5 comments about The Golden Age of Couture: Paris and London 1947 - 1957.

1. I attended the Golden Age of Couture display at the Victoria & Albert Museum last October. It was sensational, but as I was travelling back to Australia was unable to purchase the book at the time. The book is exquisitely presented and provides images and words to almost transport one there. I highly recommend it to any fashionistas.



2. La belle epoque. Very glamorous book. Lovely story of the golden years of high couture. Finesse. Elegance. Absolument tout.



3. I purchased two of these books, one for my daughter who will be entering Fashion Design school in the fall and one as a gift for her beloved teacher who retired this year.
   
   The book is a beautiful coffee table book for anyone interesed in fashion particularly Paris and London during the years 1947-1957. The classic designs of this era and their designers are featured along with gorgeous photos. There is even a photo of a Dior gown as it was originally on a model. This same gown in later years was shortened and altered to suit the time and is on display in the Dior exhibit. Seeing it as it was intended by Dior is priceless!
   
   A must for all interested in classic fashion!



4. This is a fantastic book for anyone interested in couture. The pictures and anecdotes are fantastic. My sister saw the exhibition at the V and A and said it was brilliant and I think the book captures it. Inspirational.



5. also saw this book in a gallery but couldn't afford it...found it on amzon for a bargainous price and snapped it up right away! totally worth the hassle it'll be to take it home...!

No comments about Invasion 68.

5 comments about Paint Shop Pro Photo X2 for Photographers.

1. 
   
   
   
   How many times have you thought you took the perfect picture only to discover that there were flaws in the photo I recently tried out Corel's Paint Shop Pro X2 software which retails for $ 99.99. One disclaimer, I have used the various earlier Paint Shop versions in the past. This software is economical to purchase and fairly easy to use. The learning curve is too not difficult to grasp.
   
   The included Photo X2 printed manual provided is complete, but has no illustrations. Photo editing is very color intensive and in some ways your finished photo is artwork. Fortunately, I had assistance learning Paint Shop Pro X2. Two excellent books are Paint Shop Pro Photo X2 by Ken McMahon published by Focal Press and Picture Yourself Learning Corel Paint Shop Pro Photo X2 by Diane Koers published by Cengage Learning. These both retail for $29.99 each. Ken McMahon's book is very complete and a great tool for a beginner to intermediate photo edit. Ken's book has numerous graphics and is an easy read and lays out different options a photo editor can implement. Diane Koers book's is 392 Pages and written as a text book for a classroom, it is for more intensive learning and it comes with a sample CD. Both books bring added information to the Pro X2 software and a different point of view on how to use it.
   
   There are multiple things you can do to enhance your photo with Photo X2.
   The number one reason is a one step photo fixer which is like taking your photo to a lab. I was somewhat skeptical of this until I used the photo fixer. I tried this option on a group photo, where the lighting was all wrong. There were dark areas and areas with too much ambient light. I clicked on one step photo fixer and corrected the lighting of the photo and the result was spectacular. The other problem I had was the group of people were in a semi-circle in the photo not in a straight line. I used a tool called a perspective tool and adjusted the group to a straight line. I now had the perfect photo with a lot of help from Paint Shop Pro Photo X2.
   
   
   The hardest concept to understand with Photo X2 photo software is the use of layers. The first layer is the background and then additional layers are placed on top of the first. The photo editor has the option to change layers around and make them more transparent or opaque. A good visualization of this is a group of transparent plastic sheets with designs on them. They layers are all stacked on top of one another for a finished photo. A use of this if you want to add text to a photo, another person to the photo or item. The photo editor will allow you move the layers around much like shuffling a deck of cards.
   For a Cub Scout function, I needed to print out some special photos. I didn't have a matt for the photos but X2 has a photo frame option which became my matt. The next step I used was adding the names of the Scouts in color. The finished photo was a big hit with the parents and the Scouts. Parents complimented me and asked me how I was able to make the photo.
   My last project was one of field expediency. I needed wrapping paper for my wife's Valentine Day gift. I opened X2 and selected a red background for the paper. I typed in Happy Valentines in different font sizes and type faces. I used the picture tube options for added effect. . There are different designs of tubes. I used the flower tube and laid down different flowers on the paper and printed it out. By the way, my wife liked the paper and thought I bought it at the store.
   
   There are more things that X2 can do like coloring black and white photos, removing red eye, scratches in photographs, 3D effects, and painting your own photograph than I have space to write about.
   If you are the market for fairly reasonable and easy to use photo software Corel Paint Shop Pro Photo X2 is well worth the investment. To get the most out the software I would recommend Paint Shop Pro Photo X2 by Ken McMahon and Picture Yourself Learning Corel Paint Shop Pro Photo X2 by Diane Koers.
   
   
   MAJ (ret) Eric Shuler NJARNG



2. This book is very good for the purpose I bought it.
   Latest you can get on this subject.



3. A great way to learn Paint Shop Pro Photo X2. It breaks things down in easy to learn steps.



4. I have to say that I was disappointed with this book - the title is misleading. It is well written and very useful - as a basic introduction to how to operate the software. Essentially, it fills the role of a manual on how to use the software admirably. But as for going beyond the basics to make full use of the software, from the vantage point of a serious photographer - forget it!



5. A huge benefit, particularly for those who downloaded their program, although experience tells me it's also much clearer than the packaged manual. Well written and takes alot of the mystery out of using Paint Shop Pro.

3 comments about Daring to Look: Dorothea Lange's Photographs and Reports from the Field.

1. As someone who used iconic Lange photos in my American Studies classes for years, this book in one I wish I had had BEFORE I retired last year! Their are photos I hadn't seen, in areas I didn't know she worked and, most importantly, her 'reports from the field'. These notes and extended captions give tremendous background to the photos and would be very interesting to students.



2. Daring to Look: Dorothea Lange's Photographs and Reports from the Field
   
   A talented photographer who went from studio portraits to capturing the struggles and suffering of folks who lost everything in The Great Depression. This book demonstrates Ms. Lange's photographic and positive developing skills used to capture the feel of her subjects and their surroundings.



3. Anne Spirn's latest book is really quite outstanding. She combines the clear eye of a superlative photographer (her own) to write in limpid prose about the clear eye and conscience of another (Dorothea Lange's). This is not just a meta-documentary, a documentary of a documentary, it is also an examination of the changes that have been wrought in the United States over the last two to three generations, in the physical landscape, in the socio-economy, and in our moral landscape. Lange represented in her photographs some of the critical ironies in the fabric of America - the high mindedness of the WPA program, the debilitating material poverty of her subjects and equally, a spiritual nobility as revealed in the images and her notes. Lange herself, her photographs and the vast subject matter she made her essay are little known in the new generation. Anne Spirn has done the next generation a great service in tilling this soil anew.

2 comments about Ghosts Caught On Film.

1. This book earns a great deal of my respect for many reasons. I appreciate the presentation of facts, letting the reader decide what to believe. The layout is beautiful and it makes a fascinating coffee table book. I like that is has some of the most famous and heavily disputed photographs of all time throughout the book . . . some of these are instantly recognizable. I also like that along the left side of each page, Dr. Willin notes if the photograph was ever found to be evidently bogus or if the jury is still out, along with a summary on how the picture came about (and any other interesting theories, possible causes/technologies, quotes/comments from other experts). This book was simply well done and makes a great teaching/research tool . . . truly a collectable.
   
   Please note that the photographs in this book are in full color and on quality paper. Dr. Willin also zooms in on specific elements in certain pictures, to make them easier to see and decipher.



2. What a great idea putting some of the most famous and not so famous ghost pictures in a book and telling about the origin of them. I really enjoyed seeing the pictures and finding out where they came from. It was very interesting and I think the author did a find job of telling the story behind them without adding to it.

No comments about Coco Chanel: Three Weeks/1962.

5 comments about Painting With Light.

1. Was the perfect gift on Chritsmas ! My son is very happy!
   Shipppin in time! Good service.........
   Thank You AMAZON!



2. I think this book is an evergreen among books. "Romantic" way of writing covered by practical knowledge and techniques. I would recommend reading it.
   Especially for people doing CG this could open some new ways, ideas looks.



3. Even though the subject of the book deals with B&W lighting effects for film and TV, as an artist, it helped me in creating paintings with better "moods" and making them more dynamic.



4. First off, I want to note that the author DOES cover still photography in this book even though the major emphasis is on film techniques. As someone who has always considered lighting to be vital, learning more lighting techniques is a passion. I was naturally drawn to this one.
   
   It didn't disappoint. Very convincingly, Mr. Alton makes his case for the way lighting and setting can affect the whole tone and mood of a film. He also reveals how some difficult situations, filming against snow, can be overcome.
   
   This was a seminal book of 1949 and I'm glad to rediscover it, even though I wasn't born in 1949 and I came to it late but had the luck to see an earlier edition. As you can probably tell, the cover photo is riveting and the contents are also compelling.
   
   I did want to note what may, perhaps, be obvious to some readers: film techniques and the ability to manipulate lighting have come a long way since 1949. Special effects can be used. But I come to this book with a still photographer's background and I'm thrilled to be able to use the information in both film and still photography.
   
   If you are prepared to take what is here and remember when this book was written, you'll find an abundance of riches. For those who like noir type photos or movies, you'll be thrilled when Alton discusses how to use weather to your advantage - whether that be rain, snow, fog, etc.
   
   Also, a confession: I prefer black and white photos and films - in many instances - so I was particularly delighted to read Alton's words about "rich blacks", two words that might not seem to be joined together - rich and black (and I'm not talking politics or class here). As most of us who work with visual effects know, there are shades of black and there are rich, deep tones as well as the infinite variations along the scale.
   
   I'll forever be baffled as to whether it is the shadows that set off the light or the other way round. But whatever your take, you can't go wrong by reading this book on how to paint with light - and whether you are a professional or amateur, I think you'll find your work benefits from the experience.
   
   Other subjects covered in this one: close-ups, aspects of outdoor photography, still photos (mentioned above), basic principles. When it comes to TECHNIQUE, if you think about what is discussed with a historical perspective, it will serve you well because some of the techniques have come a long way since then. Still, I found it very useful to pretend that some of those techniques didn't exist and it forced me to be more creative.
   
   Highly recommended!



5. This book is really great. Written in the fifties it still seems very relevant to me today.
   
   It explains very basic items like cookies, gobos etc. and basic concepts like how to let objects appear to be three dimensional.
   
   I looked at the book from the eyes of a still photographer. Some content was only relevant to cinematography. Personally, I even liked those parts as they gave me an behind the scenes look into movie lighting, which output I see every day.
   
   A revised version would be very much appreciated.

1 comments about French Country Diary 2009 (Desk Diaries).

1. I absolutely love this beautiful, well-designed calendar. Also, Amazon does a great job!

5 comments about Digital Nature Photography: The Art and the Science.

1. I attended the Gerlach's seminar 15 to 20 years ago and learned more from them than any other seminar or book. And their newest book is a fantastic continuation of their exceptional teaching skills. Techniques are insightful. Photographs are gorgeous, always improving over the years. Text is clear and concise, EXCEPT: FIRE THE EDITOR. The first few chapters are a mixture of typographical and grammatical errors, the phrasing is disorganized and distracting to the point of being almost unreadable, and they ramble.
   
   Buy the book, but skim very quickly the first few chapters.



2. I just completed a nature/landscape photography class at an area community college. The intructor showed us the book and thought it was good. I certainly agree with him. I found the book to be FANTASTIC and well worth the money. By the way, by purchasing it through Amazon I got it much cheaper that I could have at other major book distributors directly.



3. This book has so much useful information and great tips! I started reading this book last week and I can't put it down. It seems to go into more detail about many subjects than other photography books that i have read.ex. working of camera, metering your camera,tips for better photography, how to keep your lenses clean, all sorts of stuff you should know! Really Great Book! Its to bad that they didn't start writing books years ago! Oh- yea, and the pictures are really great too.



4. It's not an easy task to write a book capable of nurturing the creative spirit, but this wonderful book by John and Barbara Gerlach succeeds in just such an endeavor. My photographs have improved already! This is a book that emphasizes field technique above all other aspects of photography. Get out of the house, into the wild, enjoy life, and take some great pictures. This book will show you how if you don't already know. Strongly recommended for amateur photographers, hobbyists, and semi-pros looking to perfect their technique and maybe learn a little about the world outside the home.



5. Honestly, this is the best photography text book I've read in a long time. It was the recommended book in a nature class this past summer. I agree with the instructor, its explanation of exposure is the best out there. I've recommended it to many people. The authors website is invaluable as well. I tried in the field what I learned and have now changed my technique. The author is succinct in his explanations and shares his personal views and technical data in a clear and meaningful way. Amazon also had the best price and I received it within 2 days.

5 comments about Setting Up Your Shots: Great Camera Moves Every Filmmaker Should Know.

1. While Setting Up Your Shots covered all the common camera moves needed for DV filmmakers, the explanations on the moves were a little too brief for my liking. For a few dollars more, Film Directing, Cinematic Motion: A Workshop for Staging Scenes (paperback) by Steven D. Katz is a much better resource, one that the reader will use time-and-again. Best!



2. I have been using this book in my Video class and it is passable, but should include useable films as examples rather than R-rated films I cannot use in the classroom. While most teens have seen most of these movies, I cannot show them as examples in a classroom setting, due to rating problems. If this is to remain a viable product in the future, the examples will have to be toned down.



3. June 12, 2008
   By R. Otterman (Los Angeles, CA) - See all my reviews
   
   
   This book feels more like film analysis than a field guide given its breakdown on a number of well-known pictures. It does, though, have merits as an instructional book for considering the frame and motion that define cinematography and the shot. In that way it's a help and was a help to me in planning shots for a film. If nothing else, this book gets a filmmaker thinking in terms of planning shots that go beyond closeup-medium-wide.
   
   Illustrations give a sense that the author spent a good amount of time considering what to add and what to draw upon as better examples of good filmmaking, and creative shooting at that. The one criticsm of the book is that there is not a little more in the way of description, though that might be said to be a strength for visually-oriented material. Some of the reviews that called it rubbish, etc. seem to miss the point that this book is intended for filmmakers to get ideas by way of considering the who's who of shots, not a descriptive understanding of the metaphoric value of cinema. On a simple and basic level the book accomplishes what it sets out to do- generate possibilities by gathering the best of the best in shots and organizing them into a collection for the planning artist to consider.
   
   For me, anyway, this worked and I've taken much from the book the last few years and I'm looking forward to the new edition that's coming out.



4. For those of you who read and/or follow these reviews - you know that I am in the process of making my own "no-budget" independent film. A book like this is like manna from heaven.
   
   Jeremy Vineyard (with illustrations by Jose Cruz) does an amazing job of figuring out and printing up nearly every single camera shot you could think of. And, trust me, I've thought of a lot of them. Especially as I prep my film.
   
   But wait, Matt, aren't you a screenwriter? Would this book be good for a screenwriter? Frankly, yes. Or should I say: YES!
   
   One of the hardest things to teach a screenwriter is to look at their film visually. If you've even thought of thinking about possibly thinking of being a screenwriter - you should watch films and dissect those films. From camera angles, to actor's positioning, to scene structure to "how the heck did they do that?!" special effects. Sadly most first time screenwriters don't think visually when they writer - they don't comprehend how the shot should look - how the final film should look.
   
   I know what you're thinking: "I've been told to not put in camera moves or certain camera angles - that's up to the director to decide." It may very well be up to the director to decide - but you STILL have to look at your film visually. You have to "shoot" the film in your head when you are writing it. Having an understanding of the various shots will help you do just that. This book is an excellent resource.
   
   My only issues with the book, and they are minor, is that I would have liked the author to include whole scenes from movies to show how the scenes link together into a cohesive whole. Take, say, one of the boxing matches in "Raging Bull" and break it down. Low angle, high angle, close-up, focus pull, back to a two shot, etc. It's one thing to say that a certain shot (such as a whip pan) is used in the film "Stagecoach" but then what of the shots following it and preceding it?
   
   The only other issue I would bring up (and this might very well be insane) is to put the time-code on certain shots (not EVERY shot but a select few). Something along the lines of: "There is an extreme close-up in the film "Silence of the Lambs" at 1:47:32 into the film." Or: "Note the whip-pan in "Stagecoach" at 1:18:49. Followed by tracking shot at 1:22:16." A little more detail like that, I think, would have raised the book to a whole new level of film geekdom (and I mean that in a good way).
   
   Jeremy Vineyard, with wonderful illustrations by Jose Cruz, simplifies complicated shots and takes you beyond amateur filmmaking into the real of professional filmmaking. Before you shoot anything, heck, before you WRITE anything - read this book.



5. i bought this book hoping to have an additional resource for inspiration when planning my shots, but out of the entire book there's probably only 1 or 2 pages that are even worth printing. the rest of the ideas are so obvious that i 'read' this book in about 20 min.
   
   it's basically a big list of moves, one page at a time. no noteworthy discussions about each one other than maybe a paragraph or two. no talk of blocking, or the logistics of actually setting up your shots on the set.
   
   just a list of ideas... tired ideas.
   
   it's also a very irregular shape, so it sticks out of my library like a sore thumb.
   
   
   
   'cinematic motion' by stephen katz is a much better place to start (as is his other book on directing--- 'shot by shot')
   
   don't waste your time with this.