No comments about Babeth Djian: Babeth.

4 comments about The Cannabible Collection.

1. I originally wanted the hardcover bigger versions of the collection but I need to wait a couple months because of all the medical bills so I shelled out the $16.00 for the smaller versions. I started reading it today and the pictures are beautiful and the amount of information is still pretty good. For 3 books the 16 bucks is definitely worth it, I have a couple hours of reading ahead of me. I would recommend this collection to anyone who cannot afford the bigger original collection which you can buy on here for about $75.00 right now.



2. Well you could if you wanted to but I think tobacco is probably better for your health. Jason King is the undisputed Cannabis Connoisseur of the world! The way he captures not only the visual beauty of the buds and plants he so loves, but he goes into detail about the very soul of these fine herbs. He does so armed with extensive knowledge as to the heritage, strain, and history of all these buds, but also with the passion to do so like no one else.
   
   What makes these books stand out has to be the little side stories commenting on everything like the benefits of vaporization, the importance of reducing the negatives of life on the human body and soul, the proper care of cannabis, a discussion on the positive and negative effects of cannabis use, medical uses, horticulture, botany, and all around living well.
   
   This small collection is great for the casual cannabis caterer. But the full hardcover editions of each Cannabible would be a better choice for the true Connoisseur of Cannabis!



3. If you are familiar with the Cannabibles or are interested in purchasing them, I would say go for it. If you love fine quality herb, and want to know more about it then definately get these books.
   
   Jason king really knows his stuff, and his photography is at times breathtaking. The photos and strain reviews are interspersed with very interesting and insightful articles concerning all aspects of God's sweetest medicine. I guaruntee that if you are not a cannisseur you will definately consider yourself one after a thorough purusal of the Cannabible series.
   
   As to this mini version, I docked a star because they are abridged. None of them have the forewards, which in the case of the second and third volumes are well worth reading. Also a few of the strains present in the large counterparts are omitted.
   
   If you must get this one for economic reasons, or portability (these are considerably smaller than the originals) then by all means get this. However if you can shell out the dough for the larger ones than I would highly (pardon the pun) reccommend getting the complete set so you get the full experience.
   
   The quality of these books is quite fine, well made in a sturdy box and the pictures, although smaller than the full editions are nonetheless vivid and drool-worthy.
   
   Happy toking. erh...I mean reading. :)



4. Overall I give the collection 4 stars for all that it does well - even though it is not entirely what I had hoped it would be. This is a good collection for entertaining people interested in cannabis, but it is not as informational as I had hoped it would be.
   
   I was hoping for something that would share more useful information about different strains of cannabis: growing characteristics, preferred growing mediums and environments, indoor-outdoor height, potency, nutrient preferences, etc. I keep hoping somebody will produce something like a world wide seed catalog, but written by unbiased connoisseurs and growers who are personally experienced with growing the various strains and with their medical properties and effects.
   
   On the positive side: The photography was great and there were some really interesting articles in the books as well. Also, the price is fantastic for all that you are getting, and the presentation value is very good (including the nice slip case).
   
   One major drawback for me however was how repetitively the author constantly preaches about how "outdoor organically grown" cannabis is so universally superior to every other possible growing alternative. It's fine that he believes that so adamantly, but I didn't feel I needed to hear those same beliefs repeatedly hammered home on virtually every single page of the book(s) and I was really tired of hearing about it only halfway through the first book.

5 comments about The Park Loop Road.

1. I bought this book before going to Acadia Natl Park. It was incredibly helpful. Our exploration of the Park Loop Road was more interesting because of all the helpful info in this book. Loved the pictures. Very representative of the actual places.



2. I can't wait to get there in late Summer '06!
   This book is great for anyone planning on visiting Acadia National Park.
   If the park is only half as beautiful as the pictures in the publication, I can't wait!
   I've already planned several routes to run and ride (bicycles) while we are there.
   Thanks!



3. All of the books written by Robert Thayer convey the true beauty of Acadia National Park. Robert is an outstanding photographer/ author and is an inspiration for my own work. I have seen many slides of Roberts work and I am always impressed. I give this book my highest recommendation for any person interested in learning about Acadia, nature, wildlife, and especially photography. He also has 3 other books available on Amazon.com of an equal caliber.



4. After throughly reading this book through 3 times I have come to the conclusion it is a wonderful book full of useful information. The pictures alone are beautifuly taken giving reason enough to purchase this book. Also Mr Thayer is an excellent chemistry teacher and I hope after reviewing this comment he will raise our grades



5. An excellent overall introduction to Acadia National Park and Mount Desert Island. Good overview of geology and natural and cultural history. Provides up-to-date information on roads and hiking trails. A wonderful guide or souvenir of the Acadian experience.

5 comments about Lighting for Portrait Photography.

1. I loved this book it is great, I haven't tried every illustration but I love the layout, and the ones that I did try are excellent I own numerous amouts of portrait books but I find myself reaching for this one the most.



2. This book leans towards the "artistic" elements to portrait photography (which I love). If honey dripping and being licked from fingers (non sexual way) or a portrait of a model with egg suspended over her face are not yours (these are the extremes of the book, most others are more realistic)and you are looking for improving your family photos or posing seniors, you may want to look elsewhere, although you will still likely benefit from this book. If you want to see how some very "non ordinary" ie exceptional photographers achieve their results, this is it. I enjoyed it very much and it is basically a diagram book. An image is shown, then little keys show where (and what type) lights, gobos, flags, etc were placed and the cameras settings for the shot are diagrammed -excellent. this makes the book a quick read and a great reference, I've read it once but as soon as I finish a few others I have left to read I've got this on the "return to read" stack.
   
   Also, worth noting for anyone who noticed and may be sensitive to nudity and get the wrong idea. If you click on Amazon's "look inside" feature, in the table of contents section it shows a topless photo (as of this writing).In the revision of the book I have, 2007, purchased from amazon, that photo has been replaced. There aren't any nudes in the book, that I remember. Just in case something like that is offputting to you I thought I'd mention it. In fact I think that photo has no place in the book, not because it's a nude, which is also why, but because it's not up to the caliber of the rest of the book either. There are some flat out great portraits in this one.



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



4. This book is great if you are just starting out in portrait photography. There are detailed light diagrams and a lot of awesome portraits to choose from.



5. I am a portrait photographer and I pull this book out all the time to review lighting set ups and get inspiration. A definate must have for any photographer. I especially love that the book extensively covers one and two light set up and using foamcore bookends. You don't need a bazillion lights to create amazing images.

5 comments about Women Empowered: Inspiring Change in the Emerging World.

1. This photo book really touches the heart. The photos along with brief synopsis really makes one think about the plight of women around the world. I highly recommend this coffee-table book. It will inspire you to take action.



2. I cannot emphasize strongly enough how moving this book is. I have a lot of photography books and this one is my favorite. You will not be disappointed!



3. Strong images speak for themselves, and the inspiring text goes right along with the beautiful photography.



4. I was familiar with Phil Borges' photography and knew I'd like this book, but it exceeded all my expectations. The photographs speak for themselves, and the text is inspiring and enlightening. I plan to purchase this book for all my family and friends. It is a beautiful book, full of hope and compassion.



5. I returned the book; unread. I had thought that it was a new novel by Allende. I believe the book was for female motivation and empowerment which I believe is good. However, I was waiting for a novel. Sorry!

5 comments about Saudek.

1. I saw Jan Saudek's work at his gallery in Amsterdam (1970's) and then on a series of postcards. Finally, I saw his stuff on the walls of Good Vibrations in San Francisco and realized two things about him:
   1. He hand paints his black and white images.
   2. He produced his images during the worst days of communist repression.
   
   He is a genius, His book will take your breath away. It is very representative of his work. You would have to see mounted pictures with the actual brush strokes to see what magic he truly weaves. You need this book.



2. This remarkable (and massive) collection traces at least forty years of Jan Saudek's career, from the late 1950s to the end of the 1990s, or maybe a bit beyond. Like any living, developing artist, Saudek's technique, subject matter, and style have developed too. As a result, broad generalizations apply poorly to this collection's full breadth.
   
   The earliest work collected here tends strictly towards black and white, and the earliest chapter has a family oriention. With no clear break between phases of his career, Saudek's work in the early 1970s tended toward a more documentary style. Then, by the late 1970s, many features of his later work had emerged: studio nudes, often hand-colored, often set against a decrepit background, and with increasing sexual content. Paired photos, clothed and nude, appeared, as did time sequences. Saudek's quirky sense of humor came to the fore, also, expressed in terms of all the other features of his work. For example, the clothed/not and sexual themes came together in gender-bending sequences (like The Wedding, parts I and II) that elicit giggles along with confusion and careful attention. By the 1990s, Saudek's work added models well outside the usual range considered attractive, which added new facets to the sexuality and humor.
   
   This huge, beautiful book makes it easy to trace Saudek's changing esthetic through his images. Readers (in English, French, and German) also see biographical information covering Saudek's life inside and outside the gallery world. A book this vast and a career so varied can't be summarized briefly except to say this: it's an outstanding presentation of a strange and wonderful collection.
   
   -- wiredweird
   
   PS: The cover picture is actually half of something - the other half changes its meaning completely!



3. Sometimes there are masterpieces hard to comment of.
   
   Perhaps, works by Daniela Mrázková known as Jan Saudek belong to this category.
   
   Live, deep, gay colours depicting controversially for even a modern viewer explicitly manifested homoeroticism and nudity, are surely shocking today as much as hundred years ago for then contemporaries.
   
   A very special picturesque philosophy of Jan Saudek places these masterworks in a line with the best in this area of visual arts immortally.



4. If you like Jan Saudek and wanted to own one of his books, this item is perfect. It is huge! At 13.5 x 11.6 and almost 450 pages, it is a real eye opener on the coffee table. And pound for pound, I would have expected to pay double or triple the price for the size and paper stock alone.
   
   The book contains a large amount of his work. For those not familiar with Saudek's work, please look at some of the other reviews that describe his style. But let's say the book quality is not the only thing that makes it an eye opener. It is a real conversation starter with images that are beautiful, artistic, odd and sometimes pleasantly offensive.
   
   This book is not for those who dislike nudity or the exploration of sexuality. It contains explicit material, including real and simulated sex acts; obese, pregnant, little people, underage, mature, male and female full frontal nudity. For those looking for straight beauty/models/nude/sexuality, I would recommend Roy Stuart or Guy Bourdin first. However, if you enjoy an odder or wider range of sexuality in an artistic package and unique hand colored photographic style, Saudek does not disappoint. Leafing through the pages while writing this review, reminded me at how beautiful his odd view is.



5. this is an amazing collection of photographs by saudek who i accidently discovered on the internet one day. there really is no one else like him...way more poetic and ultimately way more creatively satisifying than joel-peter witkin...just beautiful stuff. and this is a huge book for a very good price...buy it now before you have to pay 10 times this much on ebay for a copy.

1 comments about Digital Photographer's Handbook: Third Edition (Digital Photographer's Handbook).

1. Digital photographers handbook.
   
   This book is about the preparation that goes into planning trips, the digital darkroom, file maintenance and to a certain extent the composition of the photo.
   
   The photos in the book are ok but not great. They are normal day to day shots that most people take but I think thats part of the concept of the book was to use photos that most people could take so that they don't think to themselves "I cant take that shot". As an example there are shots of kids playing on a beach.
   
   Where this book hits the mark is in it coverage photo manipulation, the hardware involved and how it works, cameras, computers, memory cards and card readers as well as software applications used in image manipulation. In detail it covers how a camera works. How lens's work. The book also describes how to compensate for environmental and lighting conditions and what can be done upfront while taking the picture to minimize any negative effect of light or environmental condition.
   
   One of the helpful things about this book is that he uses the same photo in various stages of manipulation so that you can see what the effect is going to look like in all the stages of manipulation that he describes.
   
   Also covered in the book are different conceptual ideas of photography like photo journalism, architectural photography, macro photography and landscape photography to name a few.
   
   Overall this is a good book for the person just getting into digital photograph but I'm not sure that it will be of much use to the intermediate to advanced photographer thats already familiar with digital image manipulation.

5 comments about The Meaning Of Life.

1. Degrading to animals? Only if you also think animal totems, Bugs Bunny and Aesop's Fables are as well--people have been using the imagery of animals for teaching lessons for as long as we have been telling stories. Lighten up!
   
   Indeed, this is an easy book to lighten up with. I love reading Greive's little books of joy whenever I'm in a bad mood. They're a great way to put some perspective on my situation and perk myself up. Perhaps they're not major works of classic literature, but they achieve their purpose--keeping me from becoming a sour old curmudgeon.
   
   "The Meaning of Life" is a good reminder for me to keep focused on my dreams (which, I might remind one particular Type-A reviewer below, doesn't just involve self-gratification). What I want to do may be difficult, and may present obstacles. But the chance of success and making the world a better place is worth it. I read this little book whenever I feel discouraged by the path I have chosen, and it never fails to get me going again.
   
   Thank you, Mr. Greive, for your excellent series of books.



2. This book is a fun to read book. It asks and answers simple questions along with a fun picture of an animal with a funny expression within the context of the Q & A. Could be given to any age person you really love who is around 13 and up. Cute loving fun read with a positive message.



3. Excellent selection of photographs that are well matched to the witty prose. I recommend this book for anyone who needs a cheering up and a hearty laugh.
   Well done!



4. This book is a linear commentary on the little things in life. Each page and comment has a picture of an animal that adds meaning to the comment -almost always in a make you smile or outright laugh kind of way.
   
   It is a gentle and sensitive light hearted book that everyone will enjoy and gain something from. Of course it doesn't answer the big question, it just gives you food for thought about it.
   
   The only minus about this book is that all the pictures are in black and white. Color would have been so much better.



5. I love this book. Everytime I read it I get something else from it. My kids like it to because of the great animal pictures. I have let co-workers borrow it and they had to buy their own. Wonderful for all ages.

5 comments about Icons Of Fashion: The 20th Century (Prestel's Icons).

1. Icons of Fashion: The 20th Century is a very edgy and sophisticated book. It takes on a unique approach about the icons of the 20th century. The content of this book is not in chronological order but rather in theme and designer ranging from the 1900s to 2000.
   
   To details of the pictures to the interesting facts of the earliest designers made me want to read more about the book. Reading about the designers, on the side of the book, there is a timeline about their life and businesses, which was really helpful, considering I had to write an assignment about the different designers and I could just refer back to the timeline.
   
   I loved how the book gave pictures dating back to the 1900s to today. It was really interesting to see how fashion goes in a circle. For example, the belt around the waist, that just came into fashion two years ago. Also the design, the little black dress.
   
   This book is very helpful and I suggest it to anyone who is interested in the fashion Industry becuase it was interesting, colorful and very educational.



2. The history of the 20th century can be revealed through its fashion trends, and Gerda Buxbaum Icons Of Fashion: The 20th Century proves this with an overview of fashion trends and revolutions. Yes, there are the icons of fashion to testify to these changes: Chanel, Karan and others - but also fine photos capturing styles ranging from body stockings to military and cocktail dress; all contained in an excellent overview blending visuals with a running commentary on fashion's influence.



3. The history of the 20th century can be revealed through its fashion trends, and Gerda Buxbaum Icons Of Fashion: The 20th Century proves this with an overview of fashion trends and revolutions. Yes, there are the icons of fashion to testify to these changes: Chanel, Karan and others - but also fine photos capturing styles ranging from body stockings to military and cocktail dress; all contained in an excellent overview blending visuals with a running commentary on fashion's influence.



4. The history of the 20th century can be revealed through its fashion trends, and Gerda Buxbaum Icons Of Fashion: The 20th Century proves this with an overview of fashion trends and revolutions. Yes, there are the icons of fashion to testify to these changes: Chanel, Karan and others - but also fine photos capturing styles ranging from body stockings to military and cocktail dress; all contained in an excellent overview blending visuals with a running commentary on fashion's influence.



5. I have only just begun this book (20 pages in), and I am enthralled. So many fashion books are written chronologically, so this book, arranged by theme and designer, is an interesting change. The pictures are gorgeous, many of them are in color, and every other page contains an essay on various topics. The topics range from an influence on fashion, a particular designer, themes in collections, or a period of history. Included are also short timelines of the careers of designers from the last century. This book covers a wide range of topics, and gives the reader a comprehensive look at the past century in fashion. I would not recommend this book for someone who wants a chronological look at the development of fashion trends, because the articles skip from the thirties to the Victorian era to the twenties. It is interesting, colorful, and even educational.

5 comments about Playboy: 50 Years: The Photographs.

1. This book is excellent. The photos really define the genre and are more an indication of the history of art,fashion, clothing, status symbols and items relevant to various times in the last fifty years rather than photos of nude or scantily clad attractive women. I have given copies of this book to a number of friends and the general comments I receive are "what a wonderful gift". I consider the book artistic rather than very soft porn. A wonderful book whether you keep or give someone an excellent gift



2. I purchased this as a gift for my husband and he absolutely loves it. The book is done very tastefully and it's truly a work of art.



3. I think I saw my first playboy at my friends house, his Dad had every issue since the fifties and I fell in love with the girl next door. I remember even then that the photography of playboy was somehow different from the other magazines such as Life and Look. I enjoyed this book so much that I bought three copies for friends who also lived those playboy years!



4. "Playboy The Photographs" wasn't a bad book, it just wasn't good enough to buy. My recommendation is to look at it at a book store and save yourself the money. Check out "The Playboy Book" and "Inside The Playboy Mansion". These were vastly superior books compared to the "Photographs".



5. For a photographic book, i was expecting better quality pictures. To me, most of the pictures look like "pictures of pictures". if you expect the high quality crisp images and excellent color quality images of Playboy, i think you will be disappointed. I am.