2 comments about Jim Marshall: Jazz.

1. After the superb Not Fade Away and Proof Jim Marshall comes out with his 3rd book covering his Jazz (and Blues) period. Iconic images that will surprise fans who only know his Rock photos. The foundation that built the Marshall mystique. To be enjoyed drinking 16 year old Lagavulin single malt Scotch and listening to superb jazz vinyl (Monk, Prez, Diz,Trane, Miles, etc..) on a good turntable/stereo system. One can only hope for the long rumoured Color book next. A must get for your music and photo book library!



2. I've been digging Marshall's work for 25 years-ever since I got my first copy of "The Allman Brothers Band Live At Fillmore East". I'm not a photographer but something in the way he composes his shots moves me. Mostly, tho', it is the quality of the contrast between black and white- and the richness of the color in his photographs. I'm sure it all has something to do with the equipment, exposure, film, etc. People like he, Adams and Claxton make black and white as sexy as color-if not more so. If you love jazz, you will find some iconic pictures here as well as some that have probably never been seen. Lets' put it this way, if I had the chance to have one photographer shoot me as a musician, it would be him. I once called him up out of the blue to talk photography (which I know next to nothing about) because I was/am such a fan. Just the finest technique that makes the pictures seem three dimensional. Long live Jim Marshall.

No comments about Workbook for Black & White Photography.

4 comments about Steve Mccurry: In the Shadow of Mountains.

1. Yet another book from McCurry where he tries to regain the glory days of the iconic Afghani girl he photographed for National Geographics over twenty years ago. Steve McCurry has become lazy in his photography -- even almost desparate. Any close up exotic picture of an Afghani girl will do as far as he is concerned. When he has enough to fill a book, it is published. Okay Steve, we get the idea...we all acknowledge that it is your "schtick".
   
   Not surprisingly the original Afghani girl is illustrated, again, to remind everyone how good he WAS as a photographer.
   
   Steve...please move on.
   
   Some people have commented how dedicated Mr. McCurry is in covering the plight of the Afghan and Asian peoples. I just hope that the money he receives from selling the image rights to Soli Deo Gloria - Monteverdi Productions Ltd - a UK recording company to sell classical cds are being donated to the Afghan peoples. Not sure what Bach, compact discs or cantatas have to do with Afghanistan...except that they are pretty pictures to adorn the cd cases of the merchandise for sale.



2. Steve McCurry manages to capture beauty and mystery in even his simplest shots of women in Afghanistan browsing through a street sneaker shop to a bejeweled young Indian bride. "The Afghan Girl" with her peircing eyes and strange, shattered beauty is a beloved classic that will always be remembered and preserved. But it is just one of Steve McCurry's enchanting works. Every photograph in this profound collection of his travels in Afghanistan and South Asia has a deep story to tell, and spending time to observe and uncover the mystery of each photograph is inevitable.



3. This book is a collection of lyrical images taken over the past 25 years. Nobody is as good as McCurry as he captures the spirit of the resilient Afghan people.
   
   His work shows the dignity, nobility, and perseverance of the Afghan people during decades of war.
   
   Great job, Steve!



4. Steve Mccurry's newer images are as timeless as his previously famous works (the most famous of which is of course "Afghan girl"). He certainly has a distinct style which in my opinion never gets old (contrary to some of the other comments by previous reviewers on this page). He offers a window to a part of the world that is little known to the rest of us. The images he creates are breathtaking. I have never seen images as beautiful and expressive as his are by any other photographer shooting portraits in South-East Asia. I can stare at his portraits for hours it seems only to come back to them at a future date and do the same. As I said, they never get old.
   
   Though he is sometimes accused of using subjects that are "laden with make up and blood and mud"... this claim is contrary to the reality: his photos are candid and natural. Best of all, he has also helped create the nonprofit organization, ImagineAsia, to help fund education and health care in rural Afghanistan.
   
   I hope you enjoy this book as much as I do.

5 comments about Punk House: Interiors in Anarchy.

1. Abbie Banks came to my house and took photos of it and put it in the book she is the real deal. She did her dishes when she stayed over and even helped cook. Oi!



2. It seems this book has made a lot of people pretty angry. I lived at one of the houses in this book and nobody remembers actually giving permission to use these images in this coffee table book. People, places, and works of art all are printed without giving any context, attribution, or discription. And, of course, it doesn't help matters that it was published by a for-profit corporate publisher. If my housemates had known this, they probably would have not only shown the author the door, but also most likely wheatpasted some sort of "Watch-Out For This Corporate Fake Zinester" flyers all around town like Abby Banks was some sort of convicted sex offender or something. Probably not deservered, but that's what would have happened....
   
   Other people who had their houses featured in this book have expressed similar concerns/feelings/resentments. In fact, some of these people are quite pissed. I suggest you don't bring this topic up at a house show, food not bombs feeding, or the anarachist book fair.
   
   I know getting release forms might not be very punk and maybe not getting permission is actually more anarchy than I'm used to. But I doubt the publisher has the same views on their intellectual property. (I just checked... they require you get their written permission before using the images they own. So much for the golden rule...)
   
   However, despite all that, I bought this book and think it's pretty good. I don't even mind that a picture of me (a picture of a picture, actually. Taken in my kitchen when I wasn't home...) is in it and nobody asked if that was alright. Image quality could be a little better on some of the photos, but the book works as a whole, especially capturing the empheral feel of the punk house moment/movement.
   
   Or something like that. Er, I mean, whatever.



3. You'll be hard pressed to find a real negative reaction to this book. Even supposed "critiques" such as the previous review admit that the content of the book is amazing. This alone should suffice as reason to buy the book. As to the allegations stated under the heading "What We Do Is Secret: For a Reason" I have every reason to believe that they are almost totally unfounded. Having known the author throughout the process of traveling and collecting photographs for the book, I can safely attest that she did everything under the sun to obtain permission from the subjects (a process that took months) and approached the topic with utmost sincerity.
   A recent book tour (that took the author through many anarchist book stores,house shows, and food not bombs feedings) revealed how many people were not only satisfied with the work but also grateful that someone had taken the time and labor to document punk house culture in a tasteful and nonexploitive manner.
   If this book has truly made a lot of people angry, I certainly haven't met them. Nor have I come across any "Beware of Corporate Zinester" bulletins. Perhaps its because most people who've read the book recognize it for what it is; an honest portrait of a unique cultural lifestyle. My guess is that these people have learned enough from 8 years of Karl Rove than to rely on unfounded accusations and "facts by implication".
   Don't Believe the Hype!!! The book is the Real Deal!!!



4. I don't usually write reviews on Amazon, but I wanted to say something about this book.
   I found Punk House to be one of the most beautiful, colorful depictions of punk life that I've seen outside of the zine world. Living in and visiting some of these houses, they certainly don't feel as vibrantly alive as Abby Banks' photography makes them appear. I was looking over one photo of dirty dishes with a vegan cookbook,mostly torn apart from overuse, and it made me fall in love with the punks again (not that I ever fell out of love, but like you would a lover who you see in a new light after years of relationship).
   So much heart is captured in this book, and so much life. Fleeting life.
   It says somewhere in these pages that 90% of the houses photographed are now gone. Maybe not the house itself, but the people inside and what made it a punk house in the first place-punks.
   So few think to document their lives, thinking that they'll remember or that there will always be time to take pictures. Then, as the years go by, they find that they'd wished they'd at least had a few momentos of a time gone by. Abby Banks took the pictures for us and presented them in a tasteful manner, with permission of those featured, that captures an ongoing moment, a piece of our history, and a slice of life that is usually marginalized at best.
   Punks don't need to see their pictures in print to know they matter. But it doesn't hurt sometimes. Hassled by the power structures that make our lives somewhat on the fringe, we need few reminders that much about our way of life is fleeting.
   I lived in one of the houses featured in this book and had no fewer than 50 roommates over 8 years (not including a dozen or so dogs, 4 cats, mice (some as pets and some living in the walls). Some of the people who lived in our house are in other countries now, some became ex-punks before our eyes, some moved on to other houses, and others simply moved on with their lives. Memories are good, but photos are more clear.
   However, few took pictures or thought much about the unique moment they were living in. That's why Abby Banks' book is so important. It's somewhere between a yearbook, anthropological study, and a beautifully illustrated history book.
   Everyone I have talked to, including many of those that were featured in this book that live in the houses featured, had nothing but praise for this work.
   Criticism from within the elite statospheres of anarcho-punk are certain to come, mainly because of how professional this book looks and because it documents something that some may feel protective of. But I have to say that the professional feel takes little away from how beautiful these photos are. It is not overdone and feels mostly like it was made by punks, which is was. While feeling protective of our culture is understandable, I feel that the fact that Banks documented a piece of our history is worth the very slight "intrusion" into our dirty laundry (literally) to show us realistically portrayed in all of our beauty.
   We're smart, well read, active, and political. All of that is captured here. From the books we're reading to the people we're seeing. And, not to mention, we look good! No use shying away from it. Punk, not only are good people (as Thurston Moore says in his introduction), but we look good. From the dirtiest crust lord to the musician with guitar, we look good.
   This book is a celebration of punk culture for once done by a punk. Not by some corporate jerk trying to make a buck off of us, or some has been aged ex-punk who happened to have glory years at the right time-later to become an accountant and come back to punk when it's profitable. This done by a punk, of punks, and inside their homes. I think that means a lot.
   I highly recommend Punk House to punks and those interested in our culture. Abby Banks Rules!
   Stay punk.



5. Some art is ephemeral and I find that sad. I suspect that Abby Banks does too. Punk House provides a window into a world that most people will never see in person -- in many ways as mysterious and remote as the Serengeti. Photography is all about access and Ms. Banks was able to get access to 42 homes across the country populated by a an insular and distinct group of people. Her photos are stark and beautiful, the layout simple and attractive -- and the result is all visual, as thick as a Sears catalog. The sad thing about Punk House is that most of these places probably won't exist next year -- it is an ephemeral culture. In photographing them, Ms. Banks has saved some bit of what they were in a style true to the subjects, with great care, and with obvious love. Punk House would have made an incredible zine but it would have been impossible to produce.

2 comments about Introduction to Digital Photography (2nd Edition).

1. I found this in the Library at the college. After taking a photoshop 1 & 2, this book helped solidify the things I learned and then some. I liked his writing style, he communicates very well. I think he did a better job of explaining things than my professor. Good book.



2. The book, Introduction to Digital Photography (2nd edition) by Joseph Ciaglia, is very helpful to those who are just begining to enter the digital world. If one already knows alot about digital photography, than this book is a great referrence to look up any questions.

4 comments about Spirit of the Wild.

1. Steve Bloom is by far one of the best animal photographers! The pictures he captures are incredible. Spirit of the Wild is a great (though small) collection of awesome pictures. The pictures and pages in the book are all high quality. Well worth the money.



2. I discovered this fantastic photographer on an outdoor exhibition in Stockholm. The large scale pictures of beautiful animals in wonderful poses affected me so much that I immediately went home and ordered this book. Though the pictures in the book are much smaller then those outdoors, they are still amazing and express the talent of Steve Bloom. I must say though, that some of my favourite pictures from the exhibition are unfortunately not included in this book and that lowers the grade.



3. Yes this book has the most amazing photography, but it is about much, much more than just great photography. I truly believe that EVERYONE IN THE ENTIRE WORLD should read this book. Everyone who reads this book will get something different out of it. It encourages us to stop and think. It helps us to see the true reasons for existence. It removes all the superficial trappings that we get caught up in on a daily basis and shows us and nature as we really are... or perhaps as we have become and as we should have been. It makes us stop, think and reassess our values and our purpose. It simplifies life by focusing on the small things which are, in truth, the great things. It helps make us see that we really are just running around chasing our tails and slowly spiraling out of control. It shows us that we are missing the point if existence... of just 'being' sometimes and of 'contributing and enhancing' rather than 'taking'.



4. This is a great book. Everyone should own it, and then give one as a gift. Beautiful photos!

No comments about Staring Back.

2 comments about Foto: Modernity in Central Europe, 1918-1945.

1. Huge amount of information about every single photographer regardless of major significance.Dig through that, and much interesting stuff. But the fixation on MODERNITY is typical curatorial nonsense. It is about "Collage and its Variations in Central Europe".



2. The previous reviewer does not justice to this beautiful book. It is not only about collage, as it is simplistically described, but about how photography was established as a modern art form. It shows how it was used creatively in Central Europe. There are some wonderful findings of lesser known artists as well as more familiar names, and most of them look incredibly contemporary (young artists and designers, have a look!!).
   The edition is gorgeous, with excellent reproductions, clear typography and elegant layout. Contains a very useful bibliography. Absolutely recommendable.

2 comments about Photographs by Man Ray: 105 Works, 1920-1934.

1. As with so many Dover books, 105 Works is a great bargain



2. Man Ray was a superbly inventive photographer able to ignore the borders bewtween art & commercial photography. Originally published in 1934 as "Photographs by Man Ray 1920 Paris 1934," this collection is an excellent look at his photo work during his most adventurous years. The book is divided into five sections: general subjects; the female figure; women's faces; celebrity portraits; rayographs.
   
   Man Ray's female figures are an offbeat take on the male gaze in which the processes are as sexy as the women. Along with his female faces, they demonstrate why Man Ray was much in demand by fashionable magazines. The "celebrity" portraits are of his fellow male artists & writers, with the exception of Gertrude Stein - who can hardly be glamorized anyway. The rayographs were created by placing objects directly on film, but the experimental nature of Man Ray's art is seen throughout this inexpensive book from Dover Publications. Picasso, Eluard, Breton, Tzara & Rrose Selavy a.k.a. Marcel Duchamp contributed texts. Highly recommended.
   
   Bob Rixon

5 comments about Dream Horses: A Poster Book.

1. This picture book is full of beautiful pictures of horses. All of them are amazing and beautiful. All of them, however, are pictures of horses in motion. A lovely sight, undoubtedly, but I also enjoy pictures of horses in stillness, and in this regard, the book comes empty.



2. The first customer, Luan Gaines wrote a perfect review. I too bought this for my one of my little girls who loves everything & anything horses. She looks at each & every page over & over.The rest of the world just melts away when she & I have this book open. This poster book of horses was beautifully put together. Sheer genius!!! Stunning photo after photo! Your horse lover will treasure this gift forever.



3. This book is gorgeous in its layout and pictures of horses ready to be framed and displayed. There is a great variety in both the horses and the environment -- some pictured singly and others in a group. Very nice! My granddaughter was ecstatic!



4. My horse loving 8 yr old daughter got this from santa for christmas and loves it. The pictures are beautiful and are printed on nice photo type paper. Also the pages are very easy to take out without ripping the pictures. For now we are keeping the book together, until we buy some picture frames for them. Once they are framed we will display them either in a collage on one wall of her bedroom or display them as a border.



5. I purchased this along with the Breeds poster book but was disappointed in the quality of the photos. You could so easily tell that they had been altered mechanically. In the style of Robert Vavra but way behind in quality. I was sorry that I bought this one for my horsemanship camp students. The very young set 6-8 did like the magic and the unicorn but the older kids found it corny. High quality paper and the possibility of tearing out the pages as posters are why I gave it two stars. This is nice for decorating a room with if you have a younger child but like I said the alterations are too visible for an older child.