No comments about Apple Aperture 2: A workflow guide for digital photographers (Digital Workflow) (Digital Workflow).

5 comments about Using the View Camera.

1. I'm glad that I bought this book. The other large format book that I own isn't this informative, this book clearly explains everything. A great buy.



2. God damn it. Amazon you have ways to drive a person insane. I'm trying to reach you to obtain a copy of the latest edition of "Using the View Camera" that you listed on the page that I ordered from. You sent me about a 1982 edition. The page I ordered from listed it as about 1993. I am demanding you exchange the the '82 for the '93 as listed. Stop ignoring me or give me some channel to which you will respond.
   I've been shopping @ Amazon for 10 + yrs, & in general I've been quite happy. But boy when there is a problem you put up so many barriers as to be maddening. This is unacceptable. I have the distenct feeling that you deliberately raise these barriers to make it impossabile for wronged customers to receive justice. This is the 2nd time I have written about this, J. McGraw



3. I found this very helpful being old to photography but new to large format. Illustrations are excellent as well.



4. A very nice introduction to large format. Gives more then a few a-ha moments that I needed badly after reading The Camera. Good to have around while starting your LF journey :-)



5. I thought this book was just about excellent in its thoroughness for informing the reader how view cameras work. There are lots of photographs displayed as examples of what the author is discussing at the time. This book is excellent for those either just getting into view camera photography, or, like me, interested in moving into that area of the art. I am a digital photographer, and have been since the early days of digital, but have been drawn to medium and large format work because of their reliance upon the shooter's eye and the absolute skill required of the shooter. Anyone can point and shoot a picture, but it takes intimate knowledge of the camera's capabilities and the patience to move the photograph from the mind's eye to the camera's eye. The quality of large format is unsurpassed, and ught to be around for a long time. Kudo's for the author for this instructional, yet inspirational book on view camera photography.

5 comments about Photoshop Elements 5: The Missing Manual.

1. i could never have mastered photoshop elements without it, very helpful and a simple read.



2. The book is well written,with a lot of information, however I am very disappointed as it is not a step by step tutorial, as I believed it would be. Yes, there are downloadable files/photos, but there is no step by step instruction to go with the photos throughout the chapters.
   
   If you are not looking for a tutorially written text, and just want dry information on how everything works in Elements, then you will be happy with this nicely formatted book.



3. I bought this to help me learn Photoshop Elements. Since getting a digital camera a few years ago & not having to pay for film mistakes anymore, I have taken a new interest in photography. I decided to invest in a good quality editing program but I hate having to rely on onscreen help to get somewhere. This is a very thorough (I think) chapter by chapter explanation of Elements 5.0 & it answers most of my questions. I would hate to be without it, even though I don't use it daily. It is a large book with plenty of color illustration and written very simply. It's not 100 percent comprehensive but there is very little that isn't covered - well worth the price.



4. This book is the most complete manual on a very useful program. I have yet to encounter a question this book does not fully answer.



5. I like the book, but currently have a library copy for my reference. I have only one negative comment. When the author starts to describe an action or step, suddenly she will veer off on a tangent, leaving me wondering where the rest of the text is ....oh, there it is, 2-3 paragraphs later. She really wants you to know all she does about Elements. I will be purchasing my own copy shortly regardless as I do think it is probably the best on the subject

5 comments about Criticizing Photographs: An Introduction to Understanding Images.

1. When I reviewed the third edition of this book several years ago, I didn't rate it highly, but I thought that perhaps the fourth edition might be a better book, and it is.
   
   Despite its subtitle, which might lead you to believe it is about understanding pictures, the bulk of this book is directed at formal criticism of photographs. After an introductory chapter on the nature of criticism, Barrett suggests a process for criticizing photographs that includes description, interpretation and judgment. The author also suggests a classification scheme for photographs which he believes could be useful in forming judgments, although I found it no better then many other taxonomies and at times difficult to apply to many photographs. Throughout he mentions many schools of analysis, like formalism and feminism and shows how these schools might influence criticism. He then launches a foray into photographic critical theory which is concise but accurate and which deals with such questions as the truth and morality of photography. He finally talks about the act of writing criticism and also about critiquing photographs.
   
   Barrett illustrates his points with many helpful examples of written criticism. Most of the examples deal with pictures of the modern or post-modern school, but the information is transferable to other kinds of photography. The book is illustrated with both color plates and black and white plates, although the black and white plates are spread throughout the book, which leads to a lot of page flipping. It would be nice if the next edition included a page number when these plates are referred to.
   
   The subtitle, "An Introduction to Understanding Images" might lead one to expect that there would be some insights into how and why photographs work but I became aware that Barrett presumed his audience would have some prior knowledge of this. Thus while he spoke of the importance of a photographer's technique in understanding a photo, there was no mention of how technique might be used to convey a photographer's vision. In the earlier edition, I found this a serious weakness, but it now seems clear that the author expects that this kind of information will come from somewhere else. On the other hand, the careful reader will derive some idea of what to look for in a photograph by reading the many examples.
   
   No one wanting to come to an understanding of how to read a photograph from a single volume will learn to do so from this book. In fact, no one volume is likely to do that, although a book like "The Photographer's Eye" by John Szarkowski would be a good place to start. On the other hand, for the individual who knows something about the nature of photography, or within the context of a larger course of study, this is a good book to begin to learn how to write photographic criticism.



2. This book was require for my college level digital photography course, but I felt that it did not do an adequate job of explaining the concepts it covers. The book is dull and merely lists other photographs as examples (they are not included in the text).



3. this book is probably going to be one of the required books for photography in college but it's not a horrible book. not the most exciting, but definitely has enough to get one started with critical thinking about photography and such.



4. I am sorry I bought this book. It was written by a college professor for students, readers that have no choice but to buy the book, and it reads that way. The author does not use his own vision and voice to criticize and to explain criticism but instead relies on a survey of methods used by critics. The writing was wooden, and the book had an overwhelming emphasis on staged, "arty" photographs. I could not bring myself to finish this book and have given it to my local library for their book sale.



5. Includes miles of intellectual blather. Fits well into sexually charged point of view of photography. Uses most horrific and grotesk as examples. On page 33 in third edition author mentions head decapitation as one photographer's "external" influences. Uses sexual pictures as examples. Generally a politically correct lightly negative type discourse on photography. I feel sorry for the students subjected to this pulp.

5 comments about A Time it Was: Bobby Kennedy in the Sixties.

1. Bought this for my dad for father's day. Great pictures of a memorable time in history with a visonary who lost his light too soon!



2. This book and its images were all the more gripping having been an observer at the time. The photos and the words provide an image of a nation trying to be the sum of its promise, only to be plunged into a tragic self assessment after the assassination.
   It is paramount, 40 years later, that we take the opportunity to remember how far we have come. This book reminds us that we can do better, that we must do better, that we are better.



3. it's photgraphs of the campain are stunning the brief narrative gives a true sense of sumer 1968



4. This book of pictures was a wonderful walk down memory lane for me. At 16 I was to join the Kennedy campaign as a volunteer after the California primary. On the morning I was to depart, my parents woke me with the news of his shooting. This book, however, reminded me of the promise unfulfilled Robert Kennedy represented--how much better we would have been as a people, as a country, as a government had he been president in 1969 instead of Richard Nixon.



5. I got plenty of information about this order. When it was slightly delayed, I was informed, as well as when it shipped. I was very impressed with the service.

No comments about Edward Steichen: In High Fashion: The Conde Nast Years, 1923-1937.

5 comments about The Songs of Insects.

1. My husband and I enjoy the song of the cricket.......we didn't understand that so many varieties of crickets existed... Having the photos in front of us while listening to the cd songs is a very good feature. My husband finds listening to the cricket songs relaxing also. I would certainly purchase other quality items from the people who created this....probably birds or just cricket songs. Now we know more about the world we live in.



2. As other reviewers have stated, this is a remarkable resource for insect identification. I would like to comment on the quality of the images. I found that a remarkable effort and attention to detail that went into these images. In far too many books the conversion of images from digital to print looks like the author doesn't know or doesn't care how his images look. For Lang Elliott this was not the case. He meticulously ensured that the printed images have remarkable depth of field and colors. I found any number of them to be remarkable pieces of photographic art. I felt guilty for only paying $13.57 for this book.



3. This book has provided hours of fantastic entertainment for the family. We love looking at the pictures, listening to the sounds and then trying to identify the crickets that we find.
   This book should be in every family's library. Get your kids outside and play!



4. This book and included CD was the answer for learning all the insect sounds on my field recordings and nocturnal adventures. Good pictures for seeing what you heard really looks like, as well as good descriptions with the general range of each species noted. Excellent quality recordings on the CD.



5. I have long wanted to know what insects I am hearing every summer and now have a chance of knowing which ones they are. The imagery is fantastic. The range maps will be a blessing to my students as they try to determine what type of katydid or cicada and so on they have nabbed for their bug collection.
   
   The audio CD is great too! The only drawback there is that the holding compartment in the back of the book is poor. Right after I got this book I was taking it to school and the brand new CD fell out of the pouch and onto the pavement. Now its scratched and I don't know what to do. I usually make a backup of all my CDs right away but failed to do so with this one!
   
   This book came to my attention when I wrote in my blog about the microphone I positioned in my backyard. I use it to listen to crickets and lots of other creatures out back, sometimes all night long.

5 comments about Sports Illustrated: In the Paint.

1. Interesting photography. If you are a fan of the swimsuit issue, and art, you will love this book.



2. Terrific collection of SI photographs highlighted by pains taking application of paint. Very artful!



3. Who would have believed that body-painting could so realistically depict actual swim-suits, etc. Outstanding!



4. SI's annual swimsuit issue is a highly anticipated delight for many afficionados of the female form.
   
   This collection of photos of some of the most beautiful women on the planet features the body painting genius of Joanne Gair. These bountiful babes sure look like they are wearing some nifty swimsuits. NOT!
   
   They are all as naked as the day they were born. Wow! I wish I had this to read back when I was in my teen years! Still enjoyable, even now.
   
   The perfect gift for that straight male you know, aged teen to octagenarian. He will appreciate your exquisite taste.



5. A beautiful gift for any SI fan, photographer or artist... the book is well put together and done with class. It goes through each year SI has featured the "painted" models with additional, never seen before photos and model comments. Gorgeous color. Great holiday gift.

5 comments about Portrait and Candid Photography: Photo Workshop.

1. This is not a bad book for an amateur who's only getting interested in candid portrait photography and wants some tips and ideas in one place. While I consider myself an amateur as well, I've been interested in candid photography for a good 2 years now, so I've been reading tips and advice on a ton of different photography sites, and I feel like this book did not offer me much of what I haven't already read elsewhere or figured out on my own, by trial-and-error.
   Plus, I already had a book on candid photography and was looking for something that would teach me a little more structure and posing, and I feel like this book failed at that. It did cover some posing tips, but "tips" are helpful for fine-tuning, not for learning something you're completely unfamiliar with. And I felt like these tips were not always well illustrated.
   I've since looked through Mark Cleghorn's book Portrait Photography: Secrets of Posing & Lighting (A Lark Photography Book) and it seemed a lot more along the lines of what I was hoping for, although I did not *read* the book thoroughly to really recommend it. I do, however, wish I'd gotten this book instead of Erin Manning's.
   My final but big complaint about this book is the quality of photos. The cover picture aside, they are AWFUL! I find that inexcusable in a photography book. They look like snapshots from a cheap compact camera, not like photos from a dSLR done by a pro. Some of them are so soft - they look out of focus. While it does not always hurt in the learning process, I do feel like part of the pleasure of learning about photography is viewing shots that take your breath away and make you want to accomplish something similar in the future. This book made me feel like I was already there (when I'm certainly not!). :-)



2. Strengths: Nice layout. Reads like a well instruction oriented lessons. Good glossary and index. Good photos and screenshots. Good bold highlighting of the number of the chapters and the titles on the top left pages makes for easy access and shuffling through the pages you want to find or browse. Good basic information about software and editors.
   Weaknesses: If your require more information about photographic software and editors Chapter 10 is a good start but you might want to use other books to sharpen those skills.
   
   Novice/Intermediate/Advanced
   
   Rating: 5/5
   
   Shooting portraits and candid photography is an art in itself. It is not just luck and takes much preparation. But how do you learn how to make better photos for portraits and candid shots whether for commercial, your business or just of family? This book is a good place to start.
   
   The author is Erin Manning, DIY Network host of The Whole Picture, who encourages photographers to take outstanding photos of people. This book represents the author's efforts to provide instruction in this area. She helps readers gain the skills and confidence to successfully use the digital camera as a tool to create and capture life's moments
   
   The 10 chapters include in-depth instructions and information about cameras, accessories, working with light, composing your pictures. I particularly like how the author details the information by focusing more concerning the using of your camera and using to its best advantage. Of course the technology and the basics are introduced. But what is even nicer, the reader can better learn to develop their artistic eye, using techniques that will help prepare for actual photography. Action shots are also covered. The last chapter 10, also includes some information about enhancing and sharing your photos (even includes information about using Picasa (Google) and iPhoto (Apple), Windows software , Adobe's Photoshop Elements and more.
   
   Working with lighting, location, angle, composition, physical characteristics, environment, and more , including the unique challenges of photographing babies, group activities, and action, are covered with insightful instructions. Every one of the ten chapter ends with an assignment that readers are encouraged to complete. Users can even upload their best image to [...] to
   
   
   Conclusions
   
   It is rare for a book to clearly show the photographer camera user how to study your subjects in their natural habitat. There are great ideas within this book which related to observing, reacting and interacting with your subjects and how make the photos come "alive". The techniques for improving photos of babies and children are very interesting and well done. Learning to capture facial expressions and learning how to tell a story with a series of candid photos is also included. There is a nice section concerning how to add interest to large-group shots.
   
   If you are looking for a great instructional manual that focuses on techniques for portraits and candid shots, this is a great book. The fact that the instruction is teaching tips and information are performed in several ways other then reading the tests give you a better idea of how to take better photographs. I recommend this book highly.



3. I found this book (And the entire Photo workshop series) to be very helpful especially to beginning and intermediate level photography hobbyists.
   
   It assumes no previous knowledge of photography, and explains such things as f-stop and how things interact to affect exposure without being overly technical.
   
   Each chapter ends with a "Lesson" or exercise to emphasize the subject of that chapter. And being able to combine the book with the website (Free membership) to upload your lessons for group critique (Sometimes including from the author) is a good way to improve you photo skills.
   
   Note that though this is part of a series of books, there is no sequence in reading them. For that reason, there is a degree of overlap in each book.
   
   That said, you really need to be using a SLR type camera to be able to have the control of the camera that many of the exercises require. A point-and-shoot may not allow it.
   
   But for the serious hobbyist, I would say this book (and series) is worth the money and time.



4. This book is AMAZING. It's both easy and fun to read. The assignments at the end of each chapter are brilliant!



5. This is my favorite photography book by far. While I feel I have an eye for design and color, photography has always seemed intimidating to me. The author of this book, Erin Manning, writes as though she is a friend and mentor guiding you through the realm of digital photography. While digital photography may be old hat to many - especially the techno savvy - not everybody is adept (and from what I have experienced, most are not in every capacity). Erin leads us through the basics, then goes on to explain things even the most "camera competent", will find utterly engaging. Erin pulls you in and brings out the innate artist in all of us, no matter what level.....and for those of you that actually do understand the art of photography, Erin will only enlighten you more. This is an "easy read" as it is written as though a friend is speaking to you, acknowledging your expertise while giving you a boost where you need it. A great book that I will definitely pass along (and that I will constantly refer to in the future). Good job, Erin. Best of luck.

No comments about Tim Walker Pictures.