into theaters, which gave a fictional account of her life. She seemed like a very strong woman, with a lot of the same tastes as my niece. When I got the book it was wrapped, and I was a little disappointed. But when I gave it to her, I had a chance to look through it. The photographs are top-notch, and striking. Arbus' subject matter and composition are striking. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is interested in photography.



2. It is not overstating the case to say that creating these photographs cost Diane Arbus her life, her suicide followed soon after they were assembled. When you study them, (and you study them, you don't look at them), you quickly understand why. Arbus was a brittle and emotionally volatile woman long before taking these haunting images, the product of a privileged upbringing who cut her teeth in the world of fashion photography, making perfect-looking people look even more perfect. Having refined her technical skills she ventured into the opposite side of that world, seeking out the people society hid and desperately tried to forget.
   
   Arbus said famously that most of us live in fear of a traumatic disaster while her subjects had already endured theirs and were, in a sense, aristocrats as a consequence - free from the fear of being unwanted - secure in the knowledge that they most certainly were unwanted. Arbus was so obsessed with presenting unadulterated reality that she never cropped her photos, indeed, the "live area" of the prints goes beyond the photo and includes some of the film's border - to prove the picture wasn't cropped. She dove into the dark side like an obsessive child at a circus freak show, nothing was disturbing enough to satisfy her and even the commonplace became bizarre by the time she was done with it.
   
   Arbus was passionate about photographing the mentally retarded, but giants, transsexuals, twins, triplets, skinheads, nudists and other bits of social flotsam and jetsam lured her as well. Whether it was a boy holding hand grenades or a teenage couple looking like creepy miniaturized adults, Diane Arbus gravitated for the slice of humanity certain to engender revulsion. Her genius lay in the ability to bring nothing to the proceedings, she approached her subjects on their own terms. Because she did this, the subjects did not "rise" to meet the camera, they remained fixed in their personal nightmares. This made for profound, well-crafted photographs. Arbus didn't see beauty or pathos in her subjects, simply their reality. She invited us to behold what we dread and honor the dignity of her subjects. We are able to do that because we are more or less healthy, and because we can close the book when it becomes too painful; she could not.
   
   Every Arbus photograph is a self-portrait; every lost, hideous freak was Diane Arbus looking in the mirror. For the most part it seems that the people in her pictures survived her completely unsentimental scrutiny, she did not. What's more unsettling is that the popularity of these pictures gave rise to a wave of young copycat photographers who thought it was "cool" to photograph the disadvantaged, disabled, and mentally ill. The copycats never understood that for it to be art you have to care, you have to get involved. Arbus got too involved.



3. I first came across "An Aperture Monograph" by accident, many years ago. The images were astonishing, and when I later read Susan Sontag's famous essay, I immediately recognized the photographer she was referring to. Arbus' images are unforgettable, and do not diminish in power with time. Wisely, those in control of her estate have not released any of these works as posters, t-shirts, or other consumer items -- you have to buy the book or attend an exhibit if you want to see them. It's possible that the artist's sensibility is so powerful that even with repeated viewing, the photographs would retain their power to surprise.
   
   The exhibit "A Family Album" (currently at the Portland Museum of Art) contains several of Arbus' proof sheets. They demonstrate that Arbus (like many photographers) took many shots of the same subject, in similar poses, before choosing the one image that expressed what she wished to convey. What she was searching for was not so much a dwarf, a transvestite, twins, or any other subject, but her own artistic vision. Sometimes these are unhappy people in opulent surroundings, or people we might think should be miserable and hopeless, conveying a strange sense of command.
   
   It would be a trite observation to say that each of these photographs implies a "story" behind the subject. Any photograph can do that. We are, of course, curious about them. Why do so many of the couples seem distant from each other? What is the older man doing with the boy on the park bench? Others are deliberately suggestive: the nude couple in the forest clearly evokes Adam and Eve; the flower girl at a wedding, a fairy princess emerging from the mist. What saves them from appearing posed or artificial (which they certainly were) is Arbus' ability to give the simultaneous impression that these were candid snapshots. This multi-level presence is the mark of a true artist, in total control of her medium.
   
   The book concludes with several untitled photographs taken at a home for the developmentally disabled. The first of these shows two elderly women, the first couple in the book who seemed truly present with each other, and happy. The final photograph, of a masked woman leading a group through a field, suggests nothing less than the progress of civilization itself.
   
   Arbus' work forces the viewer to look at the world and themselves more deeply. The most apt description is from Rilke's poem, Torso of an Archaic Apollo:
   
   "...nor would this star have shaken the shackles off,
   bursting with light, until there is no place
   that does not see you. You must change your life."



4. A rather interesting, yet democratic photographer, Diane Arbus was an individual who was never afraid. She was a motivational and influential photographer whose life possessed no limits. Her subject matter was unique in that the pictures she took were on the abnormalities of life. These subjects centered mostly on freaks such as midgets, drag queens, giants, hookers, nudists, and drugees. Taking pictures such as these shows that she was a person who was never afraid to display the irregularities of life to the world around us.

   Diane Arbus lived life one day, one moment at a time. In this book, I get the feeling that her pictures show a meaning in the way she captured life, not just focusing on the photograph alone. Her subjects depicted on each page makes the viewer wonder how she got herself as well as her subjects in that position. Were they cooperative or not? Did she tell them to strike a pose or did they do it on their own? Each of her pictures in the book have a story behind it and some would seem more interesting than others. From her book, I see that the significance of her life and her photography is through this quote "The thing that's most important to know is that you never know. You're always sort of feeling your way."




5. The photography of Diane Arbus has always intrigued me. Her photographs are beautiful to me not because of the composition or lighting or any tools a photographer might use. They intrigue me because of her subject matter and even more so because of the intentions behind her subject matter. She takes pictures of people that are not considered beautiful, people that are "freaks" or "weirdos", or in some way different. She wants the viewer to identify with her subject in some way. In a way she takes the ugly, the thing that you're afraid to look at on the street and forces you to look at it and beyond that see it as art. She is "not evading facts, not evading what it really looks like". I agree with her purpose. It is best to show thing as they really are and to photograph something familiar or something often looked at is sort of boring to me.

   For her, taking pictures was not about the final image - because she believed that anything you plan never turns out the way you intend anyways - but it was about the experience. It was about learning and making connections with her subjects. This was interesting to me because I never thought of photography that way. Mostly when I photograph I am so concerned with the final product, but now I realize that I actually enjoy the process of taking the pictures and dislike the developing. So I see photography in the same way, it is some how meditative and the actual action of photographing helps me release a certain kind of creative energy that I harbor.

5 comments about Life.

1. The book was awesome I have seen it before that is why i purchased, the condition it was in was not as described there were torn pages and I will not by used again



2. This is an amazing book that gives visual insight into the mysteries of life. Not only is it informative but absolutely spellbinding and beautiful!



3. As an artist and photographer I was inspired by the beauty captured in the images of Nilsson's book "Life", but as a doctor with some knowledge of the subject, I was intrigued by how amazing the body really is. He has caught certain actions and moments (like conception) that were never seen so clearly before. The electronmicroscopy is astounding! Although this book is almost entirely photographs, without text, everyone who reads or views the book will find a new respect and awe for "Life" and how incredible our bodies are constructed and how we reproduce. This photographic journey is truly inspiring!



4. this was nice to add to my collection. the photographs are wonderful. and it is very educational as well



5. The pictures in this book are an amazing insight into our own bodies. The quality of the photographs is incredible and provided me a greater appreciation of the miracle that human bodies are.

5 comments about Wide Angle: National Geographic Greatest Places.

1. The pictures in this book are great. What I dislike, is that since they are at a wide angle, the pictures generally take up a page and a half. I feel like you are missing something when the middle of the picture is in the spine of the book.



2. This book is informative, succinct, well written, eye-opening, full of surprises, and visually attractive at a reasonable price. It is a very worthwhile addition to a home library or as a gift for ages 12 to 112.



3. I bought this for my parents for a house warming gift. It is the typical high quality photography associated with National Geographic. Only weakness is that being so large it seems to not be bound extremely well. Has to be handled carefully. Very good.



4. There are many beautiful pictures in this book.
   Some images are really impressive, have soul and cause emotions.
   But the way the book was made somehow ruins those emotions.
   Some of the best images are "interrupted" by the centerfold. Very poor positioning!
   Because the book is so thick, you are unable to appreciate those pictures.
   This kind of breaks the magic...
   Don't they have a specialist to do this at NG?
   The book should be larger, wider. Some pictures are unecessarily small, sharing half of a page with some uninteresting phrase/text.
   I am still happy I bought it, it's a nice book and I really like many images, but it was poorely executed. Coul be soooo much better!
   For this price, I still recommend it.



5. I went from being wowed to feeling blah about this book...it was like a rollercoaster...up and down. Some of the pictures...gorgeous...took my breath away and others left me quickly flipping through to the next page hoping to see something that captured my attention.
   
   It wasn't what I was expecting in the fact that I was hoping that every single page would leave me meditating upon the picture before me, but still in my opinion it is a keeper as a large portion of the pictures are really stunning.
   
   My other disappointment was the fact that when I think of "greatest places", well I don't really feel that that was captured in this collection of photography. Some of the pictures were random and just seemd poorly executed and the entire book didn't seem to mesh well.
   
   The polar region photographs, which end the book, were perhaps the most disappointing which left me closing the book feeling let down.

5 comments about Lighting for Digital Video & Television, Second Edition.

1. This is an amazing book. The guy is a true pro and explains everything you need to know to get takes that look professional on the first try.
   
   The book is really well written and organized. I blows by while you learn all the hows and whys of lighting video.
   
   I recomend this to anyone who feels that they are not at the professional level with lighting yet. It will change your life.



2. Overall, I think this book is very easy to read. The author starts with the basic elements of lighting and builds on that foundation. I am using it with a lighting for video class that I am enrolled in, but would be very helpful by itself. The pictures really help to guide the process and set up your lighting scenerios properly.



3. This book changed my perspective of lighting being a beginner and it gave me so much insight and the buzz words to work with the pros... Truly enjoyed it and refer to it often! (NO I am not the author)hehe I just really liked it. It rocks!!



4. Lighting for Digital Video & Television introduces the basics of lighting for film and video in a very concise and lucid manner. The information published here will serve the filmmaker with very little or no budget as well as those with professional budgets. The author presents both relevant theory and practical advice. The single best book I have purchased on the subject of lighting for video.



5. This content of this book is consistent with the "DV Expert series" range, which I would say are aimed at the novice who has discovered that 'automatic' settings don't really work in most situations and want to understand why and how to start taking their abilities up to the intermediate level.
   
   There are many books on lighting out there, be it for still photography, stage lighting, etc and they all cover the same basic 3 point lighting principles, however this book builds upon this by showing how certain aspects relate to digital video. It also throws in real world examples of lighting situations likely to be encountered and ways to work with them.
   
   I think this is a great book for anyone with a consumer/prosumer video camera and wants to get to grips with subject lighting.

5 comments about The Age of Innocence.

1. 
   
   Lectori Salutem,
   
   In the Beauty of young human beings, lies the hope of the world.
   Those photographs are like classical music.
   Some people are afraid of the power glowing from the portrets ,
   and start a witch hunt. Don't do it. Never lose an opportunity to seen anything that is beautiful: For beauty is God's handwriting.(R W Emerson)
   
   Ferdinand Huismans.



2. Doubtless going to rattle a few cages here, on *both* sides: the people who consider his stuff impermissibly naughty, and the people who wax rhapsodic about this particular work. But it has to be said.
   
   Britain, the land that pioneered imprisonment without charge before we did, the land that criminalizes self-defense against burglars in your own home, is also the land without a First Amendment; and this has seemingly scared Mr. Hamilton into self-censoring and mutilating his own product. This is a first-rank tragedy, as he is arguably the best-known and most highly respected photographer of this entire genre, and therefore the most likely to prevail in a frontal assault against the philistinism which equates nude photography with pornography.
   
   Instead, however, he has in this volume essentially raised the white flag and abandoned *nude* photography in favor of topless photos which won't arouse the ire of the British police. An astonishing number of his photos are awkwardly cropped for legal, rather than aesthetic reasons, so what was clearly shot as an integral figure study gets published as an amputated torso. This phenomenon was *not* present in his early works, including his films and his photos for the Spanish edition of "Playboy"--it manifested itself only when the world got uniquely psychotic about "child pornography".
   
   Even in the USA, where a 17-year-old Marine who carries a machine gun for a living can be considered a "child" if photographed wrongly, Sally Mann and Jock Sturges haven't thrown in the towel (or draped the model in it ;-). Nor, of course has Bourboulon or Ionesco.
   
   So I say: Boycott! The guy's got a right to protect his hide, of course, and even Galileo recanted when the Inquisition threatened to murder him for saying the Earth goes around the Sun. But would you spend your money on a book that says it's the other way around?



3. This is possibly the most beautiful set of photo portraits I've ever seen. Like the subjects, though, the beauty has a scary side to it.

   There's a lot more to say. The pictures are intense, and more intense as a collection. I'm sure everyone who sees it will have more to say, and everyone will say something different. For that matter, I could discuss this in three or four contradictory ways. This time, I prefer to let the pictures speak for themselves and to let the readers form opinions of their own.




4. Physical beauty is something that we have for only a brief period in our lives. It is a temporary stage during our lifespan. Unfortunately, we discourage young women from sharing their physical beauty with others who can appreciate it. It really is quite a shame that we try to enforce modesty. David Hamilton gave us this gift so that we may be able to share his admiration for the young, female physique. I am grateful to the young subjects, who were gracious enough to share their beauty with us.

   This is a remarkable book. It is obvious that David Hamilton is very passionate about his subjects. He has taken his appreciation and admiration for young women and shared that enthusiasm with the world. I highly recommend this book.




5. If I could have rated this book 4 1/2 or 4 3/4 stars I would have. It certainly is a beautiful artistic endeavor. However, it fails the mark of perfection because of a few (VERY FEW) photos that are too suggestive for girls of their age, and a few comments by the author that would seem to provoke dangerously misleading thoughts in the minds of young people who might get their hands on this book. As the step-dad of a teenage girl I have experienced first-hand the confusion of an easily influenced child, who lacks the full capacity to reason and misperceives what she has seen and heard. Too many (pre-teen and teen) children think they are supposed to be sexually active, and there are certainly a few paragraphs and photos in this book that would help contribute to that pattern of thought. There is some mild homosexual content in a few frames and some of the writings. Otherwise this is a finely crafted work.
   
   Many of the photos are soft, muted, elegant, and almost dream-like, while others are sharp and rich in color and contrast. There are full figure studies and a variety of portraits. Some of the girls look confused, content, generally happy, thrilled, curious, and some disgusted. Unlike similar works by other photographers, the majority of the models do not appear to be emotionless, melancholy, or tormented. There are no portrayals of violence or mishap. The quotes from classic poetry are at times provocative but still tasteful and refreshing, especially if you are one who enjoys traditional Western European poetry. The author/photographer makes several attempts at poetic verse but they do not work so well.
   
   I do realize that the entire theme of The Age of Innocence is the psychological tumult experienced by young girls who are approaching womanhood, so the sexual element does have to be "taken with a grain of salt." As an artist and photographer I do highly recommend this book and treasure my own copy, but I strongly suggest caution when selecting an audience to share it with; teenage boys are not a proper audience.
   
   Overall this is quite a clean representation--with a few exceptions--of the human form and psychology of young women.

5 comments about 1,000 Garden Ideas: The Best of Everything in a Visual Sourcebook.

1. I love the quantity of photo's in the book. It's not a 'how-to-do' book. It is a book that provides you with a variety of options for a specific part of a garden. Enough to get our creative juices flowing.



2. I bought this book on a whim and surely regret it. I do a lot of gardening and have visited a great many gardens in our country, some famous & some not. I am currently building new gardens, again, and this book was recommended. This is a picture book w/no details regarding the gardens and/or plantings. Put it on your coffee table for friends to see. Or if like me you don't subscribe to the coffee table/coffee table book idea I will probably try to pass this off as a gift for someone who aspires to garden but doesn't. Do not buy this book. Look at the pictures at the library or bookstore. It just takes a few minutes.



3. This book contains maybe 1000 pictures... all relatively small. This in no way gave me any ideas whatsoever. If you are looking for ideas for a backyard, patio, garden shed, flowers, pergolas. etc.. I suggest Lee Ann White's "Backyard Ideas".



4. The photos are beautiful. But it is just a series of photos, almost like inventory from a catalog. Containers without plant material, seating without any a setting, ancient stone statues that cannot be purchased, it has no application to a new garden. I would stick to a standard Sunset book, you would get a much bigger picture, application and complete ideas.



5. I checked this book out from the library, and was thoroughly impressed! I have since put it on my wish list. Tons of ideas for every aspect of your garden--WOW!

No comments about The Hyena & Other Men.

5 comments about Nikon D70 Digital Field Guide.

1. Digital Field Guide is an outstanding companion to the official manual that came with Nikon D70s camera. This book is in two large sections. First section thoroughly describes all the buttons and options in the camera body as well as lens. The other section gives valuable tips on how to shoot perfect, professional-style photographs. I discovered many new features in my D70s while reading this book and was amazed how easy it is to take great photos with these easy-to-understand instructions.



2. This book is way more informative than the manual. Not only does it cover all the capabilities of the camera, it covers the when to use them, and the why to use them. It also covers various types of photography, & the settings you use. I am a hobbyist photographer so I found this book extremely informative. I take along in my backpack, & have used it for reference frequently in the month since I purchased it.



3. This book is well written in easy to understand terms. It provides greater detail than the owner's manual and give examples to help one understand. I recommend this book to anyone who recently purchased a D70/70s either new or used. The book explained why my auto show photos were terribly under exposed, the built in flash is far too weak, leading my purchase of an external flash.
   
   I am happy with the book and sometimes refer back to it when photographing in unfamiliar circumstances. -G



4. This book is designed as 30% how to operate the camera and 70% how to use the camera to take pictures in various situations. The first part of the book (the 30%) is a brief overview of things you would probably learn in the camera operators manual, with some tips that are a nice touch to help you understand practical applications of the camera settings. But the author notes that you need to go the Nikon user manual for more in-depth descriptions of the camera's operaton in some areas. This is probably true, but I found the book provided a fairly complete discussion of the camera operation and I could operate without the manual.
   
   In the 70% of the book, as I see it, the author takes on other aspects of photography and using the camera to take "great photos". He begins with the basics of photography (aperature, shutter speed, ISO, etc.) Then he discusses things such as using different lenses and their effect, how to use the external flashes and how to set up lighting. He delves into things such as how to work with auto focus, and depth of field.
   
   He then discusses the various types of photography (e.g.night photography, photographing children, photographing landscape, night scenes, on-line auction photography, etc) and gives some very practical tips for taking the pictures as well as specific things to do to set up the picture and ensure the camera is set properly; Things such as having help from a parent and sibling to help relax a child during a photo session. The author also takes you through the software that Nikon provides, and offers suggestions on other options (some less costly...free) for doing some of these same tasks. The author provides a candid snapshot of the software packages, telling you their capabilities and limitations. This includes the Nikon software. Finally, a glossary is provided that de-mystifies the language of photographers. I found the book to be unbiased, informative and properly named "Field Guide".



5. Forget the manual that came with your camera. This book has everything you need to know and more. It just doesn't show you how to turn your camera on and use the functions. It shows you how to really use your camera to get fantastic photos.
   
   The writing style is very entertaining and conversational. Not a ton of "techie" speak. Best of all is the size of the book. It is just the right size to go in my camera bag and not take up a lot of space. I carry it everywhere.
   
   In a nutshell...if you own a Nikon D70...BUY THIS BOOK!

No comments about Shoes Gallery Calendar 2009 (Page a Day Gallery Calendar).

5 comments about Body Painting: Masterpieces by Joanne Gair.

1. Was disappointed with most of the pictures, the best was the cover picture.
   Not erotic.



2. This book is a must have for anyone with an eye for beauty and art combined by using the body as the canvas. The ways of using this canvas as part of another picture, as a canvas, clothing or as camouflage are explored by Joanne Gair. This is all brought together by one person in this book covering a career involving famous actresses, models, photographers, fashion designers and politician's wives (Carla Bruni is now the wife of the French president). Maybe Joanne will paint a politician soon. The Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Editions brought my attention to Joanne's work as before the photographers were getting the credit, however that is like showing off a photo of the Mona Lisa. The photographer is merely the messenger, here Joanne is the the real artist. Buy the book, persuade your library to buy it. Perhaps even have a go at body painting yourself.



3. Excellent! Pretty photos of pretty women. A good book to be in the coffe table. High quality and spotless. I recommend.



4. An old art, turned new. Only a sprinkle of diamond dust could add more sparkling beauty. Body art often brings definition to a culture and Gair should be proud of her contribution.



5. This book is breathtaking! Using the human figure as a canvas, this is one of the best examples of creativiity, art and photgraphy all in one. A great gift for art lovers, makeup artists, photographers and anyone who appreciates beauty at its finest! Joanne Gair is truly a master of all.