5 comments about Private Rooms.

1. The women in this book are, for the most part, lifeless mannequins. In general, I didn't find the women to be photographed in a way that was either erotically attractive, or artistically attractive.



2. the pictures are...frankly mediocre. I would suggest another one named Erotique--it's ligher, less expensive, and has better pictures.



3. For starters: this book is a monster. I had the package dropped off in the mail room and wondered, "what the hell did I order?" The box was massive and weighed a ton... I thought I may have ordered a slab of bricks and forgot.
   
   Once inside I opened the package. I quickly realized this was a well printed book. From the padded felt cover colored in red, to the nice paper that gripped your fingers. That, alone, made up for the cost.
   
   Ibegan going through page by page. The color was all vivid. The women were beautiful and the poses were elegantlly seductive. I turned each page to find something new and exciting.
   
   After about 50 or so pages, I began to get restless. It was almost TOO much book to be consumed all at once. I went through 10 more pages and decided to put it down. My mind couldn't properly digest everything it was taking in and I needed a break. 2 or 3 hours later I sat down to view more. This time viewed 20 pages before I had to close the book. The photography was great and the concepts are executed with precision. As a budding photographerI was overwhelmed with his skill. It was too much for me.
   
   I have gone back to the book several times. I have probably viewed each image 2 or 3 times by now. There are some images that still resonate in my mind. It's definitely a book I would suggest to others.
   
   I show many of my models, makeup artists, and wardrobe stylists. They react with different opinions. Some see it as trash. Others see it as art. Annd ohers are indifferent.



4. To say this book is massive is a understatement. You get your $70 worth on this one. Production values are really high. The paper stock is thick and lush. The photography is beyond words. The women are amazing. Nothing to fault here.



5. I love this photographers work. Beautiful, compelling and very well done! The theme of private rooms/hotel rooms makes the images have a certain story behind the provocative style.

1 comments about Blossfeldt (Taschen 25th Anniversary).

1. I got my copy of this book about 2 hours ago.
   What I want to say, is this-What a find!
   If you are an artist,and are attracted to botany,this is a book of photography that is comparable to another book I bought about 2 years ago, featuring drawings from under a microscope.
   What a treasure, this book is!
   Other people have posted negative comments about the so called "blurriness" of the black and white photography in previous editions of other books concerning Blosfeldt.
   There is nothing blurry about this book.
   If you love nature, and are a sculptor,designer, I can tell you, you will be very pleased when you get this collection of plant photography.
   Gosh, $10.19 is unbeleivable.
   This has got to be the best book,I have bought online.

5 comments about Digital Video Production Cookbook: 100 Professional Techniques for Independent and Amateur Filmmakers (Cookbooks (O'Reilly)).

1. I was looking for a video book that shows methods of filming ideas. Just searching I ended up with very complex cinephotographer books that contained tons of detail but too complex for casual person like myself. Just happended to stumbled across this book and was really surprised at the clear writing style and easy to understand images. For making a simple film project with no budget I thought this was the perfect book.
   
   If you are looking to improve your video skills or making a large student project, I would highly recommend this book. For the film student or professional these tips might be already covered in school. Many of the project require nothing special, just a standard video camera and basic editing software. This is a nice change from other books that almost require Adobe After Effects to produce a good special effect.
   
   Overall I really enjoyed this book and will keep this in my video bag to spark any ideas I might need during filming.



2. There are a view techniques described in this book that might come in handy someday, but the descriptions are not particularly thorough. The bottom line: this will make a good coffee table book but don't expect to learn too much.



3. I read through the book which was very informative, form ohh so thats how and TV never really was the same after. I have also tested out good part of it and got good resuslts. I would recommend it highly



4. Not bad, but I have read better. It does have a lot of good pictures of the effects they are teaching and all in all this book is not bad, there are just so many others that I feel are better. Check out The "DV Rebel Guide" by Stu something or other or "101 Digital Video hacks", both I feel are better than this.
   Enjoy!



5. I call it this because although it looked great: heavy stock glossy pages & pictures-under closer examination I was disappointed-perhaps after 12 yrs of "event" video i know more than i thought- staring out with lighting vs. equipment set me back right away-a separate more in depth section on actual software use would have helped too-I'm pretty good at imovie BUT not FCP or Avid- I assume those that are are already familiar with the basics & tech tricks-I would have sent it back since I was looking for more indie film info but will probably find it helpful for a community school class I'm giving-beginners new & advanced WILL find this book helpful though.

4 comments about The Art of the American Snapshot, 1888-1978.

1. I can't speak highly enough of this wonderfully rich book on the grand topic of the American snapshot. The essays are full of revealing information about how big a role the snapshot has played in our culture. The generous sampling of photographs gives us shots that are entirely unique, each in its ow way, and yet they are also familiar, if you are old enough to remember the days of Kodak cameras, especially the Brownie. I found the best review of this great book at www.ronslate.com.



2. I love this treasure trove of a book. Leafing through it takes me back time and time again to specific photos from family albums over the years. The book is a collaborative work that captures the essence of Americans' love affair with the camera.
   
   The narrative divides the ninety years into four "generations" of the evolution of the snapshot: thirty years of beginnings followed by three twenty-year periods celebrating the interactions of the technical developments and the cultural idiosyncrasies of each era.
   
   While the "plates" of photographs selected from Jackson's collection for exhibition form the book's core, the authors have introduced a sprinkling of "figures" of other photographs--and Kodak ads, in particular--to complete their histories. The Timeline of Technical Milestones at the end is nicely executed.
   
   I've no idea how the authors would characterize the last two decades of the twentieth century, but I'm certain that the first two decades of the twentieth century belong to digital photography. I'd love to read their take on this generation of the American snapshot.



3. 
   Sir John F. Herschel gets credit for coining the word "snapshot" in 1860; "The possibility of taking a photograph, as it were by a snap-shot -- of securing a picture in a tenth of a second of time." (He also coined "photography" itself, and was the first to apply "negative" and "positives" to photography.) Given his wide ranging interests, I'm sure he would have loved this book as much as I do.
   
   The editors divide 1888 to 1978 into four periods. The first is discussed in Diane Waggoner's essay, "Photographic Amusements." Eastman Kodak was dominant with the Brownie: "You push the button, we do the rest (or you can do it yourself)."
   
   Sarah Kennel covers 1920-1939 in "Quick, Casual Modern." Their PR folks peppered the roads with "Picture Ahead! Kodak as you go!" Eastman Kodak also tied the permanence of photos to family values: "Kodak began to stress use of the camera to counter the truancy of memory, particularly with regard to family stability."
   
   Sarah Greenough's covers 1940-1959 with "Fun Under the Shade of the Mushroom Cloud." Kodak introduced Kodachrome in 1936 and Kodacolor in 1942. Snapshots were tied to social life. "Life" taught Americans pictorial journalism. Snapping pictures was "modern".
   
   Matthew Witkovsky ends with "When the Earth Was Square." "It is the period when daily life, turned by a nation of consumers into an unending succession of narcissistic photo ops, becomes fodder for media spectacle, creating the lottery-like promise of instant but evanescent celebrity for everyone. ... These are the years when nothing is sacred yet everything is ritualized; when no one and everyone is special, and all things are made potentially interesting in pictures; and when amnesia, which thrives on prosperity, takes, hold, leaving memory to scatter and fade in billions of little prints."
   
   The history is grand and enlightening, of course, but for me the images are key. The book is beautifully printed and bound; there is plenty of white space around each shot. You are free to flip through quickly, or stop and puzzle for lost minutes over a single image.
   
   I have three suggestions for anyone interested in photography. First, read John Updike's wonderful review of this book free online on "The New Yorker" website.
   
   Second, consider the words of Robert Jackson who put this collection together: as Updike writes: "his afterword to the catalogue manages to cast a pall of reasonableness over his curious passion. He coins the phrase 'a visual trophy' for a medium that 'seeks to preserve an idealized and individualized moment in time.' Attempting to explain the collector's motives, he claims, 'It is the anonymous snapshot's immediacy, inherent honesty, and unstudied freedom from external influence that are the draw. . . . The personal can therefore become impersonal.' Ah, but, then again, 'a collector can have a subjective interest in a snapshot's narrative content as a surrogate for life experiences. Thus the personal remains personal, if you will.'"
   
   Third, buy this book.
   
   
   Robert C. Ross 2008



4. There has been very little written on the snapshot, particulary as it relates to the development of photovision. Sara Greenough has put together an excellent exhibit on the subject. This catalogue only goes into the 1970s. Now she has to carry the snapshot into the digital world.

5 comments about The Digital Photography Companion.

1. The "Basic Photography Companion" concept has become nearly its own genre in the photography book business. For the most part, it results in "formula" books covering the same basic ideas - how to buy introductory camera gear, how to use the gear, and how to produce decent- looking photos for oneself, family, and friends.
   
   It is a popular genre and there is nothing wrong with a formula approach, especially if it is made fresh by updated content, quality production values, and capable exposition. Out of all the "companions" I've owned or read over the decades the ones written by Derrick Story and published by O'Reilly Media, rank among the best. Mr. Story's latest is "The Digital Photography Companion" (2008), a slender book of 214 pages. Story is O'Reilly's digital media expert and has authored a number of basic digital photography guides over the years, as well as other books in his area of expertise. With the rapidly developing technology in the photography world involving digital cameras, lenses, storage media, software editing and management programs, and Internet and wireless distribution methods, there is a niche and a need for a good genre-formula companion manual. A typical companion manual is a book small enough to fit easily into a camera bag and which provides guidance on camera and lens settings, filters, flash, and other technical hardware matters while also providing information and tips on standard photography concepts like depth of field, shutter speeds, exposures, and the like. The better ones also contain the reference material most desired by working photographers, like charts for exposure; color temperatures; flash, metering, and camera modes; and memory card capabilities.
   
   The Digital Photography Companion makes order of the complexities of photography equipment purchasing and use while providing a goodly amount of practical tips for taking photos. Mr. Story has an easy-going casual writing style. He makes learning about digital hardware and software and photography concepts and techniques seem easy. The book is nicely produced and laden with full color illustrative comparison images, useful tables, charts, and color-coded sidebars of Tips, Definitions, Warnings, and Reminders. There are screenshots of software settings for digital editing and management applications like iPhoto, Photoshop Elements, Adobe's Light Room, and Apple's high-end program, Aperture, and others. The picture-making material is for beginners; there is discussion of basic photo techniques for a large variety of situations most commonly experienced by beginners--especially persistent learners - landscapes, weddings, kids, action, self-portraits, and astrophotography scenes. The goal is to help new photographers learn to make their pictures unique and interesting for even non-family and friends.
   
   There are five chapters covering computer and photography terms, hands-on techniques and camera use items, picture making tips and ideas, viewing and managing results, and printing methods. Chapters 1 and 2 are organized by basic photography and technical concepts sorted in alphabetical order for quick reference, as necessary. Chapter 3 provides basic picture-taking tips. An appendix contains the Quick Reference Guide mentioned already for camera settings , together with a chart of metadata for all the illustrative photos contained in the book, including for each photo: camera model used, focal length, shutter speed, and location.
   
   The digital revolution in the photography world makes the materials in chapters 4 and 5 especially useful, discussing the new digital distribution and software processing methods - e-mail, conversion to movies, dealing with RAW files, making slide shows, etc. - and the printing options - direct from camera, online printers, and dedicated photo printers.



2. 'The Digital Photography Companion' is the perfect beginners book for anyone that is new to shooting in the digital world and is looking to get the most out of their camera. This book assumes that the person reading it has little to no knowledge and is tailored to being able to learn. With 200+ pages spread over 5 chapters, you will learn what makes the digital camera different/better, how to use controls and what they mean, what to do with the pictures after you have taken them and advice and guidance on printing said pictures out. This is a great resource for this market and easy to recommend.
   
   ***** RECOMMENDED



3. I enjoyed my first pass through this book. I just purchased a DSLR camera and wanted to find something to supplement the manufacturer's technical how-to-use-the camera manual with something that provoked thought and inspired me to create great pictures. This book will be true good companion as I travel with my new camera.



4. Unless you're a professional photographer, you'll find something valuable in this book. The author effectively goes through everything you need to know to be an effective digital photographer. From picking out the right camera for you to how to actually use it, I found this to be a thorough guide to all typical consumer digital photography needs.
   
   Beginning photographers will appreciate the information on what to look for in a good digital camera as well as the composition tips. More advanced photographers will go for the section on setting the white balance and auto bracketing. Personally, I was really interested in the author's discussion on infrared photography. I used to take pictures on Kodak infrared B&W film years and years ago and didn't even realize you could do the same thing with a digital camera.
   
   I found the last third of the book to be particularly fascinating. In this section, the author talks about organizing your photos and basics of working with many of the leading photo editing programs. The end of the book shows all the photos that were used in the book and shows exposure information as well as the camera make and model used to capture it.
   
   I consider myself to be a pretty experienced digital photographer, yet I found many things in this book that I can immediately begin using to improve my digital pictures. Whether you're trying to figure out how to begin with digital photography or you're just looking to improve your skills, this is a recommended book.



5. Even simple point-and-shoot digital cameras offer manual control over parameters such as aperture, shutter speed, and ISO sensitivity that can turn snapshots into great photos. When you graduate to a Digital Single Lens Reflex (DSLR) camera you have wasted your money unless you know how to make the best use of its sophisticated controls. This concise book does an excellent introductory job.
   The first 2 chapters describe and explain the many features of most cameras and how to use them. They made me aware of many controls that I didn't understand before. Chapter 3 is the most valuable part of the book. It shows how to take good pictures under a wide variety of conditions, such as portraits, group shots, kids, landscapes, sports events, museums were no flash is allowed, and architecture. It mentions many tricks of the trade to get better results, such as using sunglasses as a polarizing filter, extending the dynamic range (light-dark contrast), using pantyhose as a diffusion filter, and using your reflecting car windshield cover as a reflector to lighten shadows on a sunny day. Chapter 4 discusses what you can do after you took the pictures, such as emailing them, editing with various software applications, recovering photos from an erased memory card, and more. The final chapter briefly discusses printing options.
   A brief discussion of the optics of photo taking explaining how focal length and aperture affect width and depth of field would have been useful for better understanding.
   The Appendix has a quick reference guide for a variety of camera settings. You may want to make a copy of those pages and carry it around in your camera bag.
   I learned a lot from this small book and strongly recommend it as an introduction to better photography.

5 comments about Magic Lantern Guides: Nikon AF Speedlight Flash System: Master the Creative Lighting System! (A Lark Photography Book).

1. I have Simon Stafford's "The new Nikon compendium" and use it all the time as reference. I purchased the current book before purchasing a Nikon R1 flash kit. While Mr. Stafford mentions the compatibility problems between various camera bodies and this kit, no mention is made (in the book) of the fact that you CANNOT use the R1-kit, or the SB-R200 flash system, with a stack of Nikon LENSES - they are incompatible - and serious damage may result, esp when using AF. Nikon says "the weight of this Speedlight when attached to the front of the lens will cause excess strain on the barrel and helicoid, affecting lens performance". Whilst thankfully I have not damaged my lens (found the fine print in the manual before using the kit), I would have liked Mr. Stafford to have done his research, and I would have liked to have been warned! I have spent a lot of money on the R1-kit after reading this book. Not happy.
   
   Then I tried to refer to the book on how to use the Nikon D200 camera in commander mode with the new Nikon CLS speedligths. And while I could find the info on how to set up the SU-800 controller, I just could not find any info on how to set up the camera itself to act as a commander, when not using the SU-800 commander. My camera does not need the SU-800 commander, so I don't own one. So I ended up refering back to the Nikon camera manual to find out which menu item to set and how. Hmmm. Shouldn't this info be in the book? Easily accessible and indexed?
   
   Anyone want to buy a slightly used book about the Nikon AF Flash system?



2. Here's a book aimed at Nikon camera owners using the speedlights that make up the Nikon Creative Lighting System (CLS). Perhaps the most innovative function of this system is the ability to exercise a new degree of control in the use of multiple lights.
   
   The book starts out providing some basic flash concepts and explaining Nikon's nomenclature (which is often confusing because of the similarity of terms over the years) for its different flash modes. The author follows with a discussion of flash techniques, including direct flash, bounce flash, and repeating flash. The most practical chapters tell you how to use a single speedlight to take pictures, and how to use multiple speedlights. Finally, there are descriptions of both the early digital speedlights, i.e., the SB 28DX and the SB-80DX and then the components of the CLS. There is an addendum on the D80 which has a built-in speedlight that works with the CLS, and which probably was necessitated by Nikon bringing that camera to market as the book was going to press.
   
   The book is aimed purely at the technical side of using these speedlights and does not touch on the artistic use of the lights. This book probably was in response to the difficulty that some people had in understanding the manuals that come with Nikon products, and integrating the manuals from several different products. But this effort at integration creates its own brand of confusion. The author tries to tell you how to use the products with both film and digital cameras, but since the automatic features of the CLS have to be handled differently for film and digital cameras, the instructions are somewhat confusing. I suggest you go through the book with a magic marker and highlight the sections applicable to your type of camera (and if you shoot both film and digital, you'd better use both a yellow and a blue marker!)
   
   Moreover, don't think you can skip over any of the material, because important information may just have a passing reference in an unusual place. It took me several readings to understand that I could not use my SB-28DX with a digital camera for multiple speedlight use. (That's not altogether true - it's possible to shoot in manual mode, but if you are going to do that, you lose all the advantages of modern speedlights. You're better off junking your old SB-28DX and getting a new CLS speedlight).
   
   There are several pictures included in the book but they are of a rather pedestrian nature and add nothing to one's understanding of Nikon speedlights. Additionally, except for the cover there is no color printing in the book. Finally, for a system that has been on the market for a couple of years, this book looks like it was rushed to market with many typographical errors.
   
   The Nikon CLS system offers unprecedented opportunities for photographers to use flash for better pictures. However, if you are looking for ideas on increasing your creativity, look elsewhere. On the other hand, if you are still having a problem with the technical side of your speedlight, like how to set your SB-800 to control the lighting balance of a second flash, this book will prove useful to you.



3. This book was WAY over my head. It was a struggle to understand and I did not finish but about half of it. If you are not an advanced lighting technician you should look for a more simple SB-800 guide. I wish I had known this before I purchased it. Nikon has a CD that I wish I had purchased instead. This book was too technical for me.



4. I have been looking for help with the Speedlight system for over a year - since first purchasing my SB-800. There only ones I found were out-of-print and obviously too outdated to matter anyway! If you think figuring out how to access all the power of one model is difficult, just imagine trying to cover all the models Nikon has produced since it introduced TTL. Add to that the fact that Nikon bodies change the available features. (The current digital bodies like D200 are covered as well). A daunting prospect for any author. So the good news is that I found the book very helpful and it clears up a lot of my confusion. The bad news is that you must sort thru a lot of info about Speedlight models and film bodies that you are unlikely to own.



5. I like this book. Unlike most of the book in this series that mostly written for people who lost a manual this one goes far beyond manufactures manual. Even if you a not a Nikon flash users it contains some information that could be interested for anyone in flash photography.

1 comments about Curse Of The Black Gold: 50 Years of Oil in the Niger Delta.

1. I just returned from working in Port Harcourt for several months. This is a very graphic book from people who were able to penetrate the heart of the Niger Delta with pictures that very few people would otherwise be able to see.

2 comments about Libraries.

1. 137 color plates distinguish Candida Hofer Libraries, beautifully capturing seats of knowledge around the world from the Pierpont Morgan Library in New York to the Bibliotheque nationale de France in Paris, the Villa Medici in Rome and others. Aside from a brief introduction, no essays intersperse the eye-catching plates, each of which takes up a whole page with a blank page opposite in a two-page spread. The snapshot images speak for themselves in this captivating compilation highly recommended for bibliophile's coffee tables and photography shelves.



2. A picture is worth a thousand words! This book says so much and yet there are only a handful of words on each page identifying the library in the photo. As I was "reading" through this book, I realized that I have been in many of the cities or countries where these libraries are located. I missed some beautiful sites. For anyone who has an interest in libraries, this is a must "read." I will be giving this to my son, who is an architect. His specialty is libraries.

5 comments about Jonas Bendiksen: Satellites.

1. Everithing makes you think you'll find a lot of photographs of satellites inside this book: the title, the cover and the description... but there are only 3 nice photos at all.



2. I've never written an Amazon review, but after finding this book, I want to say how much I loved it! Jonas Bendiksen takes a remarkable concept: the former Soviet Republics as "orbiting satellites held together by the gravity of Moscow" and through his photographs exposes the complexities of obscure regions in which he spent years traveling. It is beautifully documented with a lyrical eye. It is also a book that deserves many visits because the images evoke layers of emotions. The photographer is obviously passionate about revealing a collective truth that lies among the ruins of the former Soviet Union.



3. This book gives a very illustrated insight into the fringe of the former USSR. Extremely interesting to read and the photographs are amazing, very atmospheric.
   The images of the crash zone for the Russian space program are my favorite, they're like weird movie-sets.
   
   Michiel



4. As the title for this review states, I was pleasantly surprised by this book. The quality of photography is outstanding and the black border presentation is quite effective. I also found the commentary illuminating, albeit a bit on the short side. But I must say that the subject matter is just fascinating. I have always been fascinated by the USSR/former USSR and Bendiksen's photographs do an outstanding job of conveying the quality of life that exists in those countries. That region has undergone some huge and traumatic changes in a very short period of time and this book captures the raw essence of those changes.



5. I bought satellites on a whim, as I had seen some of Jonas Bendiksen's work and been impressed. After viewing this book time and time again, he is now one of my favourite photographers. The use of colour and the interesting compositions are awesome. Very highly recommended.

5 comments about Stuff on My Cat: The Book.

1. I picked up this book in a bookstore and couldn't put it down. It was so good, I read it cover to cover at the bookstore, but I didn't buy it (because many book readers are perverse and cheapskates about buying "non-literary books"). Months later, I still think about it and I'm laughing. So I'm finally caving in and parting with my money to get a copy. If anything, it is worth ten bucks for the idea. But it took me months to realize it. Yes, it is that good. (To cat owners especially).



2. If you have the Internet none of the pictures are that great. Many of the pictures are online or have been done better since. The paperback is too small to enjoy the collection pages (they display 20 or so pictures on one page). You can get this for someone that doesn't have the Internet, but the paperback isn't good enough so you would need to find a hardback; but I couldn't see paying the price.



3. Sometimes it is great to have something fun to open at Christmas. This year I gave this book to my new son-in-law, and it was quickly passed around the family. My daughter says that they have it out at their home to share with their guests. Hey, I'm allergic to cats, and I even like it!



4. 
   My poor cats have no idea what they have coming the next time I'm drunk off my butt on Jack Daniels' popsicles!



5. This is the funniest cat photo book since Why Paint Cats, which fooled a lot of people into thinking the images were real "cat paintings." But here the photos actually are real. Considering how finicky cats can be, it's amazing so many of them would put up with having so much odd junk piled on them, and then being patient enough so that you could take their picture. If I hadn't seen the book I might not have believed it myself. With so much odd stuff piled on them, the images become sort of live kitty collages. :-) For someone who is both a cat fancier and amateur photographer there is probably no more entertaining book than this.