Reviews (4)

Great - Fantastic HOW TO Book
The title of this book is somewhat misleading... but only in a minor way. EVERY photo in this book is about people... not the more generic "Studio and Commercial" photography... I'd have paid good money to see a couple still lifes of an apple and an orange by the time I reached the end. In fairness, Jack "What's his name" has obviously fantastic work (Like he needs MY endorsement), and all that he has to offer are words of wisdom... I just wish it was as easy in reality as he makes it look in literature!!!

Reznicki walks you through all of the steps of creating an image, from receiving the phone call on Friday afternoon, to getting your crew lined up, building the sets, models, and client management!! Great info if you want to make a buck with your images! Good diagrams on how he gets his images too!!

Studio & Commercial Photography
A top notch resource for the working pro and amateurs alike. I picked up some tips that have made my job so much easier. The book is very relaxed and open in its presentation with a no nonsense delivery of information.

Become Inspired In Just 176 Pages
As a writer (newspapers, corporate publications, magazines), I'm very critical of writing technique. There's not much to criticize here, though, because Jack writes like he probably talks: conversationally, but clearly. That's a big deal because usually photographers can get by with writing cutline info...few are trained in written storytelling. A voracious reader could whiz through the book in an evening, but believe me, you'll reread it again and again.

As a photographer who's just opened a portrait studio, the book has helped me in many ways. For instance, Jack tells readers how to coax reactions from those hardest of subjects -- children. That's going to be very helpful in my studio. Additionally, he offers much technical advice that every shooter is bound to find useful. Finally, he covers the business aspect of photography that gets glossed over in other books. Jack's advice in this area is real world...he's worked for large clients most of us have heard of, so I'm willing to trust his words implicitly.

In short, a fine book that's bound to be helpful, too. What more do you want?

Time well spent with great Pro
This book is like spending time in Jack's Studio when he's very busy solving problems and creating great images. The only difference is that in the book, he has time to talk with you and tell you why and how of everything he does. I got lots of solid information from this book. I applied some great stuff that I learned the first week I read it. Jack's an easy guy to learn from. (His writing is easy and not like many photographers who are good with images but poor with words.) For anybody thinking of starting or improving their commercial studio business, this book is one of the best! ... Read more

Reviews (16)

WOW!
Gary Gladstone's book Corporate & Location Photography is just......WOW! His careful and generous way of sharing his intensive knowledge of photography, lighting and techniques, and his detailed descriptions of all phases of location and corporate photography is impressive.

Any photographer from amateur to pro will find this book irreplaceable. It is packed full of ingenious tips, invaluable advice and inspiring, new ideas that every photographer can benefit from.

This book goes with me EVERYWHERE. Gary, thank you for sharing!

Gary Gladstone has gone above and beyond the call in writing
Amazon delivered this purchase on time and as promised. After opening CORPORATE & LOCATION PHOTOGRAPHY I could not set it down. Experience counts in this business and Gary has communicated that experience to the Nth degree. The chapter showing and telling about his "Road Kit" is worth the price of the book alone. Any photographer worth his salt recognizes the value received exceeds the cost of this book.

Great Book about being a PROFESSIONAL
Gary Gladstone has taken the art of being a good photographer and crafted a book on how to be a successful professional photographer. Its not enought to take good photos, and this book shows you what else you need if you are thinking about making money, and not just spending it, in pictures.

This is the Stuff They Don't Teach In Schools!
This is just a wonderful book for anybody building a business as a freelance photographer. Gary tells you the inside stuff that many pros even keep from their assistants. The book loaded with real world examples of how problems get solved and how to steer your job planning to keep from getting in trouble later. If you're going to shoot outside your studio, then this book should put your mind at ease with strategies. He walks you through real problems with examples of how to avoid or get out of jams.

Gladstone teaches how to think your way through a job. The chapter on assistants is a much read if you're thinking of starting that way.

The visuals are great! Makes you want to run out and start shooting. I just love this book. Thanks Gary.

Walt Moon

WATCH OUT!!!!
I'm a begginer in this field, there is no doubt this is a good book. But, if you are a begginer too, don't buy this one, because it has just 30 pages for "TRICKS & HINTS" out of 160. There are a lot of photographs, but it is a shame there is no explanation on what lences, nor films, nor speed shutter, etc. he is using.
He only talks about "HOW TO DO BUSSINESS", it is good, and about dealing with people (your assistant, your clients), this is usefull too.
By the other hand, I don't think it is more usefull how to packing your equipement than how to take a good photograph.
So, the title of the book has got nothing to do with the content. WATCH OUT!!! ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Fine Book
I've been a photographer for 25 years, and this book helped me out considerably when I took the leap from news photojournalism to wedding photography. It is full of example scenarios, and the author has a firm grasp of both the theory and how to apply it in practice. If you are using a 283 or 285 Vivitar, this book features that. If you are using Sunpak 544 or Metz 60 CT-1, this book will be a huge help. If you are using the latest overly fancy TTL rig, this book will explain the theory well enough that you will be able to apply this theory to your specific TTL rig, which is probably not detailed here. Excellent photo illustrations of the results and the operation of the flash. This book is best for someone that realizes that there is more to a good photographic result than pointing the camera roughly in the direction of the subject, pushing a button, and hoping for the best.

Book Reviw
This book is very useful. I picked up some good hints on flash photography. ... Read more

Book Description

Discusses the use of high-speed films; camera handling for steadiness; lenses; the correct film for tungsten lighting, fluorescent lighting, and mercury-vapor lamps; and filters. Includes tables that give exposure recommendations for taking photographs in typical existing-light situations, such as in the home, outdoors at night, and in public places. 88 pages (200 illustrations), 8-1/2 x 11.
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Reviews (3)

Great summary for a workshop with assignments
This small book summarizes almost everything the begginer to intermediate available light photographer needs to know (zone system not included - buy Adams "The Negative"), and includes several technical tables, understandably mentioning only Kodak products. It's pleasant to find a book that describes what I have been using for years without having read it before.

Not very impressive
This books explains the very basic knowledge of available-light photography, like when and how to use a tripod. Additional information is given about how to choose and use the right (Kodak-) film for specific situations. Thus I can recommend this book only to beginners in this field or people with their own lab. The photographs in this book are old and not very impressive.

Excellent
Although the example pictures look like they were taken quiet some time ago, this book is very up-to-date in my opinion. I've searched through the book stores, and I think that this is the best guide for this particular topic. Easy to read, good examples, etc., "suggested exposure settings" table that comes with it, is very useful for a beginner like me. ... Read more

Book Description

Gives creative and technical advice that explains how filters work and how you can use them to capture extraordinary images in color and black and white. Shows how to create mood, add dazzle, render normal colors under artificial lighting, and more. 96 pages (over 180 illustrations), 8-1/2 x 11.
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Reviews (3)

selling soap
You wont find any great secrets to photographing the nude in this book. The author seems more concerned on ways of covering the nude than photographing it. Photographic examples are glib and fomulatic looking. Photographs are composed and lighted for soap and skin care product ads that would be aimed at the female consummer and won't offend granma.

Feeling let down
A number of years ago I thoroughly enjoyed Nancy Brown's book on Advertising Photography and so I ordered her book on Nude Photography sight unseen. I was very disappointed. This book gives very few details on what is a very complicated subject and also manages to give too much information on some very obvious points. I was also disappointed with the photographs. A lot of them were the same in pose and lighting and, although I do understand that the author is doing a series of non-nude photographs with capes, those photos do not belong in this book. The lighting diagrams give very little information and the size of those diagrams and the size of the some of the print take up an inordinate amount of the pages. This book is a very quick read with little information. Had this been an article in a photography magazine I would not be complaining so loudly. For the price of this book however, I feel that the author has let us down.

A Good Start
I first noticed this book at a photo store. After a few minutes browsing I thought it looked interesting. However after buying it I found there was little more to it than what I had picked up in a quick browse. There are some interesting perspectives on working with models. There are also a few technical hints, and some advice on breaking in the business. But I thought none of the topics was covered in sufficient depth to be useful. It's a good start to a book that needs to either focus topics or expand greatly to be useful. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Not focused
This 1996 edition is the exact same copy as the 1981 original with some updated photos. Almost 50% of the book is the story of some guy building a darkroom in his basement, showing how it was done, meant as a guide for building a darkroom in your basement. Although it shows how this darkroom was built, it does not offer a lot of alternatives for different situations found in homes or garages or attics or the various possibilities where one might want a darkroom. The book struggles between trying to be a darkroom manual, or a construction manual, and comes out weak on both. The chapter on planning (14 pages) is the most helpful. The book should have assumed the reader has been in or used a darkroom before, and that general construction techniques for plumbing or electricity or finish carpentry could be gotten from other books; spending time instead concentrating on all the various types of home darkrooms, were they might be built, and various options for them, whether under the steps or building a new bathroom/darkroom combination. For example there is nothing in this book about using a temperature control device, or how to hook one up (something that would not be covered in a regular plumbing book). If you are planning to build a darkroom, or convert a space into one, this book can be of some help, but ultimately a disappointment because it could have been so much better.

Only buy this if you want basic building information.
This books has actual construction as the focus. It will teach you how to layout and build floors, walls, etc. The segments on design and layout are very weak. ... Read more

Book Description

Choosing the right interchangeable lenses for your 35mm system can make a dramatic difference in your photography. This entry in the Kodak Workshop Series provides the in-depth guide that you need, written in an easy-to-understand style.An invaluable reference, it covers: * basic focal length characteristics, zoom vs. fixed focal length lenses, and choosing the best lens for any situation * when to use manual focus versus autofocus * how focal length and subject distance affect perspective * the benefits and drawbacks of prime and zoom lenses * available accessories, care and maintenance, and buying new or used lenses * how to achieve optimum performance. Over 290 color and black-and-white photos illustrate the capabilities of the various focal length lenses.Silver Pixel 112 pages (41 in color), 178 b/w illus., 8 1/2 x 11.
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Reviews (1)

Five stars, could be less ??
A big five stars rating for this book, another one of the Kodak Workshop Series. This one covers the choice and the use for each kind of lens for a 35 mm camera. The book is, like all the others of the series, well written, clear, and with a lot of technical data about each kind of lens. When I begun my work as a professional photographer I've used this book a lot, and still now, I use it sometimes. So: perfect for the beginner or the advanced amateur and worth a reading for each pro. ... Read more

Book Description

Combine the best of conventional film photography with new and expanded creative possibilities! The quality of digital photography just keeps on improving, and you'll find that this technology make it incredibly easy to create "magic" with your images. Start with film and digitally play with transparencies, negatives, or prints--or try a digital camera at the outset.
* An overview helps you figure out the best way for you to begin.
* Understand pixel resolution and all the key concepts.
* Compare models of digital cameras.
* Shooting tips will assure that you get the best possible digital originals
* Make use of the scanner to improve the years of past pictures and negatives you've stored.
* Get other methods--besides scanners and digital cameras - for inputting images.
* A full rundown of software, including business and desktop publishing, as well as outputting.
* Store, save, and share images.
Your photos will look better than ever before!

... Read more

Reviews (2)

A "Bible" to GREAT digital images.
Obviously, in the new digital age, we have to be concerned with more that pushing a button. This book gave me a great insight to how to make a great image using cameras, programs, and printing. I use it constantly

Not What I Had Hoped
I was hoping to purchase a book that covered digital photography in some detail, from composition to lighting to equipment limitations. In particular I was looking for an in-depth look at the tactics and strategies of digital photography. Sadly, this book did not fit the bill for me. It's scope is too large and covers topics that I had no interest in -- scanning, printing, file manipulation, stock art, and other "off-topic" subjects. The title is misleading on that front. I would suggest the title be changed to something like "Digital Imaging: Capturing, Manipulating, Scanning, and Printing" It is a nicely presented book, but not what I had hoped for and expected. ... Read more

Book Description

Features techniques for achieving high quality at both the camera and darkroom stages of making a photograph, with emphasis on image control, appearance, and fine-art presentation. Includes toning comparisons as well as a section on hand-coloring prints.
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Reviews (3)

Lacks "How To"
Nice presentation actually aimed at ~Novice experience levels with some knowledge of darkroom proceedures. As may be expected, this book concentrates on Kodak technical info, particularly the newer films and chemicals for the T-Max films. Disappointed older films such as Tri-X, Plus-X are omitted entirely. Again, the book identifies many proceedures and processes but doesn't teach the "How To" very well.

Not very helpful
This book has decent information for novice photographers who would like to work exclusively with Kodak film and chemistry, but it is of little use to someone who simply wants to take better pictures or who does not have access to a well-outfitted darkroom. All in all, if you want to be a professional photographer, your money is better spent on other books, or even a class.

Not truly advanced, assumes Kodak materials throughout
A nice presentation at mostly a novice level, with some advanced techniques. The problem being if you don't own or have access to a full blown darkroom (lab), and use Kodak T-Max films and associated chemicals, the technical data will be of little use. Some information is out of date. This IS an economical book to obtain and will help a novice in a general way. ... Read more

Book Description

Shows you how to take better photographs by studying the elements of the subject, using lighting, composition, color, shape, form, texture, and viewpoint. Explains how cameras, lenses, and films see differently from you. Suggests ways to achieve creativity by shattering preconceptions and lack of awareness. Helps you break through creative barriers.
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Reviews (4)

Discovering your true potential thru hightened seeing
This is one of the best books that highten your photographic abilities. It makes you aware of preconceptions you may have about photography, and encourages you to explore your seeing and observation skills. Included are chapters on what elements make up a scene, the importance of composition and lighting, and varying your ways of looking and treating the subject. I've reread it several times, learning new things everytime. It's remarkably well written and is non-technical.

Training for the Most Important Tool of Photography
The Art of Seeing is the latest, and most unique, book in my small but growing library on photography. I bought it because I was taking the same photographs over and over again and getting bored and frustrated with a hobby that I used to really enjoy. This book helped me work on the most important tool of photography: my eyes.
This book does what it says: teaches the art of seeing. I have been stuck in a rut of trying to take the pictures that I am "supposed" to take according to what my preconceptions tell me make a good photograph. This book encourages you to see everything differently and to photograph whatever you want.
Doeffinger breaks the book down into different aspects of what makes a picture, including color, depth, and form. He teaches you how to gain a new respect for every part of what makes a picture great while encouraging you figure out on your own what would make a picture great for you. While being a more abstract book, it does not fail to mention what techniques will help you bring out what you see with your eyes and put in on film. It does assume that you already know the basics of photography such as arpeture and film grain, but is careful not to go over the heads of beginners. Being an out of print book, the pictures are a little outdated but overall I would recommend this book to any photographer trying to put new life into their pictures.

Breaking out of the rut
This is a very good book for breaking out of the rut when you find yourself totally stuck for things to photograph. While some of the images remind one of those you might take in an introduction to photography class, that's not all bad. It gets your creative juices flowing again. Book helps you break repetitive image making and promotes creative thought processes, and it's not as dull as this sounds.

Visualization basics
A good intro book to expand the beginning photographers understanding of visual imagery.Will open your mind to new ways of viewing the world around you and lead you to create more interesting and engaging photos. ... Read more