Book Description

The Print is the third and final book in The Ansel Adams Photography Series--the seminal guides fully revised by Ansel Adams shortly before his death in 1984.

The Print, now available in paperback like the other volumes in the series, belongs on every photographer's shelf. It covers the entire printmaking process, from designing and furnishing a darkroom and experimenting with your first print, to mastering advanced techniques such as developer modifications, toning, and bleaching, and burning and dodging. This thorough guide is filled with indispensable darkroom techniques and tips, and amply illustrated with photographs and technical drawings. It is an indispensable tool for mastering the complex art of photographic printmaking. ... Read more

Reviews (8)

This is great book
In this book, Adams said Expression is more important than reality, idea more important than fact, the print more important than its subject. For it is only in the print that such magnificence can be unfailingly orchestrated. Those words made me think that what is good photograph. The book opens with a thoroughly enjoyable, albeit brief, history of photography before getting down to explain printing techniques.

The majority of the text concentrates it's efforts in educating the reader in the art of B&W photography. This book tells readers that what are good prints making techniques. After reading this book you will feel like that your printing skills are very improved. The reader will see many wonderful pictures as examples, that will surely create a better impression as to what type of pictures Adams takes.

This is great book !!!
In this book, Adams said Expression is more important than reality, idea more important than fact, the print more important than its subject. For it is only in the print that such magnificence can be unfailingly orchestrated. Those words made me think that what is good photograph. The book opens with a thoroughly enjoyable, albeit brief, history of photography before getting down to explain printing techniques.

The majority of the text concentrates it's efforts in educating the reader in the art of B&W photography. This book tells readers that what are good prints making techniques. After reading this book you will feel like that your printing skills are very improved. The reader will see many wonderful pictures as examples, that will surely create a better impression as to what type of pictures Adams takes.

This Book is Great !!
In this book, Adams said Expression is more important than reality, idea more important than fact, the print more important than its subject. For it is only in the print that such magnificence can be unfailingly orchestrated. Those words made me think that what is good photograph. The book opens with a thoroughly enjoyable, albeit brief, history of photography before getting down to explain printing techniques.

The majority of the text concentrates it's efforts in educating the reader in the art of B&W photography. This book tells readers that what are good prints making techniques. After reading this book you will feel like that your printing skills are very improved. The reader will see many wonderful pictures as examples, that will surely create a better impression as to what type of pictures Adams takes.

Excellent Book for any Serious B&W Photographer
This is one of a few books in this Ansel Adams series. He discusses a number of aspects of the print, it's limitations, and many techniques that can be used to exploit print characteristics. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is at all serious about B&W photography whether developing your own prints or not.

A must have in the age of digital
This book though dry and technical has plenty of information that is a must have for any aspirinf photographer who wishes to push their black and white print skills furhter. Given that digital camera sales are now out stripping analog cameras will this book still have relevence? ... Read more

Book Description

Originally published in 1987, Joel Sternfeld’s now-classic view of America is here remastered, redesigned, and reprinted at a larger, brighter, truer scale. Finally, photography and offset printing techniques have caught up with Sternfeld’s eye, and this new edition of American Prospects succeeds in presenting Sternfeld’s most seminal work as it has always meant to be shown. A specially-commissioned essay by Kerry Brougher, Chief Curator at the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, considers the historical context in which Sternfeld was working and the pivotal role that American Prospects has played in the course of contemporary filmmaking and art photography. In American Prospects, a fireman shops for a pumpkin while a house burns in the background; a group of motorcyclists stop at the side of the road to take in a stunning, placid view of Bear Lake, Utah; the high-tech world headquarters of the Manville Corporation sits in picturesque Colorado, obscured by a defiant boulder; a lone basketball net stands in the desert near Lake Powell in Arizona; and a cookie-cutter suburban housing settlement rests squarely amongst rolling hills in Pendleton, Oregon. Sternfeld's photographic tour of America is a search for the truth of a country not just as it exists in a particular era but as it is in its ever-evolving essence. It is a sad poem, but also a funny and generous one, recognizing endurance, poignant beauty, and determination within its sometimes tense, often ironic juxtapositions of man and nature, technology and ruin. ... Read more

Reviews (19)

The best photo-art book ever. Period.
Okay, so this book contains pictures of girls under 18 in the nude. Try to look at the bigger picture. That would be all that is beautiful in our world, and David hamilton has tried to fit as much as he can in one place. Many before him have tried, none have succeeded as he has. the pictures of countrysides, seascapes and Italian villas all join together with the aforemetioned images to create a perfect symmetry of beauty. This book is well worth its price, and then some.

Absolutely stunning!!
This is 'THE' Hamilton book to own! I have never seen anything so beautiful and classical as this before. Hamilton is a true master artist and this book shows the depths to which he explores his art. As one other reader said, when you see the pages of this book unfold before you, you feel as if you are entering a classical landscape of beauty and enchantment. The subject matter (young girls) is a heated topic, however the way Hamilton photographs each subject is a tribute to the eye of a master. There is nothing obscene or pornographic in the pages of this book. This is pure and innocent beauty from a period in life where everything is confusing and magical. The goal of any great photographer should be to show us the world we don't see, to show us what we have all around us but never stop to notice. Hamilton is a great photographer and his landscapes and nudes show us the erotic and mystical in our world.

Buy this book. It is worth every penny.

NO NO NO
I agree with another reviewer that said it isn't right to take young girls and pose them in unnatural and erotic positions so that we may "say" that we want to enjoy their "beauty." I didn't see one photo (albeit I didn't search through the whole book) of naked boys posed in such a way. If youthful nudity is so beautiful, why aren't both sexes recognized? I suspect that this artist isn't interested in male "beauty." I felt that these girls were all exploited by the artist (and every person that buys this book).

(...)

Interesting Collection of his Work
The book has photos spanning David Hamilton's career as well as a bit of an auto-biographical essay of his life and how he got into photographing beautiful young models.

The pictures include nude models as well as subjects like flowers, landscapes, and personal photos.

My complaints about the book is that the pictures are usually too small to be appreciated and the quality of the post-production is not top class. Though there are many nice photos, it does not justify the work of the photographer.

Nonetheless Hamilton's books are hard to find and always go out of print. Overall, it is worth buying.

BEAUTIFUL!!!
This book is a masterpiece! Everything about it is just plain beautiful. I can't believe that Hamilton ever had problems with these incredible pictures that he has taken. And that takes us back to what is art? and what is pornography? It seems that in this country, people tend to believe that if a girl is under the age of 18 and nude, it is pornography. Hamilton has proved them wrong. If it is legal for familys, which do in a lot of cases include young girls and teenage girls, to go to nudist colonies or be naturists, where they are nude three fourths of the time, why is it not right for someone to capture this beautiful lifestyle on film?

The female body, at any age is a very beautiful thing, and not many people will let themselves admit this. I find it especially beautiful when the girls are at the brink of womanhood, and there bodies are changing. Why is it so hard to find this stunning for people???

You will find portraits of everything in this book, from swimming, to sleeping, to just plain stand up posing for the camera. Also, this book includes other works of Hamilton. Works like nature etc.

In one word, this book is Beautiful, and so is Hamilton, for doing something that very few people can do. That is to realize that there is natural beauty in everyone, and he photographed it. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Art meets earth science in Earthsong, a gallery of spectacular aerial photographs by Bernhard Edmaier. Reproduced in full color on oversized pages, the patterns of deserts, glaciers, volcanoes, and grassland often resemble abstract paintings. But the wisdom of this book lies in its pairing of beautiful images with brief explanations by geologist Angelika Jung-Huettl of the forces that produced these startling effects. Divided into four parts--Agua (water), Barren (tundra), Desert, and Green--Earthsong is full of surprises. The action ranges from the brilliant, firecracker-like explosion of lava fields on Mt. Etna in Sicily to the sci-fi shapes of boiling mud pools in Waiotapu, New Zealand, powered by sulphur gas. On Disko Bay in western Greenland, a delicate embroidery of fine-grained ice has been shaped by wind, waves and frozen fog. The pristine clarity of early morning light reveals huge swaths of rolling and rippling orange-red sand in the Namib Desert of southwest Africa. Subtly meandering patterns worthy of a master etcher are carved into the icy wastes of Iceland by the action of volcanic dust, snow, sun and wind. While most of the book surveys sparsely inhabited regions, geologic action is also observed next door to major population centers. Cutting a dark ribbon through a lush meadow in eastern Germany, the Tollense River and its hungry algae will eventually erode and conquer the entire valley. Quietly acknowledging the effects of global warning, Earthsong literally hovers above the earth to reveal the effects of the interconnected forces that continue to shape our planet. --Cathy Curtis ... Read more

Reviews (2)

adolescence explored
VIEWS is a totally mouth-watering glimpse of Kobi's work -- more of which is on his website www.kobi-israel.com. He does a lot of travel, landscape and gay lifestyle stuff that's also really cool.

The book completely connected with me because like Kobi's experiences in the Israeli army, this reminds me of my adolescence ' from team sports to the college dorm -- when I didn't know what was up but was sure that my feelings toward other guys were a lot more than just friendly. Some of the images are pretty physical ' but really the book captures that confusion over intimacy with guys that were suppose to be just friends. This is a beautiful, sultry and pretty intriguing look inside Kobi's world.

An Adventure...
"A young Israeli photographer is fascinated by the topic 'Men'. Kobi Israel takes natural, very erotic photos of young, well-built Israelis. Awarded many a title and been seen at several exhibitions, his first illustrated book has now been published by Bruno Gm?nder. In his pic-tures he describes the [alternative] lifestyle in Israel in impressive shots. Soldiers as an essential element of Israeli life also play an important role for Kobi Israel. His photos are not intended to provoke. He does not want to glorify war, but the cohabitation of these men. Apart from the partly documentary pictures of soldiers, there are erotic pictures of imposing colourfulness and unusual intimacy. Simply a must for the lovers of modern photography of men. " ... Read more

Book Description

The Photographs of Ansel Adams with the Writings of John Muir

This year marks the 100th anniversary of the birth of Ansel Adams whose landmark early photographs of wild America, originally taken for the Works Progress Administration, fill the pages of this splendid volume.Adams' breathtaking images are accompanied by excerpts from the writings of Sierra Club founder John Muir, the renowned conservationist who devoted his life to celebrating and preserving the American wilderness. ... Read more

Reviews (11)

Great Book
If you're a fan of Ansel Adams, you will absolutely love this book. It's 127 pages of breathtaking photography with poetic writings by John Muir. The images fill the entire page while subtle text accompanies the photographs. "I only went out for a walk, and finally concluded to stay out until sundown, for going out, I found, was really going in." These passages work hand in hand with the photographs giving a meditative quality about them. For a split moment you actually feel like you are physically standing in that surrounding and experiencing the beauty of nature. Adams and Muir work as a unit to document this beautiful phenomenon we call nature and present it to us in this book called America's Wilderness.
This book allows you to appreciate the beauty of America from the vast mountaintops to the endless plains to the ever-changing cloud formation. He captures the essence of Mother Nature and all her minute details. This book would be far from complete if it were not for the eloquent writings of John Muir. Though Muir has long passed away, his writing, fortunately, will never depart.

Great book!
If you're a fan of Ansel Adams, you will absolutely love this book. It's 127 pages of breathtaking photography with poetic writings by John Muir. The images fill the entire page while subtle text accompanies the photographs. "I only went out for a walk, and finally concluded to stay out until sundown, for going out, I found, was really going in." These passages work hand in hand with the photographs giving a meditative quality about them. For a split moment you actually feel like you are physically standing in that surrounding and experiencing the beauty of nature. Adams and Muir work as a unit to document this beautiful phenomenon we call nature and present it to us in this book called America's Wilderness.
This book allows you to appreciate the beauty of America from the vast mountaintops to the endless plains to the ever-changing cloud formation. He captures the essence of Mother Nature and all her minute details. This book would be far from complete if it were not for the eloquent writings of John Muir. Though Muir has long passed away, his writing, fortunately, will never depart.

Great Images
If you're a fan of Ansel Adams, you will absolutely love this book. It's 127 pages of breathtaking photography with poetic writings by John Muir. The images fill the entire page while subtle text accompanies the photographs. "I only went out for a walk, and finally concluded to stay out until sundown, for going out, I found, was really going in." These passages work hand in hand with the photographs giving a meditative quality about them. For a split moment you actually feel like you are physically standing in that surrounding and experiencing the beauty of nature. Adams and Muir work as a unit to document this beautiful phenomenon we call nature and present it to us in this book called America's Wilderness.
This book allows you to appreciate the beauty of America from the vast mountaintops to the endless plains to the ever-changing cloud formation. He captures the essence of Mother Nature and all her minute details. This book would be far from complete if it were not for the eloquent writings of John Muir. Though Muir has long passed away, his writing, fortunately, will never depart.

Awful quality
This book is not worth the paper, believe me! I don't know if it's because 'printed in China', but the photos are not comparable with other Ansel Adams books or calendars. Please don't mix it up with the hardcover version which is >100$.

Awful printing quality bad shadow detail, poor sharpness
Terrible printing quality of photos that are obscure because they're not that good. Whether the lack of sharpness in these is down to the paper, the printer, or the photographer (yes, even Ansel took crap at times, and people seem determined to publish everything he ever did, however bad!), I don't know, but the lack of sharpness and the awful shadow detail make this book an absolute waste of time. Maybe it will impress a non-photographer (simply so they can boast having a book of Adams's shots) - but a photographer is wasting their money. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Diane Arbus: An Aperture Monograph was originally published in 1972, one year after the artist's death, in conjunction with a retrospective of her work at the Museum of Modern Art. Edited and designed by Arbus's daughter, Doon, and her friend and colleague, painter Marvin Israel, the monograph contains eighty of her most masterful photos. The images in this newly published edition, marking the twenty-fifth anniversary of the collection's original publication, were printed from new three-hundred-line-screen duotone film, allowing for startlingly clear reproduction. The impact of the collection is heightened by the introduction, which contains excerpts of audio tapes in which Arbus discusses her experiences as a photographer and her feelings about the often bizarre nature of her subjects. Diane Arbus's work has indelibly impacted modern visual sensibilities, evidenced by the intensely personal moments captured in this powerful group of photographs. ... Read more

Reviews (13)

the normalcy in life's freaks, the freakishness in normalcy
This collection of 81 black and white photographs by Diane Arbus was edited and designed by her daughter, Doon and friend Marvin Israel and published in 1972 after her suicide the previous year. The photographs are preceeded by text of tape recordings of classes that the photographer gave the year she died, as well as excerpts from interviews and some of her own writings on photography. The text illuminates Arbus' concerns about her art and her subjects. Although she did do studies of objects, such as Disneyland, a hotel lobby, and a Xmas tree, Arbus was more interested in people, in particular the kind of people she had never seen before. Coming from a wealthy Park Avenue background, existing in an unreal environment, cocooned from adversity, Arbus felt her immunity painful, which explains her attraction to marginalised groups. One can compare Arbus' studies to those of Robert Mapplethorpe. Mapplethorpe moved from harsh presentations of marginalised gay men's sexuality to soft focus celebrity portraiture. Arbus moved in the opposite direction, from glamour fashion photography with her then husband Alan, to her reality marginalised portraiture. Arbus' experience with fashion provides her composition and while her camera can scrutinise, her photos never patronise. Perhaps this is due to the complicitity apparent from the subjects. These people want to be photographed, and Arbus presents them with dignity. But what makes them compelling is the what Arbus described as the gap between intention and effect, what you want people to know about you and what you can't help people knowing about you. Sometimes, often the thing we see is sadness, but we can't laugh at these people because they are so unguarded. Arbus' photos aren't posed. She tells us how she arranged her view rather than arranging her subject, so that they are planned observations. The photographs here taken between 1962 and 1970 cover the range of her interest in marginalised subjects including the freaks she classified as "aristocrats" who were born with their trauma so had passed their test in life, and made her feel a mix of shame and awe. Midgets, dwarfs, nudists, transvestites, identical twins and triplets, a giant with his parents, musclemen, carnival performers, a woman with her baby monkey, and the untitled retards. This is the world Arbus entered into. It's hard not to consider her suicide as being related to the subjects of her work. Arbus was interested in exposing the flaw, and her camera gave her licence to privacy, however the cold scrutiny of her camera may have been too much when it was focused upon herself. The self portraits I have seen show her looking uncomfortable, the photographer clearly lacking the skills she would apply to her own subjects. There is a rumour that Arbus set up a camera to photograph her own death, mentioned in the Patricia Bosworth biography, though no evidence was found when her body was discovered. Like the great ones, Arbus received acclaim posthumously, and this book is an ode to her genius.

Simple, Brave, Beautiful !
As Diane Aubus said, 'Nothing is ever the same as they said it was. It's what I've never seen before that recognize.' She liked to visit unknown places, taking photos for unknown people (transvestite, nudist campers, Jewish giant, twins, etc). Reading through this collection of portraits, it would be a discovery-like journeys. Her braveness to approach the subjects. and into their places, and then into their souls. Those people are sometimes not 'beautiful', but you can see the inner world of those people under their faces. The untitled series at the end of book taken with some retarded people, I found that is certainly striking. Finally she committed suicide in 1971, just like leaving an unresolved story ending in her works.

If you are into B/W photos, it is a must buy.

Our World in the Eyes of Diane Arbus
A rather interesting, yet democratic photographer, Diane Arbus was an individual who was never afraid. She was a motivational and influential photographer whose life possessed no limits. Her subject matter was unique in that the pictures she took were on the abnormalities of life. These subjects centered mostly on freaks such as midgets, drag queens, giants, hookers, nudists, and drugees. Taking pictures such as these shows that she was a person who was never afraid to display the irregularities of life to the world around us.

Diane Arbus lived life one day, one moment at a time. In this book, I get the feeling that her pictures show a meaning in the way she captured life, not just focusing on the photograph alone. Her subjects depicted on each page makes the viewer wonder how she got herself as well as her subjects in that position. Were they cooperative or not? Did she tell them to strike a pose or did they do it on their own? Each of her pictures in the book have a story behind it and some would seem more interesting than others. From her book, I see that the significance of her life and her photography is through this quote "The thing that's most important to know is that you never know. You're always sort of feeling your way."

Very Intriguing!
The photography of Diane Arbus has always intrigued me. Her photographs are beautiful to me not because of the composition or lighting or any tools a photographer might use. They intrigue me because of her subject matter and even more so because of the intentions behind her subject matter. She takes pictures of people that are not considered beautiful, people that are "freaks" or "weirdos", or in some way different. She wants the viewer to identify with her subject in some way. In a way she takes the ugly, the thing that you're afraid to look at on the street and forces you to look at it and beyond that see it as art. She is "not evading facts, not evading what it really looks like". I agree with her purpose. It is best to show thing as they really are and to photograph something familiar or something often looked at is sort of boring to me.

For her, taking pictures was not about the final image - because she believed that anything you plan never turns out the way you intend anyways - but it was about the experience. It was about learning and making connections with her subjects. This was interesting to me because I never thought of photography that way. Mostly when I photograph I am so concerned with the final product, but now I realize that I actually enjoy the process of taking the pictures and dislike the developing. So I see photography in the same way, it is some how meditative and the actual action of photographing helps me release a certain kind of creative energy that I harbor.

Seeing beauty and the beauty of seeing
When we see flaws in others, why is it so hard to look away? Does it make us feel somehow better about ourselves? Maybe that is the case for some, but not Diane Arbus. What her photography attempts to convey is that beauty can be found, even in the most unexpected of places. Although, her ideal of beauty isn't the kind that compels people to go to a plastic surgeon to make themselves "pretty", or more pleasing to the eyes of other, it is nonetheless valid because it goes much deeper than the hollow image that beauty has become in contemporary society to many. Indeed, just one look at her work will illustrate that as she simply prefers the common people who are found everywhere from suburban lawns to skid rows, strip clubs to asylums, dance halls to darkened rooms. Perhaps, most important to her vision is that these people have flaws, just as everyone does and it is precisely these "flaws" that attracted Arbus' to the subjects portrayed in this collection.
Although many of her subjects inhabit places that many of us would rather avoid, often coming to us in nightmares from which we struggle to awaken, by the snapping of the shutter somehow they are made real to us, safe, unassuming and even fragile. Looking, for instance, at a photograph entitled "Russian midget friends in a living room on 100th st, NYC" my initial thoughts are flooded by a kind of morbid curiosity, but then as I continue to gaze and I notice their, eyes and faces, their expressions, and their willingness to share their lives with us; yes we, the same people who so often greets them with cold stares and cruel words. Diane Arbus was able to see the beauty in that kind of courage, a kind that would make many of us shudder, and her photos reveals to us the brilliance of it. Like a flower sprouting from the mire and destruction of a battlefield, Arbus' photography hits us hard, but leaves no bruises. Hers are images that when viewing for only a moment, we will remember for years.
Through her depictions of dwarfs, giants, drag queens, nudists, crying children, transvestites, lonely women, weathered faces and mental patients, we are reminded that beauty can often be found where it is least expected. But this is not the beauty of celebrity or fame, perfection or contriviality, but that found in their shadows, in the dark and hidden places that exist everywhere and at all times. Through her daring and revolutionary work Arbus struggled to teach us how to see this often tortured beauty, and I think above all else her work accomplishes that, but only if we open our eyes and our minds and let that beauty in. ... Read more

Book Description

Book Description

Revered as a father of modern photography, August Sander (1876– 1964) so refined the art of portraiture that his moving images of his fellow countrymenhave been heralded both as an important sociological document and a photographicmasterpiece. But those images make up only a portion of this deluxe seven-volume set,which will stand as the definitive collection of Sander's considerable achievement.

The books include some 150 never-before-seen images and essays by leadingexperts on the German photographer's work. Praising Sander's "vision . . . hisknowledge, and his immense photographic talent," the writer Alfred Döblin said: "Thosewho know how to look will learn from his clear and powerful photographs, and willdiscover more about themselves and more about others." ... Read more

Book Description

Between July 1945 and November 1962 the United States is known to have conducted 216 atmospheric and underwater nuclear tests. After the Limited Test Ban Treaty between the United States and the Soviet Union in 1963, nuclear testing went underground. It became literally invisible—but more frequent: the United States conducted a further 723 underground tests, the last in 1992. 100 Suns documents the era of visible nuclear testing, the atmospheric era, with one hundred photographs drawn by Michael Light from the archives at Los Alamos National Laboratory and the U.S. National Archives in Maryland. It includes previously classified material from the clandestine Lookout Mountain Air Force Station based in Hollywood, whose film directors, cameramen and still photographers were sworn to secrecy.

The title, 100 Suns, refers to the response by J.Robert Oppenheimer to the world’s first nuclear explosion in New Mexico when he quoted a passage from the Bhagavad Gita, the classic Vedic text: “If the radiance of a thousand suns were to burst forth at once in the sky, that would be like the splendor of the Mighty One . . . I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds.” This was Oppenheimer’s attempt to describe the otherwise indescribable. 100 Suns likewise confronts the indescribable by presenting without embellishment the stark evidence of the tests at the moment of detonation. Since the tests were conducted either in Nevada or the Pacific the book is simply divided between the desert and the ocean. Each photograph is presented with the name of the test, its explosive yield in kilotons or megatons, the date and the location. The enormity of the events recorded is contrasted with the understated neutrality of bare data. Interspersed within the sequence of explosions are pictures of the awestruck witnesses.

The evidence of these photographs is terrifying in its implication while at same time profoundly disconcerting as a spectacle. The visual grandeur of such imagery is balanced by the chilling facts provided at the end of the book in the detailed captions, a chronology of the development of nuclear weaponry and an extensive bibliography. A dramatic sequel to Michael Light’s Full Moon, 100 Suns forms an unprecedented historical document.

... Read more

Reviews (10)

Beautiful, amazing, must see
A very beautiful book presented as large prints, stunning photographs detail the very primal and mythological nature of the nuclear explosion. There is nothing to compare these photographs to in their grandness they make brilliant destructive weapons seem almost beautiful in their conception. An amazing work, the photos are large the way they should be and you will not find a similarly themed coffee table book anywhere. A true gem.

Seth J. Frantzman

To change the nature of what it is to be human
Andrei Sakharov once wrote that a very large nuclear war would be a calamity of indescribable proportions and absolutely unpredictable consequences, with the uncertainties tending toward the worse. As a university student I have collected over the years many dozens of nuclear test photographs and with each viewing, it is possible for a person to change. This collection of photographs is nothing short of beautiful, but at the same time horrifying in its capabilities. If you read through this book, you will not come out the same person.

How We Won The War
These images of American above-ground nuclear tests are indeed terrifyingly beautiful, and beatifully terrifying. Seeing the massive energy of the atom unleashed, in the archetypical mushroom cloud, is an arresting experience no matter how long ago these photos were taken. The images are rather samey, save for some that show oddly botanical detail of some clouds, probably due to water vapor. The test blasts have retro-sounding Army code names like FIZEAU, YANKEE, BAKER, MAGNOLIA, and etc.

There is no visual perspective-big and small blasts seem the same size due to different camera distances. Some images taken from high-speed time lapse films seem like giant bacilli. Some, irrespective of kilo- or megatonnage, seem like they are splitting the heavens.

Hats off to all the servicemen who were subjected to these tests. It probably wasn't nice for the Pentagon to subject these men to these hazards, and I echo the wish that it never has to happen again. But I do appreciate their sacrifice, because I think it was well worth it.

The author tosses in a sneer at the Strategic Defense Initiative in his end of book timeline. But Reagan understood that nuclear weapons could not be un-invented, only rendered obsolete. Like it or not, nukes are a fact of international life, and a wise leader will not try to wish them away.

The author wants to evoke a Strangelovian mood, but it's too late for that. It makes a difference, whether nuclear superiority resides with free countries or tyrants, now as well as in the Fifties and Sixties. America's nuclear arsenal kept the Soviets and their proxies from gobbling up even more nations than they actually did. The fact that America won the Cold War is, once and for all, A Good Thing, and it was these weapons, along with the MAD doctrine, that helped win it. Better MET than red.

Excellent!
I couldn't put it down. The photos are excellent, the info in the back is captivating, and I hope there is never another nuclear explosion to photograph!

Eerie, haunting, horrible and beautiful
I appreciate the nature of these images more having read Richard Rhodes' "Making of the Atomic Bomb" many years ago. Without a doubt, what is documented here is the overt potential for total global annihilation by nuclear hellfire, but what is also documented are the direct descendants of one of the most impressive scientific and engineering achievments of all time.

Knowing that these images represent the ability to destroy on a massive scale, one might find it hard to divest themselves of their instinct to be horrified and shun these pictures, but if you can do so, I think you'll find a great collection of some of the most stark, eerie, organic and beautiful images of our recent secret history. The fact that these pictures were taken for documentation purposes, rather than those of art, makes the dichotomy between the beauty and the horror of this book even more apparent.

Well worth the simoleons. ... Read more

Book Description

Richard Misrach has spent much of his career photographing the intersection of man and nature. He has redefined contemporary landscape photography with images of the splendor and destruction of the American West. Each of his "cantos" considers another chapter in the epic story of humankind and the land. Golden Gate offers yet another dimension to Misrach's artistic output. Three years ago, he and his family moved into a house in the Berkeley Hills of Northern California. Since then, Misrach has been obsessively photographing the magisterial view of the Golden Gate Bridge from his front porch, each photograph taken from the exact same viewpoint at different times of day. The sixty photographs reproduced here, from a series of over seven hundred, capture the opening between bay and ocean, and the famous bridge, in every light and weather condition. But Misrach's Golden Gate photographs also offer a commentary on the politics of the view -- the relationship of wealth, power, and privilege at the beginning of the twenty-first century. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Amazing photos of an amazing bridge.
I've lived in Marin County for about two years and still get excited going over the Golden Gate Bridge. I was thrilled to receive this book for Christmas and am in awe over the pictures. It's incredible to see photos of the varying weather patterns we get in the bay area and Misrach's time-lapse photos are incredible. What's even more amazing is that Misrach is lucky enough to have this phenominal view from his front porch!

Porch Photography
What a disappointment, and what amateur uninteresting photos from the author's porch in the Oakland Hills (I presume). All you need is a wide angle lens, a tripod and some 35mm film. Take a picture every week or so, vary the time of day and then publish a book. Ca ching! He must be a layed-off dot.commer.

Being born, raised and schooled in San Francisco, I feel cheated. Hopefully no tourists will see it. They may stay home.

Beautiful, but not for everyone
I live on the ocean south of San Francisco(and I'm into photography), so I appreciate the ever-changing weather
and light in this wild region. I was fascinated by this book of
photos the author took from his front porch, especially
since I have taken photos of the sunset and weather formations
from my porch during the same time frame ('97-'00). Having
said that, I wouldn't recommend this for everyone. It's the
exact same view over and over, so if you live outside the Bay Area you'd be better off with a book showcasing a larger portion of the region. This tome is for fanatics of the Golden Gate,
and Bay Area photography.

Did very little for me
This book did very little for me. More than being a study of the Golden Gate, it's a study of weather formations. If you enjoy looking at clouds, the sun and sky you may enjoy this book. I on the other hand found it sterile, repetive and somewhat pointless. Further, it's all too easy to simply set up a camera, never move it and just press the shutter release periodically. Where's the artistry in that? There's no question that Misrach had a nice view from his front porch, but does it really merit a book?

The jacket text is corny and pretentious.

Magnificent!! Can I give it 10 stars??
This is one of the most magnificent photography books I have ever seen (and I have quite a collection of them). Misrach took photos of the Golden Gate Bridge from his front porch for more than a year, and here are the best of those photos--though I would have liked to have seen all 3 thousand or so! Each one is more spectacular than the last! Here is the Golden Gate in fog, at sunrise, at sunset, at high noon, and every time of day and night (some are time-exposures) and in every weather condition possible. I grew up in the SF area and have always loved the bridge, etc, but here it is shown in ways you would NEVER see (unless you sat on Mr. Misrach's front porch for maybe 3 years....) I whole-heartedly disagree with the reviewer who said these are not bold photos. I have never seen photos more bold! And each one is so different from the next! Truly an amazing collection. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Simply a stunning book!!
I found Tom Mangelsen's gallery in Jackson a few months ago, and while I was there, I had a chance to see many of his just downright stunning images.

As an aspiring wildlife photographer, I truly appreciate the superb work of Tom Mangelsen. Also, while in his gallery, I had the chance to talk to as well as meet Mr. Mangelsen himself.

This book is just simply stunning. I cannot think of any other description. The many different images of the polar bear in its natural environment has to be seen to be appreciated.

What I like the most about this book over so many other "nature" books is that we get to see the many facets of the polar bears life, from the tender side with a mother and her babies, to the savage nature of these beautiful animals...not just some glossy expose that says nothing.

I would encourage anyone who loves nature photography, whether you are a "couch" photographer/explorer or are planning on a career in wildlife photography.

Heartily recommended!!!!

The best book of the best nature photographer
I discovered the work of Thomas Mangelson about ten years ago in Jackson, Wyoming, when I stumbled across a gallery devoted to his work. The most famous image there, the one of two grown polar bears "dancing," is on the cover of this book.

The book encapsulates all the artistry of this outstanding photographer. As difficult as it is to capture wildlife images, it's doubly so when you are photographing white animals against snow! Mangelson spends some four months a year in the Arctic, enlarging his huge repertoire of images. I can't begin to imagine the patience and meticulous attention to detail that is required to gather these pictures, but I'm glad Mangelson can!

I love the fact that this book shows the chronological sequence in the life of a bear family, and also that it doesn't have captions on each page. That allows you to follow the sequence of images undisturbed by human intrusion - you become a part of the life cycle, so to speak. Mangelson's work enables the viewer to see the bears as a complex family unit in addition to their usual portrayal as hardy predators. It cannot fail to move the viewer; this is a book to savor again and again.

I'm a huge fan of just about every image this photographer has ever published, and this book is, to me, the culmination of his work. I recommend it to everyone, bear fan or not!

Essential, wonderful personal story, captivating photos
This is an essential book for polar bear and nature photography lovers alike. There are over 250 photos of polar bears, and arctic wildlife captured in the beautiful frozen world they live in.

I found the photography truly captivating. The adorable bears are shown splashing in the water, dancing, taking afternoon naps & wandering through the snow. There is even one of the mother making friends with a sled dog.

I was deeply touched by the many images of the cubs snuggling close to their mother. I found the other wildlife photos featuring many foxes and birds equally impressive. The captions for all the images are in the back of the book.

Along with the pictures, there is a wonderful story of a year in the life of a mother polar bear & her 2 cubs. The author switches pleasingly between factual accounts of the arctic world, folklore, & the personal story of the bear family.

breathtaking, impressive photography of the arctic
Mangelsen has created an outstanding work of art that can be appreciated by polar bear lovers and nature lovers alike. The intentional ommission of captions until the end of the book allows the reader to view each photo as a work of art, absorbing the beauty and magic of each piece. It is an essential coffee table book for those intrigued and mystified by the polar bear, and strongly recommended for anyone who enjoys nature photography. A definite bargin in the world of nature photography books.

An absolutely stunning wildlife book
Polar Dance is in my opinion the most mind-blowing book on bears I have ever seen. I am an artist who works with faux fur, specializing in the creation of all species of bears. Polar Dance is the most treasured of all my wildlife books. The photographs of the ice bear taken so sensitively evokes my deepest emotions each time I turn the pages. I can almost feel the cold and snow out there on the Arctic. I reach for this book often for inspiration and even comfort. I never cease to be amazed at how beautifully Thomas Mangelsen has portrayed the "Tiger of the North". Certainly he has done justice to perhaps the most magnificent of God's creatures. Polar Dance is more than a book. It is a work of art. ... Read more

Book Description

Herb Ritts is one of the most notorious and successful photographers working today. The Los Angeles-based imagemaker has created portfolios for Vogue, Vanity Fair, and other magazines, done movie ads and music videos, and worked with fashion-world clients such as Calvin Klein and Giorgio Armani. This sumptuous catalogue, published to accompany an exhibition at the Fondation Cartier pour l'art contemporain in Paris, includes an interview with Herb Ritts. One hundred photographs, some previously unpublished, exemplify the rigorous, disconcerting work of one of the most remarkable photographers of the contemporary art, fashion, and entertainment worlds. Herb Ritts's subjects include Antonio Banderas, Sandra Bernhard, Louise Bourgeois,Charles Bukowski, William S. Burroughs, Francesco Clemente, Joseph Fiennes, Dizzy Gillespie, Mel Gibson, Keith Haring, Stephen Hawking, Michael Jordan, Jackie Joyner-Kersee, B. B. King, Roy Lichtenstein, Ewan MacGregor, Nelson Mandela, Edward Norton, Robert Rauschenberg, Christopher Reeve, and Tina Turner. 94 duotone photographs. ... Read more

Reviews (14)

Beautiful book. Great to own in memory of Herb Ritts.
Herb Ritts passed away on Dec 26 at the age of 50 from complications of pneumonia.

This book is a fabulous collection of his work (at a reasonable price). This book is a collection of black and white photographs by the fabulous fashion photographer.

The photographs are well printed and luscious. Herb Ritts' photographs will be sadly missed.

Beautiful coffee table book & conversation piece
I received this book as a gift. I can't tell you how many times at a party or get-together at our home someone has picked this up, and then it has become the topic of conversation. The book gets passed around the entire night because everyone wants to look at it, and once someone starts flipping through the pages they simply can't put it down because they want to look at every image. Several of the photos are of celebrities, but they are somewhat disguised. Example: Cindy Crawford made up as a man. It is fun to do a "double take" as you try to guess who some of the subjects are. As always, Herb Ritts' images are masterpieces. This was a wonderful gift.

A Mixed Bag of Photographs
This catalogue of the retrospective of Ritts' work in the mid 90's at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston by its very nature has a lot of photographs that are included in previous volumes: many of the nudes, the African photos, the series called Duo and "celebrity portraits." Unlike many celebrity photographers, Ritts was able to create photographs that rarely if ever are duplicates of either his or other artists' work. You get a good sense of that from looking at all of the small copies of all the photos published at the end of this volume. That is no small accomplishment. Many of the nudes and/or erotic photographs have been around for so long and reproduced so often that they have almost become cliches. For example, the series of "Fred With Tires." These show up in calendars, refrigerator magnets, posters ad nauseam. The nine photographs of Bill T. Jones, one of which graces the cover of this hefty volume, should be called "Eunuch, I-IX." The poor man has been castrated by the stroke of an airbrush. I assume we are politically rather than anatomically correct here. This show was clearly no repetition of the Mapplethorpe Exhibit in Cincinnati!

Celebrity photographs are often just that. They are interesting only if you know the model. A fine portrait photographer can shoot someone we do not know and make that person interesting to us. Many though certainly not all of Ritts' photos rise to that level. For that reason, he will always be revered as an artist. I would put the photos of Whoopi Goldberg, William Burroughs and Mike Ovitz in that category, to name three. Even if we did not know who these people are, Ritts makes us want to know them. Proof of this, at least for me, is that I was mesmerized by the photo of Ovitz and didn't have the slightest idea initially of who he was. These photographs are intriguing and draw the viewer in. Finally, for my money, the three incomparable shots of Eunice Kennedy Shriver are simply the best portraits in the book. The first time I leafed through this volume, these fantastic shots jumped out at me.

I treasure my signed copy of another of Ritts' books. I'm sorry that he will never take another photograph.

Amazing
Although, sadly, Herb Ritts has passed away I'm sure he'll be remembered as one of the greatest celebrity photographers ever. With that being said, I'll admit that I am NOT a Hollywood-glam-celebrity fanatic, and I hate public obsession with celebrities. However, I will admit my admiration of Herb Ritts' introverted and sophisticated images of Hollywood identities. I keep my copy of "Herb Ritts: Work" next to the wild and outgoing "Lachapelle Land" by David Lachapelle, which together show an interesting contrast in approach to celebrity photography.

The first third of the book is comprised of Herb Ritts' nudes and "unearthly" abstract nudes, most of them photographed in the 1980's. The remaining are photographs in Africa and his famous artist and celebrity portraits. One of my favorite photos is of photographer/sculptor Joel-Peter Witkin with his son, a rather down-to-earth and affectionate portrayal of such a "macabre-oriented" artist.

I was always intimidated by the price of this book, but I knew I had to have it. Luckly, I got a new 1st ed. copy for about thirty-bucks with online auction (I'm sure the seller was hitting himself on the head with it). However, I would've WELL paid $135+ on this as it is one of the most well-bound luxurious photography books I've seen. The book itself is finely printed, and I would definately recommend adding this "essential" to any monograph book collection.

Herb Ritts: Work
I was mesmorized by this book! Herb Ritts has the ability to not ownly create a beautiful portrait, but to capture I personality of his models. Each photograph tells a fabulous story of fantasy, glamour, and often just everyday life. I would highly recommend this collection. Among my favorite celebrity photos: Johnny Depp on the set of Edward Scissorhands, Jim Carrey dressed as a Mermaid, Tom Cruise on the set of Mission Impossible 2, the tattooed arm of Axle Rose, and a mysterious grin by Roy Lichtenstein. These photos are also large enough (most are at least 8x10) to remove and frame. ... Read more

Book Description

Garry Winogrand (1928–1984) was a native New Yorker whose photography epitomizes the indigenous pulse and social complexity of the urban scene after World War II. This collection of 175 photographs shot by Winogrand in a single year records an America in transition. Each picture is a strange, unforgettable surprise, documenting the artist’s comedic, almost palpable empathy for his subjects, and crystallizing his influence as a photographic interpreter of the 1960s. Most of the images in this collection are previously unpublished. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Stirring Images of the Seemingly Mundane
It is likely that some of the moments captured here were experienced by many of of us in our normal lives through the sixties. The haunting pictures of roadside motels, through-car window shots to the visually stunning cover make this book a must buy for anyone who appreciates photographs which turn the seemingly mundane into moments of laughter and beauty. Off beat shots combined with striking imagery make this a beautiful collection of photos to own. ... Read more

Reviews (35)

Stunning photography, a real bargain
This is a collection of some of the most beautiful and masterfully composed portraits I've seen. McCurry is a National Geographic photographer and almost every page in the book could be a cover photo. Many photos of interesting faces from India, Chad, Nepal, Afghanistan, Philippines, China, Mali, Tibet, and (a few of the most interesting) Los Angeles. Small format photos (about 5x7). Photos are printed full page (to each edge of the page) on the right-hand side, and opposite each photo is printed the city, country and year the photo was taken. Photos lack commentary or descriptions and are not categorized, but I found this rather nice. Page turns are often new locations, and the lack of commentary leaves interpretation to the imagination. Just look into the eyes of the subjects and you'll start to feel their story. Great book -- too bad it's so small. It's got a spot on the coffee table nonetheless.

Enjoyable but abit oversaturated
I have met Steve McCurry and viewed his slide presentation and am enchanted by his work. He captures his subject's mood and environment with a beautiful quality of light and color. Although I found it hard to maintain my enthusiam as there are so many images and no accompanying story with any of the images. I also wish that the book had been printed in a larger size. All the images are roughly 5x7 and larger images would have really made me feel as if the subjects were looking back at me. But please do not misinterpret this review, the book is a bargain. It is filled with pages and pages of wonderful images of people from areas many of us will never have the opportunity to visit, much less photograph with such intimacy. A great gift and a nice addition to anyone's table. I just wished it was bigger and had some text.

Overrated!
This book has been a bit of a dissapointment. I'm very interested in travelling and all the photography related to travel and people. Therefore, I buy anything related to it and I owned a good collection of this kind of books.

My impression is that Steve McCurry's work is a bit overrated. Some of the photographs contained in this book are excellent but many others are just plain and nothing special. There are some other photographers who are much better and not so well known as Mr. McCurry.

After a while, it becomes quite boring to peruse through this particular book. Asia has plenty of great moments and people to photograph. I've seen amateur pictures much better than the ones showed here. So it has not impressed me at all.

He is always going to be remembered by his pic of the Afghanistan girl. I have to thank him for that brilliant and unforgettable one!!!

A great photographer
I gave this book a 4 star review because the book would have been better if it were a coffee table size book, and that I wish there would have been stories next to the images just like most phaidon books do. Steve McCurry is a excellent photographer, he carries the emotions of the people in the potraits...too bad it's all in 5x7" format.

Stunning!
Portraits is an amazing glimpse into the souls of people all around the world. The photos - some of them humorous - most of them simply haunting are ones you will want to look at time and again. ... Read more

Book Description

A fashion and commercial photographer since 1968, and also a filmmaker, Sarah Moon is known for her dreamlike images and her representation of femininity as free from time and context, as living in a fairy world. Although Moon has been a major participant in the world of fashion for more than three decades, she has carefully carved out her own niche -- a signature style that dispenses with the erotically suggestive poses favored by many of her male counterparts in favor of the emblems of luxury and nostalgia. Mystery and sensuality are at the core of Moon's work, whether she's photographing haute couture, still life, or portraiture. In this book, Moon's first major retrospective, viewers will be treated to a visual tour-de-force, showing all the genres she has explored in her rich and diverse career. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Comments...
Hmmm... "too much technique"... very interesting, this reminds me of the reaction of the art world to the inclusion of photography as an art form back about 40 years ago.. "not enough technique"... But, now we have an artist, using photo graphic images she has taken, and manipulating them in the most incredible and extraordinary ways. These go way beyond photography, yet have the sense of caught moments in early photo history using silver plate technique.
Regrets? Yes, the cover, though handsome, seems cheap and too fragile to include with the excellent quality of the photo reproductions inside; and I would like to have more information on her "techniques." I feel that Sarah is probably afraid to discuss it since she will likely be snubbed by the photographic world, especially if she does anything outside of a dark room with conventional tools, very sad.

Too much technique
I wanted to like this book and I probably would have liked it more if it had been about 1/3 as long. The technique weighs down the images and I could only take small doses. Not that it's a bad technique, it's just too redundant for my taste when presented in this quantity.

Exquisite Narrative Photography
Sarah Moon creates enchanting visual poetry in an exquisitely produced book.

Excellent images, POOR QUALITY cover!
The previous reviews cover the quality of the images in this book. I cannot say it any better. So, I'll touch on one little pet peeve I have.

I'm puzzled that Arena Editions would release this book with such an inferior cover. The compressed, uncoated cardboard cover just invites disaster! Not only is it prone to staining, it is also VERY susceptible to moisture and denting... much more than the average hardcover

I know, I know... "you should be careful when handling books... blah blah blah" That doesn't do away with the fact that this book demands to be handled! The images are too good to let this simply be a "coffee table" book. This is a sure fire page turner that must be protected in some way.

Before purchasing this book, I STRONGLY suggest you also purchase some soft cotton gloves and a book cover of some sort; and most of all, don't out it on the coffee table!!!

With unusual and absorbing drawings
This weighty and uncluttered coverage of artist Sara Moon's unusual and absorbing drawings are each centered on a white page providing excellent contrast and a uniform approach to both her black and white and color works. These take the form of juxtaposed sections of color and old-fashioned daguerreotype-type images, all the more striking for their organization and presentation. Highly recommended. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

photojournalism master
mr. parks' book is autobiographical in photo and text. the book reveals his journey to becoming a documentor of turbulent times during his career. this is a must purchase.

A Great Book by a Great Photographer
Buy this book and see the wonderful and varied career of Gordon Parks. See the world through this stunning photographer's eyes, and you will never see the world the same again. Then buy *A Choice of Weapons* and find out how this man came to create these masterworks. Everyone knows his genius as a photographer, filmmaker, and composer, but people may not know that he is a master memoirist as well. Put this book and *A Choice of Weapons* on your Christmas list!

learned so much in one day
Seeing the exhibit was the most wonderful day of my life. Getting the book was the next best day. I am not sure if another photographer so talented in all fields will ever appear again. Raad A Choice of Weapons also by Gordon Parks, it will help reinforce the Retrospective.

Note to Amazon.com from Gordon Park's assistant:
Please note that the cover that you show on the internet is incorrect. I am the photgrapher and what you show is the photograph that was used for the dummy book shown at the book fair. The photograph shown is an unpublished photgraph. Please look at the book for the actual cover.

Superb account of the world he's experienced!
Through his poetry and photographs, Parks does an excellent job of allowing the reader to some into the world he has experienced over the years. You feel like you've gone off on assignment with him and like you've have expericned the bigotry first hand. The messages he conveys through his work were way ahead of his time, but right on time in today's world. His intelligence brightly shines through both his photographs and poetry. The narratives, photographs and poetry all make for an outstanding compilation of his feelings and views on the world. Marvelous! ... Read more

Book Description

It is a truism of contemporary culture that you are what you wear. Or what you drive. Or where you live. Or how you decorate your body or style your hair. There are certain people, however, who know the importance of such a cultural condition, and who take it to a courageous and self-actualizing extreme. These individuals are shameless about self-expression; they are brave enough to paint on a canvas all their own, without precedent or proportion. They are style astronauts. They are the Kustomizers. Kustom is about people who live and breathe and maximize the concept of ownership. From customized hot rods to plastic surgery in extremis, stadium daredevils to fashion mavericks, photographer Dewey Nicks captures the art and poetry of obsession. The results are humorous, startling, grotesque, and glorious-sometimes all at once. Kustom provides a vivid insight into those who have the courage and abandon to go beyond the standards of mass production, beyond the inhibitions of tradition and conformity. Designed by lauded fashion imagemaker Douglas Lloyd, Kustom is a brilliant odyssey into the world of personal aesthetics. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Energy Leaping From the Pages
Stunningly beautiful, clean and crisply presented. One hundred years hence, this volume will stand as an exemplar of the contemporary aeesthetic. Accessible yet challenging. Unreservedly recommended. (A true bargain at this price, too.) ... Read more

Book Description

In Paul Jasmin’s hauntingly beautiful new book, Lost Angeles, the city takes on a quality of light and personality known only to someone who has experienced it first hand. Here are the "tarnished angels" that hang out on Hollywood Boulevard or in local motel rooms, that have come to L.A. looking for the American dream, Hollywood style, and have quickly discov