5 comments about Professional Secrets of Natural Light Portrait Photography.

1. Maybe it's just me, but the photographer/author of this book has a very short playbook for his shots. They are all incredibly over-posed, even down to the same blue/white clothes that nearly all his models wear. I felt like every page had the same information as the last. Most of the example shots were the kind grandma would like - nothing young couples and families would be asking for. All too dated for the modern photographer.
   
   Some of the lighting techniques are useful and interesting, but when you are shooting outdoors, God-given light is pretty easy and straight-forward to work with. With a little practice, anyone with a good eye can master outdoor lighting for portraits.
   
   Skip this book and save your $$ for a better lens. You'll be happier with better glass than having this book gathering dust on the shelf.



2. This is also a great photography book! I love the usage of natural light in photography, and Douglas Box gives simple but precise directions on how to achieve the look you are aiming for. It, as well as all aspects of learning, is going to take time, but the manner in which he explains is very easy to understand. His explanation of terms such as "raccoon eyes" is also nice as well. It is a very nice photography book!



3. Time goes fast and before you even realize information, tips, secrets regarding graphic arts -including photography- can be obsolete. This book is good if read back in the '80s. The style for protraits is out of current trends (meaning what comsumers would buy). If you plan to do business in photography, this is NOT a book for you.
   
   Aperture priority in some photos are wrongly used. Example: the girls at the gate with a cute basket of flowers. That is probably a 5.6 aperture. The point of focus (sharpness) fell on the fence! instead of girls faces or flowers. If soft focused is the point, you still want the sharpest area on the subject and not on the surroundings.
   
   Composition in photos: too busy and dsitracting from subjetc in my opinion.
   Secrets? There are no secrets revealed in this book unless it is the very first photography book that gets to your hands for the very first time.



4. This book is OK. I was really hoping for a book that focused more on utilization of sun/natural light without the use of reflectors and/or inclusion of flash.
   
   I feel that the photos are a bit dated, as is the layout of the book. It's just not as fresh and current as I'd have liked.
   
   For basic information it's fine, but truly it is just sitting on a shelf taking up space - I'd contemplated returning it, to be honest.



5. I love the simplicity of the tips in this book and yet the results are beautiful. Great photo examples and lots of important tips. Very useful.

5 comments about Lighting for Nude Photography, Revised Edition.

1. This book was a great introduction to photography lighting in general. The photos and illustrations really help.



2. I wanted to give it 5 stars, but the overall similarity of style and the focus on black and white and film as opposed to colour and digital (or at least a 50/50 mix) were just barely enough to cost it a perfect rating.
   
   That said, the images are (for the most part) beautiful and occasionally quite sexy. Even though the heavy use of black and white (when you'd like to get tips on tungsten, white balance, red vs blue, etc.) gets old, the overall quality and the layout make up for it.
   
   It starts with a somewhat dry but very to-the-point explanation of how light acts, the different types of light and so on, then cuts right to the chase with the photo on one page and a diagram of all the elements used on the opposite/facing page. It gives the location, type of film, all the good stuff...the only thing it lacks is the time the picture was taken where daylight/natural light was used. Some of that does come out in the photographers' descriptions, though.
   
   That's another (very) strong point for this book: multiple artists. Instead of buying a photo book, hating the style and being stuck with 100 pages of it, you can just skip the ones you don't care for...like the handful of pointless macro shots showing 2 square inches of skin scattered throughout.
   
   I haven't tried ''garage glamour'' yet, but it's pretty much the only one I think I'll ''need'' after this. The pictures that are good are VERY good and they far outnumber the crap ones. I'd especially suggest it to someone on a budget who has to be clever with composition to make up for the lack of a $10 trillion camera (the stuff done on old Nikon film cameras in here puts away half of the pics I see from $5,000 Leicas.)



3. This is exactly the kind of easy to use and understand photo reference book and at the same time, beautiful photo presentation portfolio that every "how to" book should be.
   
   I am very glad to have added this to my book library and I know it will appreciate greatly once out of print (like any Howard Schatz book has done).
   
   The photo's are a study on what makes a great nude and without any lack of taste that many others tend to be. The schematics are very easy to read and there are enough varied examples to teach everyone from the beginner to the fully equipped professional.
   
   So, when you are ready to make an investment in lots of hardware, don't forget this book to narrow the choices.



4. The real "goosebump" reader...Light the way I never knew it. It's a natural.



5. Don't get this book if you are looking for a detailed, "how to" manual. You will learn more if you have mastered the basics of lighting and working with models already. Think of it more as a master class than an instruction manual. I suspect, however, that you will find at least one image or technique that helps you find your own creative "voice."

4 comments about Yesterday: The Beatles Once Upon a Time.

1. If you are a Beatles keenie and would enjoy seeing previously unpublished photos of the boys, this book is for you. It's a unique, bittersweet collection showing the joy and innocence which characterized the group's very early days together. A wonderful bonus is Astrid's introduction which provides information about these early days that was news even to this life-long Beatles fanatic!



2. My wife loved it and it made an a great addition to her Beatles collection.



3. To correct the previous review it should be noted that Astrid Kirchherr did NOT take the photograph which appears on the cover of Meet The Beatles. The photograph, which also appears as the cover of the band's second British release "With The Beatles" was taken by Robert Freeman. Astrid did however take some of the classic photos of the band as young, leather clad rockers in Hamburg. Those photos are not only classically artistic in their own right they are often considered to be the basic blueprint for much future rock and roll photography. Ultimately, Astrid Kirchherr did play a significant part in the early evolution of the Beatles. Like the previous reviewer I have not yet read the book so I do not feel qualified to rate it any higher than average at this time. However, as an avid Beatles fan I feel confident that any first hand account of their early days related by someone so close to the group during that early formative period should be interesting and informative reading.



4. have not read book but Astrid was their female babe friend in Hamburg. She was dating Klause Voorman, Artist on "Revolver" and Manfred Mann Bass player. Astrid and Stu Sutcliffe were in love with each other. Stu was the real 5th Beatle, friend of John and incompetent bass player for the Beatles before he died. Astrid took several famous pictures of the Beatles in Germany. She created A. the Beatles Haircut and B. the stylistic photo of the Beatles in half light and half dark as used on Meet the Beatles album cover and the British "With the Beatles" album cover. I will buy the book and read her perspective since she has a strong and unique postion in the early Beatles legacy.
   
   Kevin Johnson
   Houston, Texas

No comments about Archive Fever: Uses of the Document in Contemporary Art.

5 comments about Owls of the United States and Canada: A Complete Guide to Their Biology and Behavior.

1. I have studied owls for years and this one is the finest book I have read on the subject, Not only are the pictures fantastic but the text is very informative. Buy with confidence that you will enjoy this book.



2. this was a gift for a friend, that is into birds. He said he loves it.



3. This is another wonderful book by a real naturalist and consumate photographer. The images are just stunning photographically and from a naturalist's standpoint. Dr Lynch writes in a conversational tone that makes reading a pleasure, it's more like a conversation with him than anything else.
   
   I highly recommend this book to anyone with an interest in either nature photography or birds, but especially if you like both.
   
   Chase Hunter



4. A wonderful book. The large format and abundant photography at first suggest a coffee table book, but Lynch's contribution is much more than that. The writing is intellectually luminous, displaying a good mind and careful researching. Though the author is very up to date on current research in the field, the scholarship is unobtrusive - the text is free of footnotes and citations though these can be found at the end of the book.
   The photography is in a league of its own. Lynch is a well-known wildlife photographer, and these photos show just why. The artistry and a technical excellence are breathtaking. For instance, the whiskered screech-owl on p. 16 is composed the way a painter would compose, but the photo still brings out the individual feathers, the half-closed eyes, the long beak hidden behind the whiskers. These birds are so closely observed they show more than I can see with my binoculars in a woodland walk. And add to this the field knowledge: owls are not sparrows or seagulls that one can see anywhere. To capture them on film, the photographer must spend hours in a blind, and travel to places far off the interstate. This book is one that will stay in the mind after it has been read.



5. This book combines the personal experiences of the author with detailed information about the owls that live in the United States and Canada. The background information given in this book can be applied to more than one species of owls, and in some cases, it could be applied more generally to birds of prey. There are comparisons between humans and owls to give the reader a better image of what the author is describing. When there is a piece of general information given, the author gives examples of which owls that piece of information might be applied. The book is filled with wonderful photos, and includes a guide of owls that is located between the first two chapters.
   
   This is one of the best books about owls that I have read.

5 comments about Magic Eye III, Vol. 3 Visions A New Dimension in Art 3D Illustrations.

1. I really love these books. I am fascinated by the technique used to get the 3-d affect. I have everyone out.



2. My 7 and 9 year olds, as well as all their cousins, enjoy the Magic Eye books. So I ordered a couple for Christmas. One good thing is that to help you know if you're seeing the correct image, they have black and white answers in the back. There is something vaguely disturbing in the "answers" section of this one. For page 28, the answer shows a "Chainsaw Teddy," an image of a teddy bear getting it's head cut off by a chainsaw. The actual image on page 28 is a baseball player, catcher, and umpire. Very odd. Also in the answers section, for page 5, the cupid with his arm stretched in front of him has the caption: "(rhymes with tubby) Rub." (I don't know if I can put that in a review) If you don't mind these things, this is a fine book. It seems to me that someone slipped something in that the editors didn't catch, or maybe I got a book that wasn't supposed to be put out. I don't think I'll be giving it to my children. I would opt for the other Magic Eye books. I'm really not sure how to rate it, so I gave it 3 stars. The illusions are great, there's just something wrong in the answers section.



3. MY HUSBAND LOVES THESE MAGIC EYE PICTURES. SO WHEN HE TOLD ME ABOUT THEM, I LOOKED ON LINE WITH AMAZON, AND THERE THEY WERE. WE ORDERED TWO AND ARE HAVING A BALL WITH THEM. OUR GRANDKIDS REALLY HAVE FUN TRYING TO FIND THE HIDDEN 3-D PICTURE.
   
   DANA AND CRYSTLE SALISBURY
   FLORIDA



4. I love the Magic Eye series... I would recomend this book for almost any coffee table. The illusions are both fun and engaging, definatly a conversation starter.



5. I love all the "Magic Eye" books. Trust me, if you bring this (or any one of the "Magic Eye" books out at a party you will have loads of fun! Everyone just races to see the images! There are a lot of folks who have tried to create 3d images, but only one remains the forerunner in this innovative area and that's "Magic Eye"!! You creative folks at "Magic Eye" are just AWESOME. I give "Magic Eye 111 an A plus!!

5 comments about Stone.

1. This was my first book encounter with Andy Goldsworthy and wow- his art ideas are great. I love how he uses nature in his art- and even more so, how the changes in nature are art themselves.



2. Stone, like many of Andy Goldsworthy books, sends the observer to a land that exists only for a brief time. Using the medium of photography, Mr. Goldsworthy captures these moments, in the world he creates, that appear to me as more of a heaven than an earth. If you as a child or if you have watched your child play endlessly with nature, creating masterpieces that may end up being washed away, blown away, or covered in snow, you will appreciate this book for capturing them for all eternity.



3. This was a gift for my boss but I just couldn't stop looking through it. What a beautiful book. Very inspiring! I got rave comments... and a raise! Definitely a amazing present.



4. A truly beautiful book, with rich photographs and nice summaries. Inspiring to the last page - and particularly useful for igniting one's creative juices. A small note to the Amazon reviewer: Andy Goldsworthy was born in England in 1956. He lives in Penpont, Scotland, but is English - not Scottish.



5. In "Stone," as in his other books, Andy Goldsworthy takes the natural play of a child--fooling around with sticks, leaves, water, stones, mud, and more--and elevates it to something above and beyond its natural status. He uses his adult design skills to create great manmade beauty from existing natural beauty. He never falls over the line into obvious, coy, or precious art--he simply lets nature be what it is with a tiny little bit of rearranging on his part.

   The results are never short of astonishing. Witness the sharp-edged rocks against which Goldsworthy has "glued" (with plain water) the leaves of brilliantly red Japanese maples, thereby making the edges look almost bloodied (p. 76). Witness the delicate, calligraphic tracery Goldsworthy stitched up by pinning together rush after rush after rush with thorns and then hanging these on a gallery wall so that it appears that either Calder or Matisse have wandered in and scribbled elegantly on the walls (p. 83). Witness the balanced oval boulders Goldsworthy lays in a curvaceous line from beach to the sea, and see how they roll and disappear from view as the tide comes crashing in (p. 101). These are but three of the many visual astonishments Goldsworthy shares in this book. The book is a never-ending source of delight and admiration for the feverish workings of one of 20th-century art's most creative minds.

5 comments about Remarkable Trees of the World.

1. A very nice book, with remarkable trees, however, from the cover I suppose I wrongly assumed they would be beautiful trees. Quite a lot of the book is spent on African trees of a very strange nature, and to my husband's suprise, very little was done on the banyan tree. I was looking forward to large, ancient trees myself. All in all, it is still a wonderful book, it just wasn't what we were expecting.



2. Great Book will enough the wonder hopefully they have it in the school systems or county systems



3. Trees are grouped by various, sensible categories that other books on trees might neglect: Giants: Gods, Goddesses, Grizzlies; Dwarfs: For Fear of Little Men, In Bondage; Methuselahs: The Living and the Dead, Shrines; Dreams: Prisoners, Aliens, Lovers and Dancers, Snakes and Ladders, Ghosts; and Trees in Peril: Do the Loggers always Win? and Ten Green Bottles. Pakenham's text is great fun to read, as can be viewed from those sectional titles, and individual tree titles such as "Tie up my feet, Darling, and I'll live forever" for the Bonsai tree that is the In Bondage section.
   
   I suppose coffee table books really shouldn't be considered exceptional items to read - view, yes; read, not so much. This is an exception. Tolkien's Ents are invoked for a handful of trees, and rightly so; geography students who get a core borer stuck and (somehow) get permission to cut down what had possibly been the oldest tree in the world just to retrieve it are warned against; and, of course, it is mentioned that any fool can climb a gum tree. I've read this about six times this year, high time I count it officially.



4. In fall 2006, Lansing's forestry department planted a tiny gingko biloba tree between the sidewalk and the street in front of my house.
   It had four and a half branches, all oriented in one plane like the candlesticks in a menorah. You could barely roast a wiener with it.
   I scrambled into the house for a book I had bought, by sheer coincidence, the previous day -- Thomas Pakenham's "Remarkable Trees of the World."
   Yes! There, sprawling across pages 110 and 111, was a gingko nearly 1,000 years old, still living in Tokyo, measuring 30 feet in girth and 66 feet high.
   Pakenham, a British historian with Irish wanderlust and a gentle sense of drama, has traveled the world to photograph and research the history and lore of 60 of the world's most remarkable trees.
   This oversize book, just now out in paperback, is so relaxed and un-sensational you picture Pakenham walking from tree to tree, a Haydn string quartet playing in the background, not minding the continents and oceans in between. It's a follow-up to another book that's just as good: "Meetings With Remarkable Trees," in which Packenham confined his wanderings to the British Isles. The response to "Meetings" was so warm that Pakenham packed his bags and expanded his search to global proportions.
   Pakenham's style is that of a curious, intelligent pilgrim. He pairs generous full-page or double-page images of his subjects with un-fussy, lightly conversational background information. He clearly respects local lore and legend, but doesn't go overboard with it, nor does he bog the text down in scientific details. The result is almost a set of personality profiles.
   The images are spectacular -- given the subject matter, most of them can't help it -- but sensitively chosen and framed, with an eye toward the unique setting, mood and attributes of each tree.
   It's a low-key approach, but if this book doesn't awaken your sense of awe, nothing can. That little stick of a gingko in my front yard, for example, belongs to a hyper-ancient species/order/family that predates dinosaurs. Its peculiar lineage (it's related to ferns) is betrayed by unique, fan-shaped leaves that have no central fold.
   Of course, trees have their own agenda, and don't care whether they get into a coffee-table book or not (it's tempting to think they'd rather not, insofar as books are made of paper). But it was hard not to think of Pakenham's gargantuan gingko as a thundering encouragement for my little tree's stressed-out, brown-fringed leaves and spindly trunk.
   For one thing, Japanese Buddhists believe the gingko, not the Bo tree of India, was the tree under which Buddha found enlightenment.
   If lore doesn't thrill, Pakenham serves up history and science. For example, a gingko 800 yards from the epicenter of Hiroshima threw up new sprouts even after the atomic bomb hit.
   But enough about gingkos. In this book, the reader will meet a panoply of the world's most amazing creatures: General Sherman, a mega-giant sequoia in California that weights 1,500 tons and is probably the largest living thing on Earth; ancient teapot-shaped African baobabs out of a Dr. Suess illustration; the leaning Italian cypress said to have been planted by St. Francis; wind-lashed cypresses clinging to the rocky California coast; great oaks with hollows where 20 people can sit down to a banquet; bristlecone pines now into their fifth millennium of existence.
   Some of these magnificent trees are near roadsides or chained off in parks, all but ignored by passersby. The wonder of this book is that it tunes the mind to the low-frequency, centuries-long chords only these creatures can hear. Looking at trees that have lived the better part of a millennium make you wonder whether there will be a California -- the home of a disproportionate number of these giants -- or a Lansing in 1,000 years.
   My bet's on Lansing, which is far less likely to slip into the ocean before my gingko grows up.



5. beautiful book. Bought it as a gift for my brother.
   I already have a copy for myself.

5 comments about Movie-Star Portraits of the Forties.

1. I bought this book because it reminded me of my mother, who loved the movies. She used to buy the star magazines of the times and cut and pasted three scrapbooks with pictures, some of which I recognized in this book. My kids played with the scrapbooks, which got a little ragged, so I threw them out....oh, the unsentimentality of youth. I would love to have the books now, but since I can't ,Movie-Star Portraits of the Forties comes in a nice second. The pictures are beautiful and even if you don't remember the stars, (I do), you will enjoy the glamour and real sexiness of those movie stars of yore.



2. If you like black and white portraits your at the right book; a source of inspiration for my photography assignment.



3. If you love old style Hollywood photography this book is a must for your collection. My only wish was that it showed some of the lighting and techniques used to take the images. But as far as a straight forward picture book goes even if your not a photographer you'll enjoy the great looks and drama from the past.



4. Beautiful pictures! They sure don't make stars like these anymore. Wonderful glamour shots, men & women. Bygone era but at least we have these gorgeous photos to remember or to discover.



5. if your looking for book with old hollywood glamour pictures
   this is the book for you. You cant go wrong 30+ photos of mostly dead actors and actresses

5 comments about Life: A Journey Through Time.

1. I bought this as a gift for my borther-in-law and it was a huge hit. The photographs are staggeringly beautiful.



2. If you are not familiar with Franz Lanting's work this is an amazing first book to buy. It is full of stunning photos of a close approximation of the earth as it once was.
   
   As has been said it makes a great coffee table book but is also a great addition to any library. For all the nature and photography enthusiasts out there, here is a great intro!



3. This is a wonderful book! The photographs are simply stunning and the layout of the book is great. This is an excellent sample of Lanting's work.



4. Having followed Lanting's photo career since the origin of Nature Photographers of North America, we anxiously awaited his Life book and were not disappointed. Here is represented the beginnings of earth, after the Big Bang, and the geological results.



5. This book is very interesting. The pictures offer a very special vision of our planet.