No comments about Brought to Light: Photography and the Invisible, 1840-1900 (San Francisco Museum of Modern Art).

1 comments about 365 Days in Great Britain Calendar 2009 (Picture-A-Day Wall Calendars).

1. One of my great regrets is that I've never made it to Britain -- yet. But, I buy the 365 Days calendar each year and take a different trip there every month. This is a marvelous calendar, chock-a-block with beautiful photos. Buy it and enjoy.

1 comments about Advanced Digital Photography: Techniques & Tips for Creating Professional-Quality Images, Revised Edition.

1. The revised edition of ADVANCED DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY: TECHNIQUES & TIPS FOR CREATING PROFESSIONAL QUALITY IMAGES provides plenty of easy tips to enable novices with the basics to move to the next level of photography technology management. Here are tips on correcting distortion, scanning techniques, dodging and other advanced photo manipulation techniques - all with plenty of color photo examples, all with boxed tips making for quick, at-a-glance instruction. A top pick and 'must' for any general interest or specialty library strong in digital photo guides.
   
   Diane C. Donovan
   California Bookwatch

5 comments about Mountain Light: In Search of the Dynamic Landscape, Tenth-Anniversary Edition.

1. It's a great book ! you'll find all you need about photographing up in the mountains ! Galan Rowell was a great person ! A book worth reading by anybody who enjoys photography at high altitude.



2. This is a book about making meaningful landscape photographs. This is not a book about which f/stop to use or how to adjust your depth of field or exposure. There are a ton of those types of books on the market. This book is about vision, learning to see and connecting personally with your images.
   
   If you're comfortable with the mechanical aspects of your camera and are struggling with "technically well executed but lifeless images" this is your guide.
   
   I highly recommend it.



3. This is a must read for anyone who likes to shoot landscape photography. This book doesn't go into a lot of technical details, and the author assumes the readers have a basic knowledge of how SLRs operate, but rather it deals more with the "why" of photography and "when", which I found to be very interesting and thought provoking. Galen Rowell shares his insights about mountain light and how his mind works when he is out with a camera along with what photography meant for him, and it changed my approach to landscape photography. He also shares his unsuccessful stories, which is not very usual for these types of books, and it's good to see that even for photographers of his level things have never come easy. Luck is a big part of it all, and he has a great essay there on how to be in a better position for its appearance. In addition, this book is full of his outstanding landscape art, and that alone is worth whatever the price you will pay for it.



4. Galen's images are inspiring, but the real value of this book is the wealth of topics, inspiration, and creative thinking presented in the articles.
   This is NOT a coffee-table book. It is one you should take the time to read and digest. If you're an outdoor photographer you will appreciate the energizing effect of Galen's writing. A rare gem among countless other "pretty pictures but not much substance" offerings.



5. Well, even in the tenth revision, it is one of the classics one photographer needs to have in his bookshelf.
   
   It is not "how-to" (albeit it is how-to) but to get the idea of having that image created in your mind and then banned on chip of film.
   
   Galen Rowell writes clear and deep essays about what his heart touches.
   It does help if the reader has a broader knowledge about art, painting, and especially "construction techniques" to frame a picture with your camera.
   
   Highly recommended!

5 comments about Adobe Photoshop Elements 6: A Visual Introduction to Digital Photography (book with CD).

1. ***THIS REVEW IS FOR THE CD ONLY***
   
   I really like how the CD explains the PE 6. It shows the entire screen as it helps you through the tutorials. Very helpful to me, one who is new to the PE programs and requires an audio and moving visual way of learning.
   
   The bad part is that the audio on the CD I received was garbled with a distorted sound throughout the disc. Some of the subheadings were worse than others as far as the audio distortion goes.
   
   I contacted Focal Press, talked to a tech guy. He helped me try some things on my computer that did not end up helping with the audio trouble I had with this disc. Later he went over his copy, then emailed me to say that his copy was not effected. I returned my first copy, received a second and it did the same thing in the exact same places. So I returned the second copy as well.
   
   Before returning the second copy, I even tried down loading the free quick time by Apple, which a website for another book had recommended for their audio trouble in hopes it would help this one. It did not help my CD trouble with this book. (I do not have any other trouble with audios with my computer from any other discs. Just the CD that came with this book.)
   
   I then bought the book: How to Cheat in Adobe Photoshop Elements 6 for it's CD. I was disappointed with the only partial view of the screen. This was very limiting since it doesn't show where to click so you can try it for yourself.
   
   If anyone has a tip on how I can get this CD to work on my PC (A Dell Inspiron 6400 please let me know so I can buy another book and try it again.) I learned several things on PE 6 software from the CD that came with this book but can't remember them all. The garble distortion was so annoying! Hopefully your disc will be fine.
   
   (4 stars is for the CD only and it is missing a star due to the audio garble and distortion.)



2. In college I took a required course to learn what kind of learner I was. I thought it was stupid and didn't want to go. Everyone knows you learn by reading books. What I found out was that I had a much higher retention rate in the visual mode. Made college a lot easier. This book is a good example of a text for the visual learner. Very well laid out and paced.
   
   My one complaint was that it was a bit skimpy on the Organizer. Many of us have a mess of photos that we need to organize. This organizer eliminates the need for sub-folder after sub-folder but the book does not highlight that strength nearly enough.
   
   I highly recommend the book for the new-to-digital-photography set.



3. Very clear explanations, easy to follow, I'm enjoying learning. I have done some minor things and my confidence is growing. I recommend this book by Philip Andrews strongly.



4. I highly recommend this book with Photoshop elements 6....A great help and easy to understand



5. I leave this on my desk as I often go to it as a refrence. The enclosed cd is a big help. When learning a new technique step by step. I would of given this a 5 star, but I would of appreciated if Mr. Andrews organized a seprate chapter on making selections and a seprate chapter on Layers, as these are the really strong aspects that makes Elements a cut above other photo software instead of combining the two into one chapter.

5 comments about Fine Art Photography: Water, Ice and Fog.

1. This is another fine book put together by Tony Sweet and an excellent compliment to "Fine Art Nature Photography".Tony does a nice job explaining what , why and how he made the photos . With many of the photos I understood what he did and found myself asking "Great idea ,But what if I try this or tweak that"
   
   What more can one ask for then to be shown the possibilities and have their imagination expanded at the same time.
   
   This is another fine addition to his credit and my collection.



2. Brilliant! Tony Sweet takes beautiful images and is generous in sharing his techniques as well.



3. Excellent photography by Tony Sweet. Comments with each image are very imformative. Book arrived in good condition.



4. This and his accompaying books in the series are superb. He not only provides an explanation of the technique he employed to create the image, but often also explains the composition or artistic "merit" of the photo. This particular book helps you transcend from mere "photo realism" or "documentary" photography, to the "abstract" where you can look even at the mundane with a new perspective, a new vision and a new appreciation. The world becomes more "fun" and perhaps more emotionally evoking. While most of the photos were created with film (vs. digital) the instruction is such that translation to the digital world is straightforward, and effective. As you read the text and study the photos, Mr Sweet encourages you to think of why, when and how you would apply the techniques to your own photography. I know that my own skills "jumped" a level after even the first
   reading of this book.



5. Tony Sweet is an incredible photographer coming from a musical background. The images are all focused on H2O-related subjects. He tells how he did he and why, so it is helpful to get insight on composition and technical aspects.

5 comments about Video Shooter: Storytelling with DV, HD, and HDV Cameras (DV Expert Series) (DV Expert Series).

1. The first few pages have many good points for the consumer video shooter, but the bulk of the book is aimed at professionals or very wealthy and very serious amateurs.
   
   The author purports to speak to the amateur and does so in the first 96 pages. The remaining 170 some pages gets into equipment and the author covers only the best professional-level gear. If you don't mind being told that you can't possibly make videos unless you purchase a $5000 camcorder, $3000 in tripods, $8000 in lighting, etc, then you might like the book. If you don't mind being talked down to and you are willing to equip yourself with two truckloads of gear at a cost that is many times the price of your camcorder, then you might like this book.
   
   Try to find a used copy without the CD - it adds nothing that is not in the book.



2. I am a screenwriter who took up video. I am the opposite of an equipment fetishist. What I loved about this book was --- I could understand it! Not only that, it reminded me of what and how to achieve those qualities I admire in great films--story, framing, editing, etc. There was no condescension. No talking above my head. The use of humor was terrific. I never thought I'd say this about a technical book, but it was an enjoyable read!



3. very good for me, the novice looking to become an 'intermediate' shooter. well done.



4. It seems odd that a book with "story telling" in its title is written using the dreaded "string of pearls" writing style. Each chapter is a collection of tiny (1/2 page), jokingly-titled sections that are very loosely related to the chapter---by all means look over the table of contents before you buy. A chapter's sections could be shuffled at random and not alter the level of coherence for that chapter.
   
   Because of their shortness, the sections merely give the user a very small taste of their topic while providing little substance. That's too bad because it appears that the author is very knowledgeable in most aspects of the field; however, he is unable to organize his knowledge and experience in a form that would be most useful to the reader.
   
   This is not a how-to book by any stretch of the imagination nor is it a good reference book. With better organization and some additional depth the author could probably produce a very solid work, but failed to in this effort.



5. Wow, I don't understand all the 5 star reviews. I was trying to find a book that would help me shoot better home videos. This is not it. I'm not a beginner as I try to tell stories with my videos. But to me, this book would only be useful to a film student. And even then, I just don't see that much extra value it adds. I'm mad at myself for reading the whole book instead of cutting my losses. But I kept hoping it was going to get better.

No comments about Beaufort West.

5 comments about Driven from Within.

1. Learn about Michael Jordan's life and how his inner drive helped him succeed in basketball, business, and life. You'll be inspired and motivated.



2. The product came in a timely fashion and delivery was not a problem. I was a little disappointed in the quality of the book when it came. The inside was nice but the outside jacket looked as if the book had been used. I don't know if it moved around a lot in shipping but it did not have the newest look.



3. I gave this book to my little brother who loves both basketball and Michael Jordan and he loved it!! It was full of stories, pictures and inspirational quotes. The best part about it is that it was written by Jordan himself. I would highly recommend this book.



4. This book overall was pretty good, the only pitfall are the pages where they talk about brand Nike. They overembellish the brand/product a bit. Other than this there is some good stuff on the MJ persona in this book. I enjoyed reading some of the stories about him and also his personal views on many things. Good read for any Jordan enthusiast.



5. This is an outstanding book in two ways. It covers branding and building a product but it also deals with motivation.
   
   The book goes into great detail about MJ and his strong desire to have a product that reflected him. His resistance of corporate input to insist his shoes be to his liking...and his success in this.
   
   It is also filled with quotes about what helped make Michael so good in basketball.
   
   A wonderful insightful, motivational book.

5 comments about Whiskey Tango Foxtrot: A Photographer's Chronicle of the Iraq War.

1. What a breathtakingly vivid reflection of what we'd all sooner forget. This is an exquisite, painfully detailed collection of photos and text. Capa-worthy certainly. I can't wait to see what will come of such intense and exciting talent.



2. IN A WORD,OUTSTANDING! I DONT KNOW HOW THE AUTHOR GOT THE TITLE BY THE CENSORS. VERY CLEVER USE OF THE PHONETIC ALPHABET.TO THOSE WHO ARE FAMILIAR WITH THE MILITARY VERNACULAR IT SHOULD RAISE AN EYE. THE TITLE MADE ME TAKE A DOUBLE-TAKE ON THE SHELF AND I HAD TO BUY IT.THE CONTENT IS OUTSTANDING, AND THE PHOTOS BRING BACK VERY VIVID IMAGES OF THE SANDBOX.



3. For a photo journal the print quality is not great with pixels visual in some of the photos. Also some are disrupted by the spinal crease as the photo is spread over 2 pages.



4. Caveats: I'm neither a photographer nor a journalist.
   
   Since reading Ashley's book, I've read and seen a lot regarding Iraq conflict.
   
   For me, of all the staggering photojournalism produced by folks about Iraq (folks who definitely put their life on the line), this book stands out as the most human. I'd never considered how involved war photographers get and how much trauma they can go through as a result. As I started exploring war photography, this book showed me the cost on the people being documented as much as the cost on the the documentor. It's a a wonderful, complimentary piece of work to the War Photographer documentary, where James Nachtwey seems to be the most amazing internalizer of all things shocking.
   
   Subsequently, I've read the Bang Bang Club which describes (in part) Kevin Carter's descent into suicide, partially aided by a single, controversial, Pulitzer prize-winning photograph he took.
   
   I also appreciate the honesty with which he captured/defined his subjects. I haven't lost someone to a war, but I can't help thinking that his honesty is the most respectful way to treat his subjects - those that live and those that don't. But, even though that's my view, he still shows how families of the KIAs reacted to his work, often angrily.
   
   To paraphrase another comment on this book, definitely not for those who can't handle the truth. But it is definitely worth way more than the price.
   
   Note - there is a lot of great work along these lines about Iraq by many brave, honest photojournalists. I just feel like this one edges them out.



5. I bought this book for a combat wounded friend who was with 1/8 Marines, the unit covered in Battle of Fallujah section of this book. He couldn't speak highly enough of Gilbertson's honest portrayal of men in battle. As others have noted, the photos are stunning and the text raw and personal. Tough to look at but necessary viewing to catch a glimpse of the reality of war.