No comments about Photos, Video and Music for Seniors with Windows Vista: Learn How to Use the Windows Vista Tools for Digital Photos, Home Videos, Music and Entertainment (Computer Books for Seniors series).

5 comments about Photoshop Photo Effects Cookbook: 61 Easy-to-Follow Recipes for Digital Photographers, Designers, and Artists.

1. This is a great book that gives you well laid out instructions with invaluable visual aids throughout the book. I am constantly referencing this book for tips and techniques, and I have also combined many of the different areas I have learned into new effects. I would certainly recommend this book if you are looking for usefull tutorials that you can use in our work on a regular basis.. The best part is, this book is helpful for everyone from the beginner, to novice, to advanced users.



2. I have been Fooling around with Photoshop-CS2 for years, i have been able to produce Amazing Effects. Many of my greatest Photoshops were done by Accident, because i wasn't sure were to start or in what direction to go in. I got this book and right away i saw some i have done but wasn't sure how i did it. Plus they have Tons of other effects you can do, by the time your done you will have Museam Quality Photos. Most people will ask you to do Photos for them to hang up in there house as a Center Piece.



3. Just a pretty rehash of photoshop filters and effects.
   Skip it if you know photoshop
   If you don't and like big picture learning this will teach you effects...but it won't teach you photoshop.



4. I am a firm believer that cookbooks should remain in the kitchen. This book did not really provide me with any new recipes of use. The one recipe I did want to use for a client operation, I resourced the online materials and followed it through but was unable to have it turn out. If the experiment was a cake, it would have been in the compost bin.
   
   Most of the book is taken up with two page layouts that show you how different effects work. Well I have been pretty familiar with the graphic pen filter for a long time, so most of the book which touched on those was wasted pulp.
   
   There was nothing here that really wowed me about either the work, the layout or the subject matter. Maybe a first entry user of Photoshop might find it interesting , but I can't really recommend this title to a serious Photoshop user. I couldn't even give this book away at my user group meeting.



5. There are a lot of good ideas provided in this book for some very cool effects. However, please know that many of the effects/settings are very specific to the images they use in the examples. Your results will vary greatly with your own photos so it will take quite a bit of tweaking.

3 comments about Green Roof: A Case Study: Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates' Design For the Headquarters of the American Society of Landscape Architects.

1. This case study is primarily geared towards the client's requirements and satisfaction, rather than basic green roof benefits. For example, there is more emphasis put on employee/ human use of the roof over the traditional benefits that roof greening putatively confers. Although there are some interesting techniques employed, like the grating over the sedum plantings, it is quite clear that roof greening is still for the elite rather than us common folk. Considering this, the concept of roof greening still has a long way to go before it will become a truly 'sustainable' practice in North America. The ASLA intended this project to showcase their involvement in this arena, but we would all be better served if they would test/employ techniques that were affordable to the masses rather than the wealthy elite.



2. Exceptional text, supplemented with beautiful and informative graphics and diagrams. Very good book for anyone interested in Greenroofs.



3. This book is perfect for readers who already know that green roofs are good for our planet, but are looking for technical information on how to build one. Product and plant guidelines and the construction process are marvelously detailed. It's also generous with photos and diagrams. This particular green roof demonstrates that they can be more than just sedum in planters on a flat roof--green roofs can be a building amenity and enhance the viewshed for nearby buildings as well. The book is very well written. It should be noted that the author is a German landscape architect and Germany leads the world in green roof design. An excellent resource for developers, real estate executives, building owners, and designers.

5 comments about 4 Inches.

1. When I recieved this book I was very pleased with the sheer size and over all look of the book. Then as I paged through it I found all but a few pictures to be absolutely beatuiful, I didn't care too much for the toilet photos and maybe one or two others. I love black and white photos, I also have an obsession with choo shoes and of course I love jewerly so this book brought them all together so beautifully and on beauitful women. I am begining a career in photoghraghy and found this book to be very tastful except the above mentioned which were more silly. Above all else proceeds go to a great cause AIDS in women.



2. I was very disappointed in the quality and compositions of the photographs in this book. This book was published for a good cause but one would think the "professional" photographers would be more creative in their props and lighting. Save your money. Don't buy this book.



3. Not only is this book for a good cause, It is also amazing. The photography is outstanding and I am a photographer. It is all in very good taste. Beautiful Work!!!



4. I have to say I agree with (most) of the other reviewers that the photos are of excellant quality, the women are beautiful and it's for a good cause. The only slightly disturbing thing is that the amount of skin shown seems to be related to the "accepted" beauty of the model. By that I mean the professional models were all fully naked and obviously quite comfortable being so; while some of the other ladies were photographed covered up (although obviously naked). It would be interesting to know if the model was ill at ease in being naked or the photographers were sub-conciously suggesting a more covered up shot. Either way it's a shame that the likes of Sarah Ferguson was hidden under some sort of blanket rather than uncovered in the true spirit of the book.
   
   All in all and excellent collection.



5. the cover with kate moss just about says it all. blatant advertising for jimmy choo's

2 comments about Singular Images.

1. Singular Images: Essays On Remarkable Photographs covers well over 150 years of photography, from Talbot's first negative to the latest changes in photographic art. Essays collect analysis of individual photos however, not the genre as a whole, focusing on a single image's achievements and exploring artist intention, technical and historical background, and the artistic community's response. Black and white photos blend with in-depth analysis to show what makes an achievement exceptional in the photography field.



2. Great book with interesting approches on the images.
   I'm glad to have it.

5 comments about Women Who Light the Dark.

1. This book is a gift to all of us who wonder how will we move beyond the darkness that seems so universally prevalent today. Paola has traveled to some of the darkest areas of our world, where women and girls are gravely endangered. She has found remarkable women, who have little, use their imaginations, creativity and will to alter the resigned lives of many. This is so much more than a 'coffee table' book with gorgeous photography. It is to be read and savored and see that there is real hope in these desperate degrading situations, to change the lives of many for the betterment of us all. It is a gift to give yourself, as well as your friends and family to start 2008 with hope and possibility for a more caring world.



2. The photos are riveting, and the text is compelling, but what's really special about this book is the women it features. Their courage and imaginations will give readers hope -- and goosebumps.



3. I was lucky enough to hear Paola Gianturco speak about her new book, Women Who Light The Dark. She is just an amazing woman and it's so incredible and wonderful what she has chosen to do at this time of her life--she's in her sixties and she's trekking up mountains in Nepal to see a special graduation celebrating young women trained to be mountain guides, sitting in cement block class rooms with young women who have been raped in Zimbabwe (you know the story--men thinking they can be cured of AIDS by raping virgins as young as six--some of these men are these girls' fathers and brothers!) listening to their terrible stories and sharing in their joy at becoming educated and capable of taking care of themselves. Everywhere Ms. Gianturco goes she documents not only the abuses heaped on women but women's indomitable spirit--to not only survive and find a means of supporting themselves but their determination to make sure their children have a future and that includes education! It is truly inspiring to see what these women create out of nothing but imagination, hope and sheer indomitable will! The photographs in the book are beautiful and evocative, capturing the spirit, the hope, the beauty and vitality of women in almost every part of the world. The accompanying narrative is also fascinating as you follow Paola Gianturco on her incredible ventures around the world. To add to the pleasure of purchasing Women Who Light the Dark, Ms. Gianturco is contributing ALL of the royalties to the "Global Fund for Women." In short, there are many, many reasons to purchase a copy of this beautiful, uplifting book.



4. If they can do it, we can do it. If women in desperate straits can Light the Dark, so can we. That's Paola Gianturco's message to me in her most recent photo essay book on bright, brave, colorful women. Paola's own creativity and courage show in her exuberant, emotion-laden pictures and accurate, persuasive writing. All of her books are beacons of hope and achievement. Having or giving this book affirms our own values and indeed Lights the Dark, since all of Paola's royalties will go to the Global Fund for Women.



5. "Hope is not a noun but a verb. It is something that one does. Do nothing, and you will have no hope. Do something and you might make a peep hope in the world through which hope could sneak back into the world." This quote from Joe Volk, Executive Secretary of the Friends Committee on National Legislation, speaks so directly to Paola and to "Women Who Light the Dark." Paola and all these women are doing something to bring hope back into the world. Thanks to Joe and Paola for bringing hope back into the season. Give this book to others and share the hope.

5 comments about Photoshop 7 Bible, Professional Edition.

1. I am shocked by the handful of bad reviews I've seen here. I am going to suppose the bad reviews are written by people whose idea of using Photoshop means applying enough filters until it looks cool. My friends, it's called the "Professional Edition" for a reason; if you would take the time to read the Preface you would find it clearly explained. Deke McClelland is the best Photoshop instructor, period. This book deserves more than 5 stars!



2. Those who criticized this book as being a poor choice for beginners were unfair. (Why did they buy the Professional Version anyway?) Teaching those first steps to people who are not too familiar with computers in general is a book in itself. This book is perfect for anyone who has mastered even the most basic steps and wants to move far, far beyond.

   I was first exposed to Photoshop only a few weeks ago and after about 2 days of learning the basics using a popular beginner's manual found that the "how to" book had taken me as far as it could go. It was just enough to get me addicted but left me with too many questions.

   I thought that I might have been a bit presumptuous in purchasing the "Professional Version" of the Bible, but as soon as I started reading it quickly discovered that it answered all my questions. I went from page to page saying to myself "oh, so that's how..." and "hey, I was having trouble with this". Amazing! And it is written in language that even a newbie like myself can understand and follow.

   I am still a beginner but I love this book. I can see myself referring to it for years to come.




3. This book describes the fine intricacies of all the tools, the filters and the features of Photoshop. Where other books lead you through lessons and tell you to set X tool preference to Y, and you may happily use the Y preference for years without even knowing there is also a Z preference, this book explains all the preferences for all the tools and gives illustrated examples of what the various settings produce.
   
   I wanted to force myself to sit down and read this thing cover to cover to get an in-depth knowledge of everything Photoshop, but after 2 chapters of reading I just couldn't go on in this manner. For me, the best use of this book is as a reference when I have a question about a particular tool or technique. I'll read a few pages to get the particulars, then I put the book back up on the shelf until the next question arises.
   
   This version has lots of nice color plates and paging through it can be inspirational when I'm stuck for a design idea. Especially if I'm burned out on surfing online for ideas.
   
   The one irritating factor about this book is the author's sense of humor interspersed throughout. I understand that he's trying to make a technical subject friendly, approachable and enjoyable, but the humor just comes across as extremely corny. This is a plague I've noticed infecting many of today's authors of software books.
   
   Dear Authors,unless you are absolutely certain that people other than family and close friends consider you funny, please leave the humor out or hire a professional to help. Thank you.
   
   I still give this book highest marks because
   1)it is so absolutely thorough
   2)the author knows his stuff and can communicate it well (even if there is a bit of dorky humor in it) and
   3)since I use it as a reference book, the humor only comes in small, managable chunks.



4. I must say, as much as this book takes VERY LONG to get through, because I have to stop, try the stuff out myself and really try to understand it, I find myself motivated by Deke's humor. As much as he contradicts himself after saying that he'll be concise in the beginning but half the time he's talking nonsense (funny nonsense that is), you can't blame him. That's his style after all! I have found myself loving the book because I'm always curios to see what silly thing he's going to say next? I love it how he knows when to be serious about the tools and when to make a good joke about it. My favorite has to be the one about using the healing and cloning tools with a picture of a baby's bottom that heals the dents on his forehead.
   Absolutely a good laugh after a painful 1 hour of reading...
   Painful...yes because this is intense, and it's not for a beginner user, and relatively dangerous if you havent been using photoshop for at least half a year if you ask me.
   Otherwise I say go for it, read this book and learn some really advanced stuff, but beware, it's intense to the point you could get tired of learning...



5. Well structure for the professional or novice. You'll find yourself looking trough it every chance you get.

2 comments about Picture This: Fun Photography and Crafts (Kids Can Do It).

1. If your looking for a very basic introduction to photography for kids, this might be for you. It doesn't cover anything in depth, there's not nearly enough space in forty pages for that. On the other hand, if your "small one" is looking for a handful of ideas without the burden of techno speak it's worth checking out. Technically I'd say it's a CRAFT book the USES photography rather than a photography book that offers some crafts as most of the crafts could be done with or without the benifit of a camera. All in all not a bad book but not in the same league as say "The Kids Guide to Digital Photography" by Jenni Bidner.



2. I bought this for my grandson but wanted to keep it for myself when I reviewed it!

No comments about Urban America: Processes and Problems.

4 comments about Thomas Jefferson's Monticello.

1. One of the clichés about Monticello is that few houses do so good a job revealing the personality of its builder. But clichés get to be such generally because there's truth to them, and that's definitely the case here. If Thomas Jefferson was one of the most interesting figures in American history (and I think that's unquestionably true), then Monticello may well be one of America's most interesting houses. And for this colorful book produced by the Thomas Jefferson Foundation, we are guided through the house and grounds by people who know their stuff.

   Specifically, the chapters of this title are written by Monticello's director of restoration, the curator, the director of gardens and grounds, and other experts associated with the Foundation. Large, colorful photos are accompanied by informed commentary and all the requisite history, as well as documentation of the decades of restoration work it has taken to get the house and grounds to its current condition. A book doesn't make up for a visit in person -- if anything, I wished for more photos of the interior, especially of the book room and "cabinet." But for a general overview of the house, grounds, and collection, and an insight into the man himself, this book is hard to beat. I recommend it as a souvenir, as well as a nice companion to a Jefferson biography.




2. This is a highly informative, well documented book covering all aspects of the design and building of Thomas Jefferson's home, plus insights into why things were done the way they were done, through Jefferson's own notes, sketches and correspondence. Plus,the photographs are exquisite.



3. This work successfully links the many unique qualities of Thomas Jefferson's personality to the unique qualities of the home that he designed and spent most of his life building and rebuilding. All of the intriguing features of this home are covered.
   Anyone interested in this remarkable man and his home who is unable to visit Monticello in person should strongly consider this work.



4. Thomas Jefferson's Monticello, an essay in architecture, takes readers on a historical tour of the third U.S. president's cherished home near Charlottesville, Virginia, through well-written text and gorgeous, full-color photography. The book includes floor plans and photographs of Jefferson's original architectual elevations, as well as drawings of the finished building that we are most familiar with today. It describes Jefferson as art collector and plantation life on Monticello's farms, and it explores the four seasons in Monticello's gardens. Published in 2002 by the Thomas Jefferson Foundation, Inc.