5 comments about Associated Press Guide to Photojournalism (Associated Press Handbooks).

1. I bought this book in hopes to satisfy my curiosity about photojournalism. I would say this book did a pretty good job of doing that. Although it doesn't address any real specifics of photojournalism, it does deliver a lot of the basic principles and general knowledge.
   For what it was worth, I found this book to be an excellent read, with plenty of insights that would be valuable to any photographer, written with a very simplistic approach. I can see how ideas presented in this book could be applied to other areas of photography and not be limited to the field of photojournalism.
   If you're novice photographer and looking for a technical, how-to, reference book, this is not the book for you. If you a photographer of any level, and you want to broaden your general knowledge of photojournalism, then this book would be a fine addition to your library. Also, I feel that this book could be used as a warm-up read prior to diving into the more advanced, technical books available on the topic.



2. "Associated Press Guide to Photojournalism", Brian Horton, McGraw-Hill NY, 2nd. ed. 2001, ISBN 0-07-136387-4, SC 223 pgs.
   
   Sports photo editor at A-P since 1971, Horton has many credits including 2 books on news photography. This text explains PJ (picture story) - how a photographer "sees the story" is a skill requiring experience, insight, anticipation, inventiveness, & a passion. Often "breaking stories" are heavily covered & many photos require sensitivity, rapport, knowledge of equipment so to acquire a style using composition, cropping & those angles to communicate photo stories of news, emotions, life experiences, etc.
   
   Horton quotes an A-P policy adopted in 1990 indicating "the content of a photograph will never be changed or manipulated in any way". Horton then goes on to recite of some widely published photos with recognized manipulations & public outcries leading to general distrust of media by the populace (& rightly so!). Indeed, even cropping can be viewed as manipulation, the latter generally a product of Madison Avenue influences that shouldn't reflect PJ integrity (need for well insulated photo editors).
   
   Relying on "photo setups" can numb public's perceptions & lessen reality. Telephoto lenses as 80-200 zoom provides close-ups without intrusion despite an onerous sanctifying of 24 mm wide-angle to fill the frame by getting into the subject's face & personal space. Author interviews 8 pros on their perspectives & experiences in PJ & then concludes with a short summary of some changes in photography over the past half-century, namely the gradual switch from 4"x5" to 2 1/4" to 35 mm to color & now electronic (digital) imaging.
   
   As a former newspaper photographer I'd been taught a good PJ shot did not require a title. I found Horton's book exacting, full of exciting photos, many good "how to" tips, and how PJ news photography has evolved into specialized art forms for optimum coverage of war, natural disaster, politics, crime, disease & subspecialities of certain sports as basketball, football, Olympics, Indy 500, etc. It is a pleasant, informative read, not overtly technical & fairly priced.



3. If you are extreamly new at photography or maybe working for a high-school newspaper, this book would work well.
   
   For anyone that is serious about hard-core photojournalism, like the professionals the book highlights, I do not recomend it.
   
   I was looking for a book on some on ways to break into some of the big names. I just assumed that since it was an AP book.



4. This book clearly is not meant for advanced journalism students but it's perfect for someone working as a stringer or a novice who is thinking about entering this field. The most important aspects of photojournalism are covered, including a section on electronic ethics. If ever you needed a good reason to keep ethical standards then the "Photoshop War" run by Reuters last year in Lebanon is an excellent example: one of their photojournalist was actively creating even more photo-edited havoc and carnage than what was actually happening... and slanting the images to make it appear as if Israel was indiscrimately destroying Beirut. I'd like to see an updated edition of this book that takes this into account but I doubt I'll see it any time soon.



5. It's an easy read, with interviews of assorted veterans of the PJ world. Most of these guys worked in the film era, so don't expect much on digital technique. In fact it's more about the human experience of these people, as they do their job as silent, passive witnesses to history. I can't say I learned anything, but I did read the whole thing, so it was cheap entertainment. If you are looking for practical advice or technical guidance you need to look for something less dated. These are bedtime stories, kinda like the stories my grandma told me years ago.
   
   Dave

5 comments about Where Valor Rests: Arlington National Cemetery.

1. Where Valor Rests: Arlington National Cemetery Outstanding in pictures and facts. The emotional response evolves as one gets further into the content. What a tremendously powerful book!



2. As a former member of the 3rd Old Guard Infantry, the ceremonial unit at Arlington, I very much appreciate the great photographs and fine writing that went into this beautiful tribute to the Garden of Stones. I visit my brother, my father-in-law, and a half dozen brothers-in-arms at Arlington at least once every year. With this book I can visit that hallowed ground more often. It's a wonderful tribute to the fallen and those who tend the fallen at Arlington. bb



3. Stunning pictures and moving text combine to give you an awe inspiring tour of probably the most revered area of the United States. You may have visited Arlington on a tour of Washington D.C., but Rick Atkinson and National Geographic takes you past the tourists and delivers a book that shows the care, dedication, and honor that envelopes the cemetery.
   
   Contents:
   Preface
   Essay
   History
   Final March
   Autumn
   People
   Caring
   Salutes
   Ceremony
   Sacrifice
   Tomb Guards
   Services
   Afterglow
   Afterword
   About the Contributors
   Photography Credits
   
   Beginning with the history of Arlington, which was once General Robert E. Lee's estate, and ending with pictures of Arlington at night, Where Valor Rests: Arlington National Cemetery is a beautiful, lovingly photographed book. The Afterword tells you that after every internment, this book, along with the flag, are given to the family. And I can see why.
   
   I've been to Arlington, but not the Arlington presented in this book. That Arlington is populated with people that dedicate themselves to the care, maintenance, history, ceremony, and protection of 300,000 graves of the fallen. Exquisitely photographed, this book brings you more than a tour ever could. You see the cemetery in all seasons, you see veterans of World War II honoring their comrades, you witness the burials of soldiers who served in Iraq and Afghanistan (Section 60). You learn that ever since July 2, 1937, every minute of every day, someone has guarded the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Every. Single. Day.
   
   Think about that for a moment.
   
   There are pictures that show the guards in snow, at night, and other times when not a single other soul is in the cemetery.
   
   It was difficult for me to read the captions on those pictures.
   
   While I have read a few books this year, none of them affected me like this one. None of them included pictures like the ones that are in this book. This is an amazing tribute to Arlington National Cemetery, the 300,000 interred, and those who protect, care, and serve within its boundaries.
   
   An incredible work. One that everyone should experience.



4. Where Valor Rests: Arlington National Cemetery: is an inspiring tribute to hundreds of thousands of our uniformed men and women who served this nation - in war and in peace. Arlington, like other military cemeteries at home and abroad, is ground made sacred by their dedication, their lives of service, and their sacrifices. This book tells the history of Arlington Cemetery and through it the history of many from our nation's heroes, ordinary and extraordinary. The selection of photographs is excellent, and Rick Atkinson's essay informative and inspiring.



5. A beautiful tribute to those who have given their lives for our country. The pictures chosen reflect the dignity and beauty of this final resting place better than any words can. Excellent historical documentation. Everyone should own a copy for their personal libraries.

No comments about Little People in the City.

No comments about Secret Life of Syrian Lingerie: Intimacy and Design.

5 comments about Mario Testino: Portraits.

1. This book shows the portraits of the exibitions that took place in 2002 in London (England) and in 2003 Edinburgh (Scotland). I went to the one in Edinburgh and it was amazing. If you have the oportunity to go and see it your country don't miss it.



2. I think Mario Testino used to be a waiter. Be fearless, you can do it. All you need is a point of view. Use the shotgun approach to photography - shoot shoot shoot and you'll get at least one good one.
   
   Here's some good inspiration for you...



3. This collection is superb and the size of the book is well chosen to display the images. It's a well rounded selection, including fashion, editorial, advertising, personal and celebrity. Reproduction of the images is high quality with good resolution and colour. Highly recommended to Testino fans.



4. Mario Testino has an "eye" for taking aewsome photos, you will love the collection in this book. I fully reccomend it for anyone who enjoys good photography.



5. I like very much this book. I like format, photos, colours. Mario Testino is one of the best contemporary fashion / celebrities protographer and I must agree with this opinion after seeing this book. It's worth to buy!

No comments about Apple Aperture 2: A workflow guide for digital photographers (Digital Workflow) (Digital Workflow).

5 comments about Bare Bones Camera Course for Film and Video.

1. This book is the easiest book on the subject to understand. Allmost anyone could understand this book. It gives you the same information as some of those long 300 page books that try to sound scholarly but just end up sounding pretensious. This book is the complete basics, so for anyone who is looking for more in depth stuff this isnt the right book for you.



2. This is one of the simplest, and best books I've ever seen for beginner filmmakers. It is able to very clearly explain complicated concepts, without writing any more than necessary. It's a very slender book, and a very quick read, and well worth your time.



3. Unlike many training books The Bare Bones Camera Course for Film and Video does not attempt to suggest what camera you should buy, nor does it tell you how to shoot Aunt Alice's 80th birthday party. This book, in its 89 pages, is a beautiful example of a subject that has been pared down to the essential information needed to learn it----and the subject is how to operate your video camera to get the best images you can.
   
   The book's table of contents lists eight sections:
   
   · Basics (such as camera functions, lenses, depth of field)
   · Composition
   · Basic Sequence
   · Screen Direction
   · Camera Moves
   · Montages
   · Lighting
   · Doing It (how to plan for a shoot)
   
   Each section is covered concisely, and there are over 200 simple, but effective, black and white line art illustrations to accompany the topic being discussed. This book is perfect for the person who wants to concentrate on improving their video camera operating skills.



4. This was a requirement at my classes when I went to USC film school. Everyone loved it. I knew nothing about camerawork, composition or the basics, and this book just taught the essential tools and tricks to get started. If you're interested in making movies or camerawork, this book is your first stop. I loved it so much, it inspired me to write The Bare Bones Book of Screenwriting



5. It's pretty incredible that a book could be so short and so effective. This was used as the 'textbook' for a graduate-level cinematography course I took at USC, and it was all we needed to complement our hands-on work. I wish every beginner photographer/filmmaker was *required* to read this, it would save them from so many common mistakes...

5 comments about Photoshop CS3 Raw: Get the Most Out of the Raw Format with Adobe Photoshop, Camera Raw, and Bridge.

1. 'Photoshop CS3 Raw: Get the Most Out of the Raw Format with Adobe Photoshop, Camera Raw, and Bridge' is a great resource for all levels of digital photographers who want to work with images of the highest quality possible. A regular photo who takes images with their camera probably takes them saved in the JPEG file format that has been so widely known and loved for so many years. The problem with this format is that when JPEG is used their is always data lost in the compression used to save the images. This data usually is minimal and not a big deal but if you need the highest quality pictures without any loss or compression at all, you need to save these in a better format. One of those formats is the Adobe RAW format which is the data saved with no data loss at all. These files will be much bigger in size but they also will guarantee that whatever picture(s) you took, you will see everything that was intended to be seen (and saved).
   
   But simply taking the picture isn't enough, as there is tons of post-processing that goes on to get images looking even better than when they were taken. If you want to learn how to edit, crop, saturate, lighten, darken, whatever your heart desires with RAW imgagery, this is a great resource to have!! With nearly 250 pages spread across 12 chapters, this is a great introduction (in full color on glossy paper) to getting the most out of your camera and taking your images from Bs to As!!
   
   This is a great resource to digital editing, my only caveat is that I feel it could be a bit longer. Another 50 pages or so with another example per chapter could have made things even better. A small complaint (and not enough to hurt my rating for the book) but it's worth noting.
   
   If you take RAW images and want to learn how to get more out of them, this book will get you well on your way!!
   
   ***** RECOMMENDED



2. This is a fine introduction into CS3 RAW. It is very clear and easy to understand and follow. If you shoot in RAW and use ACR, this book should be in your library.



3. 
   How do professional photographers turn RAW data into fine polished results? Photoshop CS3 RAW: Transform your RAW Images into Works of Art explains how to use the Photoshop CS2 tool, surveying the basics of optimizing RAW images and deciding when to shoot RAW, how to organize and automate their processing, how to tweak the images with professional techniques, and more. Neo-pros need this - and any computer or photography library strong in Photoshop techniques will find it popular.
   
   Diane C. Donovan
   California Bookwatch



4. I have a number of books that attempt to explain Photoshop CS3 and Camera Raw in particular. This book is, far and away, the best I have seen. It is extremely well written, easy to follow, and very comprehensive. I recommend it without qualifications.



5. Mr. Aaland does a wonderful job of explaining many of the key functions in Camera Raw. The benefit of this book over many others is the opportunity to work along with Mr. Aaland using either his examples or your own photographs and the detailed explanations associated with each topic. His approach and style are superb. As mentioned by another reviewer, some of the examples are a bit hard to see in the book, but if you work along in Camera Raw that is not an issue. This book is a great learning tool and reference manual. The best I have found so far. Highly recommended.

5 comments about Mastering Landscape Photography: The Luminous Landscape Essays.

1. Alain Briot has taken great pains to write a book that goes beyond any other Landscape Photography book. His approach is concise; his ability to communicate the message of "light" will serve as an inspiration to everyone who reads this book.
   
   This is not a simple "how to" book.....It's a book with valuable information. "Let there be light"....Mr. Briot teaches us how to interpet light and develop our creativity. This is a must read book for all serious landscape photographers!!
   
   DR Jones



2. I own probably 40 books on photography. All were well researched before purchase, so all are good books. Of the 40, 10 were very valuable, 10 more were worth reading, the the other half were not. This is the first that I read cover to cover in just a couple of days. Some mentioned there is not a lot of information in the book. Well, it's not filled with tips and tricks and specifics of how to use a tool or camera. It's more a book on how to approach and think about fine art photography, than how to do it. Meaning you will learn what directions to head in, and be given exercises that if you do them, will help get you there. There is a lot of information about subjects many gloss over, and that lead to a lot of thought and introspection. At least it did for me. Some will say the book is too simple. To me, the simplicity is it's strength. The messages are clear. I took away the sense these are the right concepts to think about to be better at this craft.
   
   Briot makes the point that even in todays apparently saturated market (my words, not his), there is room for hard work, quality, and a clear focus to lead to a successfull business. If that's where you want to go. He makes the point that no matter what you do, to do it well will be a lot of hard work. That's just the way it is. So if that's the case, why not work hard at something you love or really want to do? Rather than work hard at something that will pay you to do what you love in your 'spare time'. I've learned the spare time usually doesn't happen. I've read these words before, as I'm sure you have. But this author makes the point in a way I, at least, related to more than any other author. There are whole books about that one subject, actually. But Alain spends a good chapter on it, in the context of a book on how to approach being a fine art photographer. So that chapter was long enough to say something meaningful, but not so long you lost interest and forgot what the message was about in the end. Each chapter fits that mold. Long enough to convey exactly his message. And no longer. That's why the book held my interest to the end.
   
   Those are not the only insights I got from the book. There were many. They're just the ones I believe will be most important over time for me personally. Many will say "that was obvious, you just didn't get it". That's true of just about anything you want to discuss. Some have already gotten it. Some will get it now. Some may never get it. The measure, to me, is how effectively this book conveys concepts to me that are clear, and that I can take away how I can use them in my own life or work. This book more than any other, gave me a lot of that kind of insight. And most of what he says applies to any endeavor, so whether you're a photographer or not, you'll get something from this book. Possibly I was just ready for his message. It doesn't matter. This book did it for me.
   
   So I have to thank Alain Briot for his insight, and for taking the time to write a book that conveys it clearly and deeply. His writing and his photographs are both examples of how deeply he cares about what he does. They're also clear examples of what dedication to a few things you choose to care about deeply can bring.



3. A beautiful book with great insights into photography in the southwest. The quality of the printing and phographic reproduction is excellent, as is the author's grasp of landscape photography and his ability to communicate his insights. My only quarrel with the book is that it is too focused on the southwest, especially the red-rock and canyon territory of Utah and Arizona. I wanted more on landscape photography in general. And, although the insights shared here can be taken into other areas of the country, a broader range of photographs would have helped. Also, the author tends to use the same photographe over and over to make his point. Surely he has more images that he could share. And, since most photographers these days use digital photography in 35mm comparable cameras, I wish he had spent less time extolling the virtues of Fuji film in his view camera.
   These are somewhat minor quibbling points, however. I really did enjoy the book and recommend it.



4. When i first got this book i put it aside but recently I started to read it and it is fantastic, from nuts to bolts you can build a business on it as it takes you through the concept of landscape photography to the actual business plan. 10/10 the title really needs to be changed as it does much more than teach Landscape Photography. It is a persons life planning skills on his passion.



5. The most important book I read when first starting out in photography (not terribly long ago, I admit), was Bryan Peterson's Understanding Exposure: How to Shoot Great Photographs with a Film or Digital Camera (Updated Edition). From it I learned an amazing amount about techniques for capturing the photos I was interested in. Alain Briot's Mastering Landscape Photography is another animal entirely.
   
   I admit I had to start this book at least twice, and found the first 6 chapters - all the technique chapters - interesting but not mind-blowing. Starting with chapter 7 - "Keepers or Non-keepers", though, the pace picked right up and I plowed voraciously through the rest in two days. The second half of the book consists of "Keepers or Non-keepers", "How to create a portfolio of your work", "How to establish a photographic style", "Being an artist", "How to be an artist in business: My story - Pt. 1", "How to be an artist in business: My story - Pt. 2", and "How you can do it too".
   
   When I first read through the chapter list I thought that the last three chapters were unlikely to interest me since I am NOT interested in starting my own photo business, but in fact the story Briot tells is a fascinating account of how he came to be a financially successful photographer.
   
   Perhaps my favorite chapters are "How to establish a photographic style" and "Being an artist", since those are the chapters that spoke most to me based on where I am photographically, but I think they would benefit virtually everyone who is interested in taking their photography - ANY kind of photography - to a higher level.
   
   Or perhaps a "deeper" level is a more appropriate term. If you are wondering whether buying this book will help you deepen your photography practice, I say yes - if you actually do the introspection and work that he suggests. Get it, read it, follow it, Grasshopper.

5 comments about To Have & To Hold: Magical Wedding Bouquets.

1. this book is as good as anything i have seen on this subject[and probably better than most]



2. Es una estupenda referencia sobre las ideas que buscan las personas cuando de solicitar ramos para boda se refieren... incluso algunas quinceañeras lo han tomando como referencia para escoger el ramo que llevarán a la iglesia.



3. I bought this book for my sister who is getting married soon. She loved the book! It has given her great ideas and pictures for her to express to her florist what she wants. Most of the bouquets are unique and the wrappings around the flowers are a wide variety and have great ideas. I would recommend the book.



4. I'm marrying in November and went to the library to look up books on wedding flowers; this one came out to be my favorite so far. Although some of the advice is a little too frou-frou for my tastes (if you want Spring flowers in December, then have at it!), the bouquets and flowers are gorgeous. I actually read the captions for the photos more than anything else.
   
   The book is quite inspiring with several flower types that you never thought to use, plus interesting wrapping of the stems.
   
   My biggest cheer is for the size and quality of the photos. You can search online all you like for beautiful bouquets, and most of the time you get pixelated crap with colors that don't match the flowers at all.



5. When looking for something fresh and new for my wedding flowers, I sifted through dozens of books that showed the same old arrangements and nothing new or creative. I own another of Stark and Adler's books, and was pleased to see they had written a wedding flower book. I was over the moon after ordering the book. The designs are simply beautiful! The flower choices are artistic, simple and help a bride to choose the right flowers for the growing season in which her wedding takes place. I carried this book to my florist and we recreated several of the arrangements for my bridal bouquets and table arrangements. Everyone was impressed with the floral arrangements and the vibrant color choices. This is the one book you need, if you are looking for a fresh, vibrant and artistic look for your wedding.