Book Description

From fundamental principles of photographing marine life to making a living selling underwater photographs, Successful Underwater Photography provides an unlimited wealth of practical advice, surefire strategies, and tested tips for taking extraordinary photos of elusive underwater subjects.Written by two top photographers who specialize in marine photography, this solid, lavishly illustrated field guide provides no-nonsense information on such topics as taking available-light photographs, silhouettes, marine wildlife portraits, close-focus wide angle photographs, and extension tube photographs to name just a few. Readers will also find proven guidance for purchasing underwater photographic equipment, taking photos of shipwrecks, and repairing and maintaining field equipment. Plus, 150 stunning, full-color photos demonstrate the authors’ successful techniques in action. For all aspiring underwater photographers who want to unlock the secrets of how top names in the field achieve spectacular results, Successful Underwater Photography is your definitive one-stop guide. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Impressive and informative
Howard Hall has done it again. For more great undersea video check out - The Living Sea - if you're a little younger, check out Captain Jon Explores the Ocean. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Five Stars for the Text, Three for the Photos
I've visited Chateau Chantilly several times, so I've actually seen several of the original paintings that form part of LES TRES RICHES HEURES (usually only two are exhibited at any given time).

LES TRES RICHES HEURES is the classic (and best known) example of a medieval book of hours, i.e., a collection of prayers for each literugical hour of the day, accompanied by (usually) gorgeously painted illustrations and, in this case, a calendar. The illustrations for the calendar in LES TRES RICHES HEURES were painted by the Flemish brothers Paul, Hermann and Jean Limbourg between 1412 and 1416 for Jean de Berry, one of the wealthiest and highest-ranking noblemen of 15th century France (the king was his brother). LES TRES RICHES HEURES was only one of many books this great art connoisseur owned (sadly, many were destroyed when the Burgundians burned de Berry's Chateau du Bicetre).

I own both this version of LES TRES RICHES HEURES and the newer, French language version (purchased recently at Chantilly) and I can tell you there is a vast difference between the two. While the text in both is unimpeachable, the newer, French language edition has reproduced the illustrations in all their original brilliance, while the English language edition is sadly lacking. Two of the Limbourg brothers "signature" colors (vert de flambe and azur d'outreme), which were extremely brilliant, just look faded and "washed out" in this edition, something that is really quite a shame, since they go a long way toward making the illuminations the masterpieces they are.

If you're ever in the vicinity of Paris, make a side trip to Chantilly and see the original illuminations. If you can't get to Chantilly, then I would suggest tracking down a French language version of LES TRES RICHES HEURES. If that can't be done, either, then owning this edition is certainly better than not familiarizing yourself with the illuminations at all. They are, after all, one of France's greatest artistic treasures, on par with the Mona Lisa. Just remember that the reproductions in this edition of LES TRES RICHES HEURES simply can't begin do the originals justice.

Although this book is lacking in its reproduction of the original illuminations, I would still recommend it for the text alone.

A Truly Magical World
Enter the magical medieval pages of the illuminated manuscripts of the gifted Limbourg brothers and discover a world long gone, but one which seems oddly familiar in a storybook sort of way. The colors (nicely reproduced in this hardback version of the book) will dazzle you - the skies were painted with an ultramarine made from costly lapis lazuli. The compositions, drawn in the pre-perspective days of the 15th century, will delight you. Many of the religious illuminations are moving - the Death of Christ captures the grim darkness into which the world has been cast in tones of grey and brown with only the shining gold halo of Christ piercing the gloom; God in his heavenly lunette above the picture looks sadly down on the scene, brilliant amidst reds, blues, and gold. But it is the pictures of the calendar - a wonderful record of daily life among the rich and the poor alike - that will charm you the most. The Duke feasts, the peasants warm themselves before fires, the plowman tills the soil, the farmers shear the sheep, and the pigs forage for acorns. And rising in the background of each of these magical scenes, in regulation storybook fashion, is a shining white castle. This hardcover version is a beautiful book that you will treasure for years.

The hardback version of this art masterpiece is awesome
Having read negative reviews of the cheap, paperback version of this book, I took a deep gulp and sprang for the expensive hardback. This is a case where spending more for the hardback version is more than worth it. The pictures are very large size format, with the gold intact (unlike the paperback version). The quality of the paintings is excellent. The book is beautiful to display, look at and/or study. I have been copying one of the illustrations, and having a great time.I love medieval illustrated books. I have not found another one in this large a format, with such detail. If you are into illuminated manuscripts, you must have this one, there can be no argument. (Hardback version)

Picture Quality is awful
The books begins with an introduction, then many images from the Tres Riches Heures, and at the end there is a commentary of the pictures.

The big problem is that the pictures were made in the sixties, they are fuzzy, unsharp, the colors are not vivid and bright, such a very low quality of photocomposition is no more acceptable at the end of the 20th century. It is high time that a newer edition be made available in English, as is already the case in French. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Collectors, photograhers will love this one
Back to the roots of photography. Amazing journey to the past and the development of extraordinary designs that are still used by the most prestigious lens makes (Leica, Carl Zeiss).

Great resource for someone entering medium- or large-format
If you've moved from 35mm photography to medium format, you are no
longer confronted with lenses called "Minolta 28-70mm/2.8
G," but rather Tessars, Planars, and Super-Angulons. In medium
format, you're still limited to using lenses provided by the
manufacturer of your camera, but if you move to large format, where
almost any lens can be used on any camera, things become really
convoluted. In short, lens manufacturers give names to their designs
in much the same way that car manufacturers give names to their
products.

Kingslake provides a history that will help the
photographer unravel the advantages of different lens designs as well
as serve as an excellent resource to the classic lens collector.
Diagrams are provided for most significant lens designs up to the
1980's. There are chapters on optical glass and lens attachments. Be
warned that about a third of the 300+ pages are biographical sketches,
with portraits, of important figures in the development of the
photographic lens. This may be of value to some, but less to others.
There is also a very useful, separate, index of lens names, and a
glossary of many of the technical terms used. (Although the index
seemed to leave out some names, such as Protar, which ARE discussed in
the book!).

I didn't find the quality of this printing
objectionable, as did another reviewer. In fact, most of the figures
are line drawings, and aren't really subject to bad
reproduction.

Now for the inevitable complaints.

Kingslake assumes
that the reader has some knowledge of lens design, or at least of
common aberrations. I may get his Fundamentals of Lens Design soon,
but would hate to have to read it as a prerequisite to reading
History. A short chapter on aberrations and lens design would be of
great advantage. The glossary explains some of the terms, but could
use figures to great benefit. The author could use a note indicating
that the subject is to the left and image to the right in the diagrams
(perhaps a convention for opticians, but less likely to be known to
many readers of this book). Likewise, the chapter on optical glass
would be more useful if introduced before discussing the lens designs.
Perhaps cross-hatching on the diagrams or some scheme could be used to
indicate glass densities. Lastly, some lenses designed since the book
was published may now be considered classics, and a reprint with more
lenses would be nice (where is the Tele-Xenar? How about the
Tri-Elmar?)

Even with the minor complaints, I found this book very
informative and useful. It will remain next to my computer for
contributing to lens discussion on newsgroups and for looking up those
classic lenses that appear on auction sites.

Kingslake's "History": an essential guide to lens history
Rudolf Kingslake's "History of the Photographic Lens" is not only one of the most informed histories of lens design, but also serves to remind photographers, amateur and professional alike, of the value of older lens designs, largely abandoned in this "modern" computer age. Not only will everyone whose interest in photography far outreaches their credit line or bank account enjoy this retired lens expert's chronicle, the book will also serve to recommend some of the very same optics, still available today, for those wiling to experiment with the vast range of used photographic lenses on the market. The value of my own images relies, in part, on the knowledge that certain designs, such as the Dagor or the Protar can still be used to advantage in larger formats where the need to enlarge is minimal or nonexistent. While some reviewers would like to se the more information on later developments in photographic lenses fom the second half of the century on, I am glad that this text is still in print and hope it shall remain so. rk.

Five star book, 3 star reproduction quality
This classic book on the large format photography lens is a must for serious enthusiasts. I have used my local library's copy so much that I decided to buy the book. Boy, was I let down when it came from Amazon.com. It turns out that this is a poor quality reproduction, the original plates having been lost by Academic Press. The text and line drawings are OK, but the halftones stink, and I am disappointed that I paid $51 dollars for this book. It should be described on the Amazon web page as a reproduction-grade book and should be priced at $24.95.

Excellent qualitative discussion of lens families
This book discusses the history of the various photographic lens families, of which a large-format photographer would recognize. It is written from the perspective of one of the world's master optical engineers. Many influential early lens families are discussed, as are many 19th century and early 20th century masters of the craft of lens-making. There is no question that Kingslake has left the large-format photographic world a treasured legacy in this book.

If there were ever another edition written, this book could continue further into the 20th century & its major manufacturers & their famous models of lenses and could provide further numerical/quantitative information which would be useful to a large-format photographer. Missing, for example, are tables of specifications per lens or per lens-family, such as diameter of image circle when focused at infinity, physical dimensions of lens (and/or implied corresponding shutter size), and numerous other data useful in using each lens/lens-family. Also missing is such notable venerable lens families as Voitlander-Braunschweig's Lanthar. I would like to see a more complete family tree of the various major 20th-century lens families and of the various 20th-century lens manufacturers (and their mergers). This wonderful book is a most excellent qualitative & theoretical treatment of the history of the photographic lens, but it whets the appetite for further quantitative & technical exposition up to the modern day.

The views contained within this feedback are solely those of Dan'l Miller and are in no way associated with his employer or any other organization. ... Read more

Reviews (11)

A virtual textbook of essential information.
Every aspiring nature photographer should consider this book a prerequisite to all others. I have used this book as the textbook for my nature photography seminars, and I have seen John Shaw's instructional style of writing put dozens of photographers on the right track. While this book is directed towards serious amateurs, there are enough technical concepts and real life field examples to make it a good review for seasoned photographers. Using the methods of a great teacher, Shaw begins at the beginning, taking the student, step by step, down the path of gaining complete control over the production of professional quality nature images.

Another John Shaw Book - Excellent
This is another of John Shaw's excellent books on photography. Liberally illustrated with examples and interspersed with his commentary and notes I found tremendously useful.
Shaw covers almost all aspects of photography - from the rule of 16ths, exposure, film, tripods, lenses, closeups, depth of field, composition, backlit photography, etc... Reading this book before you start using that brand new SLR of yours will save you a lot of frustration and trial and error:) A lot of the tips in the book are also equally applicable to people using point-and-shoot cameras also.
A very useful feature in this book is that almost all photos have exposure details listed. Some of his other books do not have these details, which I miss.
This book is highly recommended if you are just beginning photography and are looking for a good introductory book.

a must read for beginners and advanced amateurs
It's usually difficult to write a nature photography book that's useful for the beginners and at the same time gives valuable advice to advanced amateurs, but Mr Shaw has just done that in this book.

This book contains very valuable advice for advanced ones especially on close-ups and flash photography and at the same time he covers the basic rules (thirds, sunny f/16) from an interesting perspective. I found his advice about filters and field gears invaluable.

Read this book if you want to take stunningly realistic nature photographs.

GREAT REFERENCE. WELL ORGANIZED
I doubt if this is the only book that you will ever need on this subject, but it is certainly one that you should not be without. I frequently use it as a quick reference/refresher before "going on a shoot." The topics are organized into 2-4 pages each that provide a lot of explanation without getting bogged down in chemistry and physics. Lots of great photos to illustrate the major points.

A great first book for the aspiring nature photographer.
John Shaw's books are highly recommended by many photography enthusiasts. I bought his "Closeups in Nature" last year, and thought it was one of the best instructional books on photography I've ever read. "Nature Photographer's Complete Guide..." is also a very good a book, I think, but I wouldn't buy it if you already have the "Closeups..." book. I think it is probably better suited to beginning photographers. ... Read more

Book Description

Photographers are guided through every aspect of posing-beginning with the consultation and continuing with specific tips for posing children, high school seniors, wedding parties, families, events, teams, groups, and pets-in this comprehensive manual. Maintaining that good posing is 80 percent mental and only 20 percent technical, this guide stresses the importance of communication between photographer and subject to creating a portrait that not only captures the subject's personality but also makes the subject comfortable, fostering repeat business. ... Read more

Reviews (10)

Does its job
Wacker's guide successfully explains the basic geometry of posing people. He discusses orienting individual faces and body parts, positioning the body as a whole, and grouping individuals together. His writing is clear and well organized. However, the book is not very detailed, something I would expect from a book with "Master" in the title.

The guide strongly conveys its upper-midwest aesthetic. This is evident not just in the portraiture, but in his advice on dealing with subjects as well. If your goal is to run a suburban commercial portrait studio, then this book will be of some value to you. If not, I recommend looking elsewhere.

No Explaination about Lighting
The author explained very detail about posing basic. It's good book to learn about posing. This book is good to read for beginner in this business. It's also have posing in practise for Children, High School Senior, Men, Women, Weddings, Models, Couples, Families, Teams, Groups, and Pets. But there are no explanations about Lighting; you must read another book about it.

General topics covered. Simple
This is a beginners book. Giving very general ideas on what type of poses you might use but no specifics. Talk generally about the common mistakes for different situation. Not a bad book, just simple.

A Great Investment
If you've moved beyond the very basic of photography - the rules of thirds, getting on the floor to photograph the baby at eye level, then this book is for you. It explains how to see relationships of the body, i.e. shoulders as a base to head. How to slim down a heavy person by twisting the hip and moving arms away from body. The book covers detail to body parts such as hands, feet, legs, and how to posture them. Author is heavy on the 80% mental / 20 % technical, which is true. Heavy emphasis on communication with subjects - which makes for better posing / relationship with the camera and photographer. Useless are the books with picture after picture of excellent posing. They don't teach you how to look at the person first and then feel out the best poses for person to strike. I found it more effective use of my time to use knowledge gained from this book, rather than trying to copycat poses from other books. Drawback of the book? Doesn't elaborate on technical terms like Rules of Thirds, and at times does not draw diagram to illustrate: "...a line running through the pit of the neck and drawn perpendicular to the floor shows where the feet must be placed in order ..." However there are a lot of photographs that serve as examples - the bad paired with good to illustrate the book's advice / concept .

Not really what I expected
The irony struck me: as I thumbed through the opening words by the author I knew istantly I had not purchased what I intened...that is, a posing guide. While the author markets this book as such and while it does give a few pointers, this book was not a guide to posing at all.

Some of the photographs looked awkward and if Wacker doesn't pose his subjects as he suggests then what exactly is he trying to sell here? A book about allowing people to pose themselves and look gangly and uncomfortable? ... Read more

Book Description

"Lowbrow" it may be called, but high-profile best describes the cultural impact of this contemporary art movement. Found everywhere from wine labels and high-end bar accessories to major motion pictures (Teacher's Pet, the upcoming Pink Panther), the visibility of this dynamic work has rapidly increased in the last few years to worldwide recognition and acclaim. Weirdo Deluxe is the first significant manifesto of the genre—a riotous blend of pop culture, street culture, pop art, and surrealism—and includes profiles of and interviews with 23 leading artists and hundreds of outrageous examples of their work. Special features include an expansive timeline, and peeks at the artists' collections and influences. Weirdo Deluxe is at once a primer and lowbrow art sourcebook as well as a visual homage to pop culture. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Doesn't do justice to the art
It's a decent book, but the reproductions don't do justice to the art.If you're looking to save a buck or two and pick up a collection of the art of this growing movement, this is the book for you. But I recommend the book "Pop Surealism" if you want a truely beautiful coffeetable art book.

The Wild World
of Pop Surrealism & Lowbrow Art
Matt Dukes Jordan's first book release is a witty, hip, camp, and inspired curation of lowbrow art, tracingthe origins of this genre's rise from obscurity to maturity, with beautiful color plates of some 23 artists known and collected for their renegade and liberating imagery, like Robert Williams, Pizz, Todd Schorr, and Gary Baseman.

Weirdos chronicles the Lowbrow art movement from its reaction against the high art that hangs on the high walls of museums and those whose work spawned the name. Jordan details a timeline that reads like a "Lowbrow for Dummies" guide. In Jordan's sophisticatedly "Lowbrow" style, he lists world events and local fads from where the artists drew their inspiration.


From the animation-influenced style, to the humorous and "carnivalesque sense of satire," tattoo art, romantic-era literature, and, not to be forgotten, hotrod culture, which Jordan has observed, the point is made that these are not only similar artists, but brothers in blood. Jordan points out that "eventually some of these artists seek admission to the great cathedrals of culture, only to discover that the high priests hesitate to show their work in the sanctorums" where "high brow" works are stored and revered. A polemic between appealing to mass audiences and working to be honest to one's own art is a contstant theme, showing up, for example, in Robert Williams' "The Ascension of the Mobile Abominators" combines no less than Assyrian lore, goddess worship, and trailer homes being decimated beneath an Aztec pyramid.

Mr. Jordan has placed a marker in the annals of history. If there is anything which captures the entirety of Lowbrow's drive, purpose, and themes, this is it! Jordan shows how these artists and many more not listed in his book are bonded by a titled motivation which has given form to a movement stressed by themes of alienation from not only society but the world of art. In doing this, the human condition is brushed over every picture and every artist's story. ... Read more

Book Description

Photography in Focus is a comprehensive photography textbook dealing with basic camera functions, lighting, film development, and printmaking for black and white and color photography.

Reviews (34)

QUICK to read GREAT book
I'm a person who buys a lot of books but doesn't always get around to reading them. It is impossible NOT to read this book. The length and especially the format make it irresistable to read it straight through (in less than an hour). And I had a NEWBORN at the time! The ideas are simple but very helpful and the illustrations completely get the point across. Some of the photos are beautiful enough to justify buying the book and there are plenty of shots which you could replicate before you get in the swing of thinking up your own ideas. Even with the first roll of film, I positively amazed myself with the quality of the photos I took of my new daughter and as I really got the hang of it, I was surprised I could be so creative. I emailed some photos to a friend and her coworkers thought they must have been taken by a professional (or one person thought I must have used a "bluescreen!"). People are asking me to photograph their kids! This is a very basic book written in plain (and sometimes funny) language and the ideas are completely EASY for anyone to follow. There is also an advanced section (which is also easy to read) for when you really get into it -- which is easy with this book. In addition, there are some great suggestions for ways to display your photos. I bought a few other books about photographing children and portrait photography at the same time and while I picked up a few brief ideas, the other books are mostly still lying around, largely unread. This is the only book which I have ever bothered to review (when I went online to buy it for a friend who is pregnant). Whatever the age of your child (or even just to improve your photographs of anyone or anything if you are an amateur) -- I HIGHLY recommend that you buy this book.

A must have for new photographers
Where I'm coming from-- I have an associates degree in photography, and I worked as a photographer through my college years. It's been about 10 years since I took pictures for a living, but I still shoot lots of film and read a couple photo books a year to keep current.

If you are an experienced photographer: This book is NOT a technical guide, it's more of a style guide. I found this book useful for reminding me about the basic principles that make great people pictures--get close, use natural light, shoot lots of film, etc. I'm adding the book to my collection, but you may want to rent it from your library.

If you are a new photographer: I think you'll find this book very helpful. It doesn't dwell on techno mumbo-jumbo, and it explains how to get great pictures without special, expensive equipment. The lessons are also useful for inspiring you to "just do it." Simply put, it is the BEST book I've ever read for baby photography, and I think you'll love it as much as I did!

Perfect Baby Shower Gift
Every new mom and dad should have this book to study before their baby arrives on the scene. It will make a difference in the quality of the photos they take of their baby. Little ones grow so fast!!! The photos we preserve hold a lifetime of memories.

Will help you take amazing photos of more than just babies..
I flipped through this book at a store and was so amazed. Full-color, great presentation of deceptively simple ideas. His premise is this - - Amatuers take medicore photos because they:
**Don't shoot enough film. (Take more pictures!)
**Don't get close-enough to the subject (use your zoom! get close!)
**Use flash (turn your flash off!)

This is a great, easy book with real tips and you will amaze yourself at how much you improve your photos after reading this.

The only shortfall, as I recall, is that he doesn't include tips on photo-finishing. A good picture is dimished with a bad print. Some advice on how to deal with your photo lab, how to find a good one, and how to request different types of boarders and papers would be excellent.

How To Photograph Your Baby
This is an excellent book with excellent ideas written to be understood by anyone. Great book for beginner photographers and even advanced amateurs. I not only got great ideas from the book but it also helped me understand lighting and gave me a better understanding for my camera. Thank you Nick Kelsh! ... Read more

Book Description

In the twenty-five years since Garrison Keillor first brought it tolife, the rural Minnesota town of Lake Wobegon has become a national treasure. In this lavishly produced photography book, word and image combine to illuminatethe real Minnesota town-life, landscapes, and people who inspired itscreation.

Taking us on a tour of Stearns County, the Minnesota county he deems most"Wobegonic," Keillor meditates on the origins of the place where, as a youngwriter, he found the inspiration for his fiction and his radio show.As anartful evocation of Keillor's beloved invention, Richard Olsenius's elegantlycomposed black-and-white photographs of rural Minnesota capture the dignity ofhis subjects, the beauties of the landscape as well as the enduring values andeccentricities of the communities rooted there.Photographs of the high schoolhomecoming court, the tidy, austere working farm, the cozy villages, and summerbarbecue at the lake are a visual feast for Lake Wobegon devotees as well as amoving tribute for anyone who feels the emotional claim of ruralAmerica.

A unique collaboration featuring more than eighty photographs reproduced induotone with extended captions written by Keillor, In Search of LakeWobegon is a beautifully produced work for the millions of radio listenersand book lovers who want to visit Wobegon again and again.

Photographs by Richard Olsenius ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Excellent book!
I was what you would call a "Noobie" to all of Garrison's work until recently. I picked up this book at a college library after speaking to my mother about the Minnesota author project I was recently assigned. She was familiar with his work and suggested that I look into it....so I did. I never thought that this would open up such big can of worms, and I mean this in a good sense. After reading the book from cover to cover, I went on the internet to find out more about Garrison's work and turned up some very interesting search results. I then read it again and now I guess you could say that I'm hooked on the Lake Wobegon saga and I am planning on picking up a couple of his earlier writings related to Lake Wobegon.
I really enjoyed reading this book and I would recommend this book to anyone who has vast, little, or no knowledge of Lake Wobegon.

A new addiction ;)
I was what you would call a "Noobie" to all of Garrison's work until recently. I picked up this book at a college library after speaking to my mother about the Minnesota author project I was recently assigned. She was familiar with his work and suggested that I look into it....so I did. I never thought that this would open up such big can of worms, and I mean this in a good sense. After reading the book from cover to cover, I went on the internet to find out more about Garrison's work and turned up some very interesting search results. I then read it again and now I guess you could say that I'm hooked on the Lake Wobegon saga and I am planning on picking up a couple of his earlier writings related to Lake Wobegon.
I really enjoyed reading this book and I would recommend this book to anyone who has vast, little, or no knowledge of Lake Wobegon.

Nostalgia at its "Best"
Fans of Keillor's "A Prairie Home Companion" are already an imaginative sort. We know what Arlene Bunsen looks like, or Pastor Inquist. We've got a good idea how Roger Hedlund has been rotating his crops, and the main goings on on Main Street. We don't need pictures of this area because we already know it by heart--we've seen it on the radio. This book does exactly what it should...it doesn't dispel our images of Lake Wobegon, but gives us pictures of its neighbors and people living their lives in rural Minnesota. All the images are sepia toned. With a few exceptions, the subjects are unposed and candid, getting ready for the prom, or readying the field for corn.

The composition of the shots are superb. The short prologue gives a first person retelling of how Keillor invented the town that "time forgot and the decades cannot improve." That introduction, however, is so short that it's almost unfair to say that this is a Garrison Keillor book. He essentially wrote the foreword (although it's not titled that way), and the pictures tell the real story.

My only disappointment is that there isn't any color. Certainly sepia tones give us nostalgia the way we'd like to remember it, but sunset on a farm is something you can't appreciate in shades of brown. Rural life has its monochromatic moments, to be sure, but there's enough color and life to help us remember that not everything is nostalgia.

This gripe doesn't detract from the beauty of this book, though. Thankfully we never see Lake Wobegon, only hints and shadows. It allows us to preserve our preconceptions, but gives us a deeper feeling of connection with the area. If you're a fan of APHC, you probably already own this book (or you should). If not, take a look at a lifestyle that might be foreign to you.

Land of Lakes
From the Central Minnesota prairie, in beautiful black and white pictures and picturesque prose, here is the Genesis of Garrison Keilor's magical mythical Lake Wobegon, site of "A Prairie Home Companion." Here we get to *see* the strong women, good-looking men, and above average children of and for whom he speaks on Saturday nights. Accompanying Richard Olsenius' stunning photography (how can the viewer not be deeply moved by the picture of the veterans at the St. Wendell cemetery on Memorial Day?) are excerpts from the Radio Show, interviews with inhabitants, and essays and musings from Keilor - like this:

"Culture isn't decor, it's what you know before you're twelve. It sticks with you all your born days. The apple doesn't fall far from the tree. You can try to wrestle free of it, like those geese who trail the V-formation, trying to look as if they aren't part of this bunch, as if flying south were a personal decision on their part, but your feint towards independence only makes it clearer who you really are. Some people like hot dish better if it's called cassoulet, or pot roast if it's pot-au-feu. Fine. Suit yourself. Same difference."

Whatever you call those culinary delights, you'll like this book. Come see Father Kleinschmidt's Annual Blessing of the Snowmobiles. Ja, you betcha! Reviewed by TundraVision.

Big Hit
This was purchased as a Mother's Day gift for my Mother-In-Law and it was a big hit. She really loved it - as did my Father-In-Law. Garrison Keillor already seems to be a big hit with the over 50 crowd and this book fits perfectly with his style. ... Read more

Book Description

Covering all facets of photography and video, this practical guide features step-by-step photography and easy-to-understand information on the basics.

Handy guides that use pictures to give readers the information they need, 101 Essential Tips feature comprehensive coverage, beautiful full-color images, and straightforward, practical information on a wide variety of subjects. Every point can be absorbed quickly and easily with 101 authoritative tips that will make anyone an expert in an instant. ... Read more

Reviews (13)

Free your mind and your camera will follow
This is a good book for the beginning to intermediate photographer who is having trouble feeling comfortable venturing out and capturing great photographs. It delves into the Tao mindset; how to co-exist living life to it's fullest and also photographing without discrimination. It's great in that it get's you thinking about not just the way(s) that you take pictures, but also perhaps why you do so.

It is filled with great black and white photographs by some of the greats such as Henri Cartier-Bresson and Weston, in addition to the author's own photographic examples. The book is a relatively short and easy read and the photographs take up many of the pages.

1. The size of it is like a coffee table book but paperback. Since there is a lot of text to read, it can be a bit uncomfortable to read (but great to look at the pictures).

2. There isn't really much direct photographic, picture-taking techniques discussed. The book more makes parallels between the Tao philosophies and applies them to photography, but it doesn't outline enough photographic examples of this.

In all, it is a good book however dwells too much on the purely Tao teachings, without providing enough relevant direct examples to photographic techniques and practices.

It did however aid in changing my view of photography and the way in which I photograph now with a very observant, open mind. I did that before, but this book helped remind me to keep on doing it.

Photographers and Spiritual Seekers
I just finished "Tao of Photography: Seeing Beyond Seeing". What an extraordinary book! Filled with tools and tips for seeing the world in a new and profound way, it has greatly enhanced my life.

The book's breathtaking photographs and illuminating text present a compelling philosophy of immediacy, useful to photographers and non-photographers alike. If its suggestions are followed, this book will help readers to see the world with new eyes and to more fully experience the present moment.

For photographers who seek excellence in their craft, for spiritual seekers interested in seeing beyond ordinary reality, and even for folks who simply enjoy looking at beautiful photographs, I highly recommend "Tao of Photography: Seeing Beyond Seeing".

Excellent Book
Excellent book, particularly the first half which discusses principles of taoism as applied to photography. Don't confuse this book with one of the same name by Tom Ang.

Not another book about exposure or Photoshop
If you believe that photography is not just about cameras, lenses, and nowadays Photoshop, this book will inspire you.

Don't get me wrong: in order to free your mind to be creative, you must be expert at using your tools. But there is more to the craft than the tool. This book will show you how to let your creativity express itself, flowing from your mind, to your tools, and to your viewers.

How do I Find the Way?
The Tao of Photography is not aimed at individuals interested in improving their technical photography skills. Rather it is aimed at the photographer who will be willing to consider reorienting the way that he or she views the world to improve his or her photography and to find opportunities for personal growth through photography.

The book does this by outlining some of the principles of Taoism, an ancient Asian philosophy of life, and then drawing parallels to the teachings of great photographers, like Minor White, Henri Cartier Bresson, and Ansel Adams. Taoist philosophy states that, to be a sage (and, by extension, a creative photographer), a person must harmonize Great Understanding and Little Understanding, that is, the open mind and the discriminatory or constricted mind. What the photographer must do is live in the moment and open his mind to the possibilities in the world. One should escape from the state of constricted awareness. Technique is seen as a possible barrier to better photography.

It has been said that the most important tool of a photographer is the mind. One's philosophical approach to the world may indeed affect the quality of the images that one captures. If, as I believe, this is so, a book that suggests an adjustment of that approach is worth consideration by the serious photographer.

This book convinced me that adopting a Taoist view of the world might improve the quality of the pictures I take. However, my complaint with the book is that having created a desire to explore Taoist doctrine, there were no guide posts as to how to incorporate those principles into my photography or my life. The book did suggest several exercises, most of them derived from Freeman Patterson's "Photography and the Art of Seeing", but I've tried them and they didn't lead to the major refocusing that the book suggests. In fact the book even quoted Alan Watts, a commentator on Asian philosophy, who says "there is no way ...to come into accord with the Tao...because...every method implies a goal. And we cannot make the Tao a goal."

So this book got my attention and created a need, and offered no help in satisfying it. Yet it did cause me to examine my own photographic philosophy. Any book that can get a serious photographer to reconsider his fundamental approach to life and its effect on his work is certainly worth reading.

The book itself is quite beautiful. The photographs, by a number of great camera artists as well as author Gross, are all in black and white, as if abstracting color would simplify the world and make it easier to come to grips with. The design is excellent and generous, with plenty of white space, perhaps designed to reflect the serenity of the Way. ... Read more

Reviews (10)

Dull technical review
This is a mediocre book that presents a lot of loosely related technical facts but almost no link to the creative side of photography. For example, you learn how aperture affects depth of field but never really get a feel for why you would ever want to change depth of field and what creative control it gives you. The books is full of technical detail but is badly missing INSIGHT. Anyone serious about photography will get a lot more out of Ansel Adams trilogy ("The Camera", "The Negative", "The Print") which is very inspirational and insightful.

A clear guide to B&W photography technique
This is an ideal text for a photographer who wishes to advance his/her understanding of black & white photography methods. Without excessive detail, the steps that go into the making of a print, and the reasons that justify these steps, are clearly discussed. As the author points out from the start (in the subtitle), this is a technical manual. Those who are looking for a book on the "creative" and "inspirational" aspects of photography should look elsewhere. However, a prerequisite to "creativity" is a solid technical background, and you probably cannot learn "creativity" from a book if you haven't got it to begin with. If you think the techniques of photography are "dull", do not try this book. But for a photographer who wishes to understand them, rather than merely follow them as a cookbook recipe, this is a superb intermediate textbook.

Not very Technical or Up to Date
This book is really surprisingly still in print. It's from the 70's and it looks like it. Some useful information can be gleaned from it to be overgenerous. I find it rather amusing in fact. The photos inside are absolutely ridiculous. They are clearly examples of "just let me take your picture for this ass of a book I'm writing..." -- the fat couple in lawn chairs is pretty funny (pg. 21). The discussion of the zone system is laughably short and comprises only 5 pages. Most of the discussion centers around mixing various chemicals in various ratios. I wonder if all of these are still available on the market. The drawings in the text are third grade level, and someone actually gets credit on the cover! This is a very poorly done text and I don't recommend it with so many other books out there on this subject matter.

Great read
As a student of Henry's at the Rhode Island School of Design I read the book BEFORE I attended RISD I was captivated by the simple ways he explained the "sometimes" complexity of photography.

Such as Henry's way - making life easy and fun for everyone.

I suggest checking out his other books too.

very good
When I did my BFA some 15 years ago this was the standard book then. When I did my MFA ten years ago this was still the standard textbook. If you study photography today it is THE textbook. All textbooks by Mr. Horenstein are SUPERB books to teach and to learn from. All four books are excellent, complete, straight to the point, and cheap! ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (5)

Even his rough sketches have a quality few can match
It is a tribute to the artistic genius of Leonardo da Vinci that even his rough sketches have a dynamic quality that few people can match. The 60 sketches in this collection are sometimes rough, and yet they exhibit a detail and a precision that make them look like finished works. The level of detail in his anatomical drawings is so exquisite, that the bulges in the muscles appear to extend out of the page. Many of his sketches also represent daily events such a storm over a village, a grove of trees, plants in the wild and sometimes just the heads of people met in public.
My favorite is the sketch of drapery laying on an upraised surface. So lifelike that it is superior to many photographs, the level of detail is amazing. Arguably the most talented person who ever lived, da Vinci is clearly one of the best at drawing the world has ever seen. After looking at these drawings, no one could ever doubt that supposition.

A good reference book.
This small book is great for a quick reference to a DaVinci drawing but its not good for really anything else. Its just what you should get if you need a DaVinci drawing for a quick study. There are all types of drawing examples in it. I suppose its worth the money.

The Master's Work Is Incomparable
This is a good collection of da Vinci's drawings. It is one of the best among those in the Dover Art Library. A few of the pictures so vividly captured the instantaneous expressions of men in various emotional states that one is left breathless by da Vinci's incomparable power of observation and stunning drawing skills. Another bunch of drawings had complicated contents and they all showed amazingly accurate perspective geometry. One is left with no doubt that the great artist is no less a great scientist.

This book, being a collection of drawings, does little to teach, but it is a good reference and a standard of excellence for comparison with other drawings. I recommend it for any serious art student.

Great for drawing practice
This booklet is good for copying practice. All of the lines are clear, but deterioration marks transferred on some sheets. Figurative drawing is best represented, but there is also some architecture, flowers, horses, landscape, and two drapery studies. The text is minimal, but it provides the date, location and materials used for each sheet.

If you want a more beautiful book, Clayton's "LdV: A Singular Vision". It has many of the same drawings (and many more) cleaned up in full color (lines lighter, but still clear). Marani's "LdV: The Complete Paintings" also has clean reproductions of many of these drawings (usually smaller) and excellent reproductions of the paintings.

the ultimate picture book
This a great book if you're looking to decorate your room, but it's not much for explanations. It is very lacking in text, but then again, the prints more than speak for themselves. A great book for any art collector. ... Read more

Book Description

Book Description

* The Nikon D70 is one of today's top-selling digital SLR cameras, with estimated worldwide sales of 80,000 units a month
* This book is packed with nearly 300 pages of beautiful color photos, valuable how-to information, and step-by-step techniques on maximizing the potential of the Nikon D70
* Appealing to weekend shooters as well as more serious digital photographers, this guide goes where photographers go and provides valuable shooting tips that can be used in the field
* A friendly, conversational writing style assures readers that they can easily and quickly get excellent pictures by following the featured no-fail formulas ... Read more

Book Description

The Darkroom Handbook is a complete illustrated manual of skills, equally useful to the beginner who has never processed film but wants to try and to the experienced amateur or professional who is already highly proficient in darkroom procedures. From the most basic techniques (setting up a darkroom, loading film in a developing tank, handling chemicals) to the most complicated (making dye transfer prints, solarization, pointillism effects), it explains everything, step by step, with an abundance of photographs, drawings, and charts that no other book can match. Written by one of the world's foremost photographic educators and produced by the editorial team responsible for such best-selling guides as The Photographer's Handbook and The Step-by-Step Guide to Photography, this book has been carefully organized to lead the novice readily into progressively more interesting and sophisticated procedures. For the first time in any darkroom book, a major emphasis has been placed on color -- not only basic processing and printing, but also advanced methods of handling color creatively.

Comprehensive, wonderfully clear, handsomely produced and printed, The Darkroom Handbook is an essential part of every photographer's library. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Techniques can be crossed over to Digital Photography
I have found it practical to use older textbooks on analog photography techniques to sharpen skills and enhance creativity in the digital realm. While newer books are being written on such topics they tend to skip along and trivialize important concepts. Good pictures only enhances one's ability to approach such hybidization attempts. Digital photography has enhanced my appreciation of all forms of photography and this book, and others like it, further fuel this love. Read, reread, and refer to this book.

One of my all-time favorite photo books
I've had this book for 10 years and would be heart-broken if I ever lost it. It's a wonderful source for the photographer who is ready to go beyond the basics and try more adventerous and experimental techniques in the darkroom. It's the only book I've ever found that has so many ways to jazz up your photographs beyond the 'same old.' If you like having fun in the darkroom, this is the book for you.

great guide for all beginning photographers
When i first began learning photography in high school this was my first textbook. With its easy to follow diagrams it really opened my eyes, with out intimidating me, to what there is to be done with photography. This book inspired me to continue my education into a college major. This is a great book for anyone interested in photography. It is full of great examples of the techniques used to creat this wonderfull art. ... Read more

Book Description

Collection of portraits, selected from public and private holdings by art historian Trevor J. Fairbrother, reveal the technical skill and intuitive eye for which American portrait painter John Singer Sargent is renowned. Drawings in pencil, pastels and charcoal—a lesser-known aspect of Sargent’s oeuvre—are shown. List of Plates. Introduction. Captions.
... Read more

Reviews (6)

Very Enjoyable Collection
This book is one of the best among those in the Dover Art Library. I really like this book because the selection includes many beautifully executed portraits. Sargent's style is at once both romantic and incisive. The portraits are so highly expressive that one is compelled to assume accurate likeness.

John Singer Sargent is a great master of portraiture. This very enjoyable collection does him justice.

John Singer Sargent's drawings are off the hook!
Sargent was very talented in the art of drawing. He drew at least 1,500 drawings throughout his long, busy artistic career. His portrait drawings of prominent people are beautiful and very realistic. I liked his drawing of Consuelo Yznaga, Duchess of Manchester. That drawing captured the expression of a vibrant middle aged woman. His nude figures are still the most magnificent expression of manhood. I recommend this book to those who are interested in the many talents of John Singer Sargent or artists looking for inspiration.

The more intimate sketches of a society painter.
The Amazon page-listing for this volume is somewhat misleading - there ARE two pages of text (Selector Trevor J. Fairbrother's brief, insightful introduction), but there are also 42 pages of (paper) plates.

Often dismissed as a mere society portrait painter, the real poignancy of John Singer Sargent's work lay in the truth that the society he recorded was on the point of vanishing with the Great War. This sense is heightened by the form of the works reproduced here - drawings composed in pencil and charcoal. Their Cheshire-Cat-grin sketchiness, the way faces seem to materialise or dematerialise bodiless or skeletal on the page, gives them an overwhelmingly ghostly feel.

The most moving pictures here are of the now-forgotten heiresses, young wives, fresh-faced soldiers, and indulgent or austere parents, refugees from the fiction of Henry James, Edith Wharton and Proust, denied the immortality conferred on Singer's more famous subjects, such as Nijinsky, Myra Hess, Faure or Kenneth Grahame. Singer may not be as remorselessly analytical as his literary peers, but he has a wit, satiric sense and emotional empathy all of his own, burrowing out the melancholy behind the glittering facades. Singer seems particularly inspired by long, swan-like necks, as if their owners' beauty already sang their death. The notorious hostess Mme. Pierre Gautreau reclines on a sofa, bored and miserable as a beached mermaid; Nellie Huxley stares at us with sad, tired eyes.

Conversely, the portraits of imperious grandes dames, such as the Myrna Loy-like Mme. Eugenia Huici Errazuriz, are surprisingly sexy; while the Duchess of Marlborough flirts with gamine charm. Portraits of friends, such as the eccentric composer Dame Ethel Smyth, are more informal and playful. Androgyny is another favourite theme, while the unsigned portrait of working class Italian youth Olimpio Fusco glows with sympathetic homoeroticism. In fact, Singer's defining temperament, judging from this collection, is one of amused curiosity, as he sketches the garish and the gloomy, the restless and the resigned, the social and the solitary.

The sketches of notables are often great fun - a shadow-darkened W.B. Yeats as self-regarding buffoon; Jascha Heifitz in an intense tondo of fiddle-like scribbles, encircling a still white face rapt in concentration; Viscountess Astor lost in folds of Napoleonic grandeur; and a young Ernest Thesiger, displaying impish hints of his most famous future film role, as Dr. Pretorious in 'Bride of Frankenstein'.

You can learn from these drawings, for sure.
I vision perhaps there are three "kinds" of readers that can benefit from this book.

1) Those who want to learn to copy drawings from the great masters, for practice (to improve drawing skill) or pleasure (to display or show them to their admirers), or both.

2) Those who like to collect works by the great masters.

3) Those who are, like me, looking to see how this portraitist genius (i.e. John Singer Sargent) treats contrast, light, shadow, edges, and so on, in his drawings. They are all in there, for a good price.

Sargent Portrait Drawings : 42 Works

If anything at all, _this_ IS the John Singer Sargent book to buy!

John Singer Sargent has once again exemplified his skills as an artist through his GORGEOUS portrait drawings.

Unlike other artists, Sargent conveys emotion - passion - with his use of line, stroke, and tone incomparable to any other artist. (Believe me, Sargent is the Artist of Portraiture). This book inspired my art teacher to go into portraiture. This is perhaps the best collection of Sargent's line work. These 42 Works are VERY resourceful for the drawing student and very enjoyable for the viewer/reader. Sketches depict a wide variety of people (people focused in the fine arts - actors, writers, etc.).

A majority of these portrait drawings are done in charcoal; a few are done in pencil. This book includes an introduction by Trevor J. Fairbrother.

This book is also VERY affordable (gotta love the folks at Dover), so if you decide to take one apart for use as reference, you can always buy another. ^-^

Buy this. You won't be disappointed! ... Read more

Book Description

This photo book is long overdue! Man’s ‘best part’ finally gets the photographic appreciation it deserves. A monument in 112 pages of pure carnal desire, exciting portraits and close-ups of HIM in color and black-and-white, unadorned, untamed and direct. Giovanni pays homage to the penis in open, extremely multi-faceted photography. Circumcised or uncut, shaved or hairy, limp or stiff –this book is a must for everyone who has one (or wants one...)! ... Read more