5 comments about Jim Church's Essential Guide to Composition: A Simplified Approach to Taking Better Underwater Pictures.

1. For all UW imaging systems users, this book is less about the technique (which can be found in Jim's books on Nikonos and Video systems), and more about the art of UW photography. Jim again uses the Situations approach, and helps you develop an eye for good pictures. Really useful stuff on working with models.



2. People come to photography by many strange and varied routes and my own is as different as the next - though I shall not bore you with that particular story here. Suffice to say that, my first photograph was published in 1974, my first underwater photograph in 1980 and, right at this time, my work has appeared (somewhere) every month since December 1998, I am in the process of completing my fourth book and my photography has even been purchased by National Geographic.

   The relevance of all this, however, is that I am largely self-taught and that always leaves me wondering if I am missing some of those basic lessons that would have been explained on the very first day of any professionally run photography course. "Jim Church's Essential Guide to Composition" goes a long way to fill any gaps there might be.

   This book has two outstanding qualities; Firstly, it is written by a man who really does know about every aspect of underwater photography. Secondly, and most important of all, however, Jim Church has the power to explain his knowledge in words we can all understand. In so doing he has produced a book for the professional underwater photographer and the amateur diver alike. If you have just bought your first camera and are about to embark on a very expensive trip to try it out, this is your in-flight reading material. Believe me, you will come home with better pictures - I did.

   "Jim Church's Essential Guide to Composition" is a 9in x 6in paperback book containing 136 pages, 80 colour photographs and 8 line drawings. Each photograph and drawing serves a purpose and are used to explain each of the many lessons involved with composing underwater pictures and, basically, the difference between taking a good photograph and not. All of which is, of course, supported by the non-technical information imparted in an easy-to-understand style.

   The book begins with absolute basics - and what could be more basic than explaining the function of the human eye and then adapting that information in order to provide a better understanding of the function of a camera lens. In short, this is a book about "stepping stones" and each time a relevant point has been explained and demonstrated, the book builds on this knowledge as we step forward onto another stone for even greater knowledge of the subject in hand.

   In Summary, this is one of the few books I have ever read which achieves exactly and precisely what it sets out to achieve and is made all the more valuable because the Author is a man who knows his stuff and is able to explain things without getting bogged down in technical jargon.

   Five Stars are not enough for this little gem.

   NM




3. When I started in uderwater photography, I was told by a very wise and respected professional, "Composition cannot be taught ... it is not a concept or a method. The photographer is born with an eye for composition and it is an art." To which Jim Church's book has proven that statement to be "Hogwash, INDEED!" Composition may be a gift, but it is a gift that can be honed and trained, just as Jim Church has done with this book. He has given the reader all the tools, tricks and tips to develop that skill into an art. Liberally sprinkled with the Jim Church wit and humour, this book stands up to reading after reading after reading. This book stands alongside his "Guide to the Nikonos" and his "Underwater Video" books as "bibles" for the ardent underwater photographer. As for Jim Church's method of teaching and guidance, I can tell you that nine years ago I was using a disposable underwater camera. I have studied the books and travelled with Jim Church as often as possible and I am now a contributing editor and Photo Pro for an international dive magazine. So, if you ask me if Jim Church's methods work, I would resoundingly answer "YES." If you aks me if this is a book worth buying, I would answer resoundingly "YES!" No matter how many times you read this book and no matter what level of photographer you might be, there is always something new in this book that you can apply in your pursuit of great photos. These concepts of composition are NOT restricted to the ocean floor, either. The methods and concepts explained in this text --- in easy to understand terms --- also apply to land photography. This Essential Guide is exactly that---- ESSENTIAL! I regret that five stars is the highest rank offered for this book. The only thíng wrong with this book ---- it wasn't written sooner! I could have saved a lot of film on badly composed shots!!!!



4. This is Jim Church's answer to those who say that you must have a "God given eye" to take great photographs. Jim is above all a teacher. His ability to bring complex ideas down to the level where a novice can comprehend is legendary. His method, rather unique in the world of underwater photography and videography, is not to show you great stuff and say "beat this", but to start with basic principles and work you through until you are automatically seeing the right solution to the situation before you. I would bet that any "name" underwater photographer if asked "where do I start?" would answer "pick up Jim Church's books and read them 3 or 4 times then get in the water.". This book, at less than the cost of 2 rolls of underwater film and developing, should be considered mandatory reading for anyone with a desire to take photographs (or video) underwater.



5. Jim Church was an astonishing photographer and those that have followed in his footsteps owe much to him. This book is one that I recommend to ALL divers starting off in underwater photography. Have you ever come home with a bunch of shots only to find that none of them really "grab you"?....this boom is for you. Simply and clearly, the text and photo examples show you how to turn an ordinary shot into a "Wow!" shot.

5 comments about The Day-to-Day Life of Albert Hastings.

1. Don't know where to start:
   great concept, total package optimized for peaceful enjoyment. Loved the feel, fonts, script, cover, size and color of the book.
   
   Now to the important part (from a photographer's angle :)) Ms. Deveney's artful photographic view is extremely engaging and subtle.
   The reader/observer is drawn into scenes where one is allowed a personal privilege to study an ordinary life nearing it's completion.
   Her view point is not judgmental, enhanced or exaggerated. It's almost like a camera's view was snapped by accident, but I know better.
   These are beautifully conceived and simple... the hardest type to achieve.
   Enjoy the simple pleasures of a folded pair of clean "P-jays", shot of whiskey and a stately daffodil on the window sill.
   The Day-to-Day Life of Albert Hastings is a gift to share with the hurried world.



2. This was a beautifully photographed and rare insight into a simple and lonely man's day to day existance in the last phase of his life. His own words were an intergral part of this touching little book.
   We were given a bit of insight into the day to day life of a person who may not have had much reason to keep on living, after his beloved wife had already departed 10 years ago; but was still able to find small pleasures and humor in his daily experiences and memories.
   The photographer is indeed a special kind of person to be able to be accepted with her camera into his small and private world. Another person might not have ever seen the beauty or found his days interesting enough to document. But through her perceptive and sensative eye, we are exposed to the beauty of a life near it's end.



3. The Day-to-Day Life of Albert Hastings
   I truly enjoyed this book. It is a poignant, very heartwarming, and touching tribute to aging while living alone. I felt I got to know Albert just by viewing pictures of his life. It gave great insight into how loneliness effects are lives -- especially in our old age. The photography told a vivid story and having Albert write the captions added a personal touch. I would encourage anyone who loves books about aging as well as engaging photography to purchase this book. You won't be disappointed.



4. I'm not a photography expert by any means (actually, I aspire to be a photography novice). However, the pictures in this insightful and beautiful book, accompanied by Bert's handwriting, make me wish someone as talented as Ms. Deveney could elicit such meaningful subtext from my life if I live long enough to look back on it in my eighties. The photos hooked me into caring about Albert Hastings and prompted me to wonder about the things I might fret over during the closing credits of my own life. Again, I'm no photographer, but when pictures like these cause me to rethink what's important in my life, the art critic inside me smiles.



5. this is one of those books you buy on a whim and will cherish forever. i gave out two copies to family members this recent christmas and they were both raving about it later. the whole concept of following an ordinary person around while they do their personal rituals was so fascninating, making the simple things meaningful. the photographs are stirring and the handwritten notes insightful. i have an aging grandfather, so i am biased i am sure, but i found myself smiling and feeling pangs of sadness like a rollar coaster ride while reading this book. my only advice, other than buying it, is to take a quiet moment to read it all in one sitting. after viewing this book, i immediately began documenting my own grandfathers day to day life a bit, i was so inspired.

5 comments about Ready to Roll: A Celebration of the Classic American Travel Trailer.

1. Ready to Roll: A celebration of the Classic American Travel Trailer
   Although I am admittedly a bit biased because of Tin Can Tourists' association with Dough Keister and this project, I found the book to be top notch. The blend of Arrol Gellner's text with Doug's pictures provides the reader with much more than a typical "coffee table" book.
   I believe it deserves a place with Galloping Bungalows and Wheel Estate as a must for those that require a fuller understanding of the RV evolution from the Tin Can Tourists to Airstream Founder, Wally Byam.



2. An architect and a photographer co-authored this classic mix of pix and text that rolls us down the American back roads in high style. From the early almost-train cars manufactured for the wealthy, to the poor man's alternative --- "Sleep in Your Car," one ad suggests --- we are drawn along by the fantasy of life fully lived away from home, a fantasy that could only have taken root in America, where roads and cars grew up together in serendipitous symbiosis.

   Before the metal bodies and custom interiors, there had been the Conestoga wagons and, before that, the wooden gypsy vardos of old Europe. Sheepherders had "arks" made for crawling across the lonesome prairie, precursors to "tin can tourism" that attracted freedom-loving Americans almost as soon as they discovered the practicality of the auto itself.

   From the 1930s onward, the question was not if they would buy it but what shape they would purchase, as independent companies vied for a market share, assembling campers shaped like teardrops, bread loaves and fantastical avian forms lifted from the burgeoning airplane industry.

   Today's RVers owe much to Wally Byam, a true fanatic whose conception of a trailer accessible to the average middle-class family resulted in the Airstream, arguably the finest development of the pull-along format. With wood paneled mod cons within and an aerodynamic metal bullet exterior, the Airstream divorced trailering from the Oakie image and spawned many imitators. While confections like the Curtiss Aerocar and Pierce Arrow's faux railcar sought the aristocratic end of the market, and utilitarian itsy-bitsy tent-trailer combos attracted the low budget traveler, Airstream sat doggedly in the middle, offering class, ease of hauling and fine workmanship at an affordable price. "Today, more than four decades after his death in 1962, Byam's basic Airstream design continues to roll off the Jackson Center production lines, still widely regarded as the Rolls-Royce of trailers, and still inspiring imitations."

   For nearly fifty years in the heyday of over-the-road vacationing, there was a Very Large Array of metal boxes on wheels, with names like Comet, Gypsy Wagon, Spartanette and Airfloat, and some more durable brands like Shasta. Because these ephemeral blips on the trailering screen were often handcrafted and built, remarkably, to last, many are still rolling or at least set up on blocks in mint condition, alluringly photogenic.

   Gellner and Keister sought them out and tastefully snapped their innards and their outer skins, along with the cars that pull them. Where the snowbirds flock, these metal bubbles proliferate, often hauled by cars of equal interest to collectors. Now there's a new craze, and why are we not surprised --- that of building "vintage" campers, look-alikes to the old timey road runners of the early 20th century. Is this true "camp" or what?

   Peering inside these metal marvels, via the camera's eye, we get a feeling for what was considered essential to the traveler in times past: parquet flooring, lounge chairs, recessed doors and plastic laminate kitchen counters, the latest thing. Beginning as a simple imitation of home interior design, trailer construction soon became a playground for experimentation in the technology of the tiny, the art of making things work smoothly in cramped quarters without skinning knuckles or having to sleep in a ball.

   Like millions of Americans, I've followed the camper craze, the boondoggling and midnight interstate rest area getaways. I've moved with the carnival where homes on wheels have to be durable for the weekly hops. Maybe when I retire I'll look for a campsite at Slab City in California or Quartzite, Arizona.

   If you love this book, then you're the guy for me. You and I could hit the high spots --- starting at Braden's Castle in Reno (that's where we'll get married), then on to Shady Dell in Bisbee, Arizona, where overnight guests can stay in vintage trailers. We'll honeymoon there in the Spartan Royal Mansion.

   --- Reviewed by Barbara Bamberger Scott




3. This is an incredible wealth of information for anyone interested in architecture, travel trailers, and Americana in general. Lovely photography is augmented by nicely coordinated text. Some redundancy is my only criticism.
   
   Bob



4. I have a weakness for books on architecture and interior decorating anyway. But this is the one I turn to again and again. For those of us with Champaign tastes and beer budgets, a vintage trailer is ulimately doable. Own your own piece of modernist archeture, albeit on wheels, even though you could never touch a Mies or Wright. When ever I try to figure out what to do with my 1957 Sportcraft (a classic silver-clad "canned ham"), I flip through these pages. I always find something inspiring.



5. This book has a fine combination of beautiful photos and well written text about an American niche. There are stories and examples from all over America that give a glimpse of the joy of seeing the world from a home away from home.

5 comments about The Doors of San Miguel De Allende.

1. If you are looking for information about San Miguel, this book does NOT provide it! Very little written...too many door photos!



2. If you are looking for rustic colonial or American Southwest doors then this book is a must buy. - jim



3. This book was purchased as a gift for me. I am a subscriber to International Living, and San Miguel is a long-time favorite of theirs.
   
   I mentioned this, and the way the city had piqued my interest, to a family member. She then promptly went online and ordered this book for me.
   
   It is for this reason that I issue the following warning: the title should be taken LITERALLY, not figuratively.
   
   It could be read either way, but this book is NOT about opening the metaphorical doors to life in San Miguel. You will not look in these pages and then find the metaphorical doors to San Miguel thrown open to your understanding and appreciation. You will not learn about expat or local life in this historical city. And you will not find yourself frequently referring back here as you plan your trip or your move.
   
   What you WILL find, seriously, is heaps about the actual physical doorways on buildings in San Miguel.
   
   If you WANT the world's premiere photo-essay collection about the doorways in San Miguel, then this is a five-star tome all the way. Look all you want, you won't find better. If you want info about the city and culture of this red-hot expat community, look elsewhere.



4. but if not, you'll be bored senseless.



5. There is no doubt that this book contains fine photography of a very interesting subject. I just wish, however, I paid more attention to the product description: Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 6.3 x 0.5 inches. This is not a coffee table book, and each photograph is 4.25 x 6.5 inches. So don't expect a book of the dimension that usually does justice to these types of photos. Let's just say that I wish I had a much larger format with which to enjoy the author's work.
   
   That said and out of the way, the author/photographer hits the mark exactly with a very intriguing facet of Old Mexico and the charming colonial city of San Miguel de Allende. Cities like this have an ancient patina to them, something that only history and time can impart. Like most art, you either get it or you don't, and this author gets it.
   
   The book isn't a metaphor to life inside the city, it is exactly what the title states - a collection of beautifully photographed handcrafted doors. But there is more; even if you have not made the journey to Old Mexico, you begin to know it by the faces of these doors. Much like human faces, there is embedded in each a perspective of a life lived and served, and serving, such that the reader/observer begins to wonder about the depths of the soul of each residence.
   
   I have been to San Miguel de Allende on one of several motorcyle journeys through Mexico. It is a land of enchantment, wonderful history, lively tradtions, excellent food, and most of all, a rich culture and some of the most vibrant, friendly people in all the world. They literally open their hearts - and doors - to all who travel and visit with humility and respect.
   
   This book deserves a larger footprint to display the author's work. But since it does not, I hope it serves as a teaser to those who have never been to San Miguel, or Guanajuato, or Zacatecas and the like - to go and see, and open, doors both literally and figuratively to a world so close yet so far away. Viva Old Mexico!

No comments about William Eggleston: Democratic Camera, Photographs and Video, 1961-2008 (Whitney Museum of American Art).

No comments about One Hundred & One Beautiful Towns in Italy: Shops and Crafts (101 Towns).

No comments about Country Music: The Masters With Audio CD.

5 comments about Leonardo Drawings (Dover Art Library).

1. The reprints in this book are of absoultely terrible quality. If you are planning to use them as sources for drawings forget it! There are other Dover books that are better such as Sargent's. This book is of no use at all.



2. I was very disappointed in the quality of the Adobe Reader version I downloaded. I don't know if the other reviewers were reviewing hard copy versions or digital downloads. A hard copy version might be OK, but the digital version is not worth a cent in my opinion. I was hoping to be able to make some small letter-size posters for my office at work, but the resolution was so poor I don't think any of the drawings will be usable. My recommendation is don't waste your money on the download.



3. The print quality is so low and I can hardly see anything. forget it.



4. Leonardo da Vinci
   
   was an Italian Renaissance polymath:
   
   
   
   an architect, musician, anatomist, inventor, engineer, sculptor, geometer, and painter. He has been described as the archetype of the " Renaissance man" and as a universal genius, a man infinitely curious and infinitely inventive. He is also considered one of the greatest painters that ever lived.
   
   
   Portrait in red chalk, circa 1512 to 1515, widely (though not universally) accepted as a genuine self-portrait.In his lifetime, Leonardo - he had no surname in the modern sense; "da Vinci" simply means "from Vinci" - was an engineer, artist, anatomist, physiologist and much more.
   
   
   
   His full birth name was "Leonardo di ser Piero da Vinci", meaning "Leonardo, of ser Piero from Vinci". Leonardo is famous for his paintings, such as the Mona Lisa and The Last Supper, as well as for influential drawings such as the Vitruvian Man. He designed many inventions that anticipated modern technology, such as the helicopter, tank, use of solar power, the calculator, etc., though few of these designs were constructed or were feasible in his lifetime. In addition, he advanced the study of anatomy, astronomy, and civil engineering. Of his works, only a few paintings survive, together with his notebooks (scattered among various collections) containing drawings, scientific diagrams and notes.



5. Absolutely horrible print quality. Did you get these pictures from internet?

3 comments about Technique of Film Editing, Second Edition.

1. First you have to find it. Incidentally, I am sure it is not extremely difficult to find, for I happen to have found it accidentally in a film book store in Hollywood. Needless to say this book provides any potential film maker with an exciting view of the craft, turning mechanics into art. It is written in a clear style and in an almost profound way it will change the way you understand cinema and editing. Reisz and Millar will teach you how to turn the art of film into film art.



2. I found an old copy in a library and searched this out. I bought the hardcover one on amazon cheaply. It has been revised for so long you may as well buy the old. it's not just about editing and goes through how to sequence shots for action (a chase) etc, goes through some citizen kane shots. Has quite a few pictures of sequences and other stuff. I highly recommend it. It's a massive book.



3. Bible of Film Editing
   from an editor and editing professor-
   editors must have it- simple as that-- would be wise for other filmmakers to read too

2 comments about American Barn (Motorbooks Classic).

1. As usual Randy's books are tops. His photography, sidebars and careful attention to details are unsurpassed. You can almost hear the hammers falling in the barn raising chapters. Recommended to all lovers of the vanishing scene.



2. This is the ultimate compendium of barn information. As a writer of a published barn book myself (Barn in the USA), I have seen my share of similar works. Most, however, fall short by showcasing old barns without placing them in context, or telling you more than you want to know about architectural considerations. Randy Leffingwell's book covers the historical and practical aspects of these rural structures, also presenting beautiful images without turning the book into a beauty contest. It is a treasure for historians and barnlovers alike.