Book Description

One of the most important documentary photographers of our time, Dorothea Lange's revolutionary work chronicled America's struggle with poverty during the Great Depression. Her widely reproduced, classic portrait from the 1940s,"Migrant Mother," is just one of the many unforgettable images found in her stunning oeuvre of documentary works. While there have been other books on Lange's photographs, none exist with the scope and breadth of this monograph, which comes from her archives at the Oakland Museum in California and includes numerous unpublished photographs. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Beautiful documentry
I just purchased this book for a friend as I have done in the past. It is a beautiful record of a girls' life that is not glamourous nor sentimental. The prints from the book are wonderful as I have seen them for myself in Chicago. For anyone wanting something a little different, this is a wonderful book. ... Read more

Book Description

Internationally acclaimed photographer Greg Gorman has just completed his most personal work to date: the male figure study. Twenty years in the making, this epic artist's project features carefully selected young men--not big or overly built--who exemplify for Gorman a perfected state, allowing him to frame grace, beauty, and elegance in the form of the male nude. Included amongst the 240-plus portraits are many of Gorman's friends and acquaintances, as well as professional models, many of whom had never posed nude before. The cumulative effect of As I See It creates a pleasurable zone of contemplation, allowing one to reexamine the precepts of beauty within a refreshing framework of exalted maleness. According to Gorman, "As I see it, they're not really boys, yet they're not really men. They are caught somewhere in between--almost at that point of maturity that defines masculinity." ... Read more

Reviews (11)

Refreshing stance
Every aspect of this new volume of Greg Gorman's art is of the highest quality....from the physical cover/paper quality/design/ typeface et cetera. Gorman's choice of models - men who are not buff beefcake for the most part - is refreshing and allows us to more closely appreciate his photographic gifts of choice of pose, lighting, and introspection. These models dwell in that continuum of emerging masculinity untampered by too much experience or over-exposure to the various camera (and human) eyes. With the exception of Nicholas Gonzalez and Alexis Arquette (again, refreshing honest respect for male nudity in a world most celebrities avoid), the models are like people you pass as you walk down the street. The beauty of the resulting photo sessions seems a balanced collaboration between Gorman and his sitters. A beautiful book.

BEAUTIFUL IMAGES
Thanks to the Amazon.com reviews already written for Greg Gorman's book, I bought it online and couldn't be happier. Gorman is a contemporary photographer obviously enamored of his subjects. The care and dignity he bestoys on all his models in this book is exemplary.

A previous collection, published by Rizzoli, is called "Inside Life" and consists mainly of portraits of celebrities from Brando to Sarandon, from Quincy Jones to Leonardo Di Caprio before he was LEONARD DI CAPRIO-from a cross-dressing Sharon Stone to a nude Keanu Reeves. But these are much more than publicity pictures one might see in a magazine like "Vanity Fair;" they really bear repeated viewings: has any of us seen Sugar Ray Leonard looking so troubled?; How clever to let us watch Savion Glover resting his feet, rather than tapping; How witty to show us gay porn icon, Jeff Stryker, as he might have looked in an MGM 1940's studio shot.

As beautifully put together as the above volume is, Gorman's "As I See It" is even better. Powerhouse Books has given Gorman the publication he deserves. This is a magnificently designed and executed collection of classic male nudes, most of whom are posed in neutral surroundings, so that our eyes go to the male form and how this photographer wants us to see it.

Included is a reproduction of a charming, hand-written note to Gorman from his fan (and sometimes model) Elton John. A wonderful book of beautiful images. Highly recommended.

Wonderful Nude Male Photography
The photographs in this book are just marvelous. Gorman has a way of evoking each model's personality so well with his shots. There are also some lower level celebrities in the mix so that is cool. Christopher Atkins has a great spread. If you love the male form, you will love this book of breathtaking photos.

Their beauty transcends all time.
American men are generally ashamed of their bodies, often with good reason. The beautiful youngmen who appear nude in "As I See It" are proud of their masculine beauty and are willing to share it with others. Even more impressive, though some of these men are celebrities, they don't seem to worry that appearing naked in an art book might ruin their careers. As for the artist involved, Greg Gorman is a world-class photographer who is uniquely qualified to capture their perfect moment in time.

The simplicity of beauty.
Greg Gorman presents beautiful, sometimes androgynous, young men in this thick book of back and white photographs.
First of all, the book construction is excellent, with glossy pages that complement Gorman's use of high contrast lighting environments. On some pages the large areas of black ink have speckled in spots, this seems to be the only flaw in construction, otherwise the printing is excellent.
Like Alfred Stieglitz's simple but profound portraits of Georgia O'Keefe, Gorman presents simple images in stark environments, dark in tone, where the sitter is actively engaged in the attempted acheivement of photograhic perfection.
Gorman creates mini-portfolios of each sitter - the images come from one, sometimes more, sessions - and most often presents the model in several variations of the same pose. This strategy allows the viewer to experience the work as a duration of time, rather than a moment in time. Gorman's simplified cubistic aproach works to imbue his work with humanity, spaciousness and enough of a measure of originality to set his work in the upper strata of photograhers within his genre. ... Read more

Book Description

Book Description

No one photographs babies like celebrated Australian photographer Anne Geddes. From the launch of her first photographic greeting cards and calendar in 1992 to the phenomenal success of her books Down in the Garden and Until Now, her unique photos have touched millions of people worldwide.Now, in her stunning new full-color hardcover book, Pure, Anne achieves a completely new level of photographic artistry and vision.Four years in the making, Pure offers breathtaking images that intimately evoke the wonder of the first precious days and weeks of life.With eyes tightly shut, in wrinkly new skin, unaffected by and unaware of the world that awaits them, these newborns hint at the mysterious world before birth.The miracle of life shines from each sumptuous, oversized page.Geddes presents these babies in their purest form to "emphasize the fact that they are vulnerable, fragile, and very precious human beings."The revealing images of these "just borns" epitomize the words that accompany them - "Unique," "Perfect," "Extraordinary."Mothers, too, are shown anew through Anne Geddes' lens.Real women in the full bloom of pregnancy radiate serenity and promise.Mothers enfold babies in their arms, highlighting the beautiful bond between them.They reveal our shared humanity - beautiful, vulnerable, loved.Pure. ... Read more

Reviews (25)

Something new and daring from Anne Geddes
I confess I was expecting more darling babies in flower pots--after all, Anne Geddes has built her name with "cute" baby photography.

PURE, however, is totally different, more powerful, and GREAT. Instead of photographing babies in a cute but posed way (baby as pumpkin, baby as flower, etc.), these photographs are all about photograping babies as BABIES. Some photos look as though they were taken in the womb (an illusion created with lighting and background). Others are delicate photos of the itsiest newborns. I love the photos with a man's strong hands and a delicate baby's head..it's a contrast of strength and vulnerability.

I saw her on 20/20 and they showed how some of these photographs were done. Unbelievable!

Check this one out.

WOW.
WOW. I liked the "babies-in-flowerpots" Anne Geddes, so I picked up her new book Pure. It's stunning. The babies and the women are just breathtaking. This book seems to be a departure from her previous stuff. For one thing, besides babies, it also explores and celebrates pregnancy. (Anne Geddes even makes stretch marks look beautiful--one photo of a very pregnant tummy is taken from an angle that shows the pattern of the woman's stretch marks like the markings on a tiger or the stripes on a watermelon, or the whorl of hair on Geddes's birds-eye-view photos of the tops of babies' heads.) My favorites are the photos where images of babies are superimposed on images of women's bodies, showing how they fit inside. There are even a couple photos showing babies juxtaposed against images of pelvic bones and spinal columns. It's really illuminating. But mostly it's just beautiful.

Pure and simple
First of all, the cover of the book captured my attention. The woman dressed in a white, goassmer, elastic cloth revealing a baby in her womb is just brilliant and breath taking. I believe that the cover says it all. It signifies the beauty of birth and the precious relationship between a woman and her child. I couldn't resist picking up the book only after a mere glance of the cover.

I really appreciate Anne Geddes use of simplicity in this book. Her positioning of the models demonstrates her understanding of aesthetic shape and form. She positions the babies so delicately in order to create a sense of how magnificent and precious they really are at that stage. I especially love the closeness and various angles of the pictures and the intimate relationship she creates between the subject and the viewer. It's her simplicity of the pictures that makes them so breath taking and pure. This book is a must for those that appreciate life and the birth of it.

Beautiful!~!
Well my fiance got this book for me, becuase I had wanted it for such a long time. ANd I was so amazed even from the very front cover. I still look through it every once in a while, and I find that these photographs are absolutely beautifully timeless. The Pregnant body is beautiful and the whole point of this wonderfully crafted book is to let women know that even when they are pregnant they are beautiful. There is such beauty with mother and daughter/son.

Maybe I'm just a fanatic....This book is a must have for anyone who loves this type of art. And it's not porn, at least I dont think so. It's tasteful in my opinion. Granted yes..some are..Interesting...but still it's still beautiful.

A must have for Anne Geddes fan,come on she spent 5 years on it, and it payed off.

Pure baby meat.
Yes, babies are depicted as fresh meat in many of Anne Geddes' books. That's why there are photos of them suspended in swaddles from a metal meathook or shoved naked into body stockings like sausages or piled on top of each other like hamburger patties...an apt metaphor for the baby-hungry.

This is pure maternal porn designed to filfull the most profound carnal fantasy of producing offspring: newborn heads coming straight out of "vaginal" symbols, vein-ribbed engorged breasts, and angel-like models pretending to be pregnant and in a kind of trance with live babies held captive against their bellies.

Having babies may be a very intoxicating and life-altering experience for many women, but that's not what childbearing is really all about in first place. So this book may be a little creepy to some viewers for this very reason. ... Read more

Book Description

The hottest, most lucrative trend in wedding photography is gorgeously illustrated and explained in this cutting-edge guide that shows professional photographers-and those aspiring to be-how to create the arty, hip, yet elegant wedding albums sought by today's brides. Images that look like they're from magazines or art galleries fill these inspiring pages. Taken by a highly successful specialist in wedding photography, the pictures tell their unique, romantic story with a visual artistry and excitement that differs from staid, traditional wedding albums of the past. The book explains all the creative techniques-including wedding photojournalism-that produce such compelling pictures, and also fully explores the business side of wedding photography. Everything from finding clients to shooting the event and capturing the heartbeat of the day to selling the album and getting referrals is covered lucidly, with wisdom, authority, and humor-adding up to an immensely useful guide that can transform the career of anyone wanting to break into the profitable field of wedding photography. And for future brides, the book will provide visual inspiration on the must-have photography they want for their big day. ... Read more

Reviews (19)

Unbelievable!!
I wish Ms. Cantrell would write more books. I loved this book. While I have been out of wedding photography for a few years, this book got me back in with a new, inspired vision. Not only does she cover the basics of how to shoot a great, realistic wedding, she discusses marketing, bridal shows, how to assemble an album, pricing, and equipment. Every one of her photos carries the camera type, lens used, film used and other details. Here's a hint even if you don't buy the book. Keep an antique wedding album in your display at bridal shows. How could you better communicate the value of photography with that kind of display.

Wedding Photojournalism
The photographs alone would be reason enough for anyone to purchase Bambi's new book, "The Art of Wedding Photography". The images reflect a style both exciting and romantic while retaining the unique emotion of each wedding celebration. Her passion for wedding photography resonates throughout the text. As a wedding photographer myself, this book will be an essential companion to creating and conducting my business. Her work inspired me become a wedding photographer and her book has strengthened my committment to creating unforgettable photographs.

Nice Book
I have a stack of similiar style and price wedding photography books and this one is my favorite.

Phenominal
I've been a casual photography for a few years. I was recently approached to photograph a wedding and after much agonizing I accepted. I immediately began searching for books on wedding photography and saw this one. I must say that the reviews are well deserved! The book is fantastic from beginning to end and just what I like, capturing the event as it happens (true photojournalism). The pictures are phenominal and explanations and techniques are very helpful and an easy read. I am now no longer nervous to shoot weddings thanks to this book! Great Job.

The best wedding photography book out there
Excellent editorial, sound advice, breathtaking photographs.

This book is an excellent resource for someone who is just getting into wedding photography, as well as a seasoned pro.

Although the cover features a traditional pose, the book's focus is photojournalism - the "reportage-style" photography brides go crazy about these days. It also has a chapter on posed wedding pictures, because... well... what mom doesn't want a nicely framed, posed photo of her daughter on her wedding day?

Great work and totally worth the $20 investment (it's actually $30 at bookstores, so this is a great deal!) I read it cover-to-cover right after it arrived and would recommend it to everyone. ... Read more

Book Description

How do you “freeze” your child in action on the soccer field? People & Portraits, the second in the new, information-packed National Geographic Photography Field Guide series, supplies the answer to this question and much more as readers discover the secrets that have made National Geographic photography so well known.

People & Portraits reveals the best angles, lighting, and lenses to capture candid photos and portraits of family, friends, and everyone else. How to evoke a subject’s true character on film, how to compose a formal family portrait—everything the reader needs to know about photographing people is in this book. Filled with easy-to-understand instructions from an accomplished National Geographic photographer, this guide will be accompanied by specialized volumes on wildlife, black and white, digital, adventure photography, and more. With the National Geographic Photography Field Guide series, novice to professional photographers will take the best pictures of their lives.

Reviews (7)

Good ref
Organization is well above average but it's not a textbook so the index is still not as strong as a textbook.
But, it is a how-to book and chapters are to the point, clearly written. It's sitting with my other reference books, now that I've read it. Very handy ref. book.

Great Overview of Photography with Very Motivating Pictures
This book describes what you need to know to make good pictures of people. The book begins by discussing composition and then turns to equipment and lighting. The book then focuses on various types of people photography: street photography; people in action; portraits; familar subjects (family members) and the photographic essay. The book includes a list of useful web sites and explains how three professional photograhers work. They are Cary Wolinsky, Sisse Brimberg and Lynn Johnson. I love these different viewpoints because they provide food for thought.
The photographs leap off the page. They are stunning and make me want to get out and photograph. I highly recommend this book. It also is of a size that will easily fit in your camera bag.

Delivers as advertised, pretty good book
I bought this book along with the companion book on Landscapes. A lot of the same material is covered, and in both cases I think does a pretty good job. The material is dealt with systematically, discussing both machinics, technique and composition.

Like other books that survey a broad subject, I think it tends to miss some specifics that would be necessary to really learn at a detail level. For example, the discussion of flash photography discusses built-in flashes, dedicated flashes, and studio lighting all in one short chapter, but in not enough detail to help you make much progress with any.

I did like the sections by other National Geo photographers who wrote a couple pages describing their thoughts and delivering advice.

So this is a pretty good book and is one of those things you should read even if you know most of what it has to say.

Picture This
Hello All,

Ok, so I needed some help to shoot a few pics of family and friends so, I picked up a copy of this book. My first impression was that it seemed to have some good tips and techniques but, upon reading it thoroughly, I have to say folks, this one falls a bit short. I have made the move into the realm of digital media and as such, am hungry for help IN THOSE AREAS. This book just doesn't go there enough for me. Sure, you'll get plenty of tips pertaining to FILM media but, what I want is DIGITAL!

Would I buy this book again, probably not BUT, if I was still using film, then this book would fill the bill.

Ciao All!!

Compact and Informative
The People and Portraits Field Guide continues along one branch of the first NGS field guide. Somewhat more advanced composition and technical advice is provided, tailored to the specific art of capturing people in their environment. Caputo writes a book that is not only succinct, but also enjoyable to read.

Continuing with the format of the original are the profiles of National Geographic photographers, each with their own set of advice. This is a primary strength of this set of field guides and something that separates them from other books. The bios are interesting reading in themselves and give a brief glimpse into the work and vision of different artists. ... Read more

Book Description

Sexy, famous, beautiful-a Testino portrait is as unmistakeable as his subject. MARIO TESTINO: PORTRAITS features the cream of the crop in our celebrity-obsessed age: Naomi Campbell, Jude Law, Kate Moss, Gwyneth Paltrow-those whose names have become the hallmarks, almost the logos, of the fashion world.

Testino's relationship with his subjects is simply and succinctly summed up by Anna Wintour, Editor-in-Chief of Vogue: "People love to be photographed by Mario." His innate sense of fashion, which has made him the most sought-after contemporary photographer today, has transformed many of his portraits into icons. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

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

its good, but is it art?
Everyone praises mario testino because he captures the true person inside of his subjects. This may be true for celebrities and fashion favourites, but can it be said for the lesser mortals? to begin he fails to photograph anyone unless, it seems its for money in this book. the portraits lose intimacy and emotional depth. The photographs may be glamorous but most fail to have soul and true deeper meaning. None of the photographs are of normal people, and everyone has a cheesy grin.

approach with caution.

stunning simply stunning
if this is the year that the name Mario Testino passes from the surgically altered lips of fashion's congnescenti to the bowels of the masses, this book will show you what the hype was really all about.
the prints are amazing, vibrant and detailed. the portraiture is stunning and all mario. i know that his previous books were always a bit of a disappointment since they tended to hilight a completely different style then the one by which he was so successfully making his living. as a believer and a fan, this book is the proof that mario may be fashion's greatest living photographer.
here it is and well worth the wait. the perfect south beach cofee table book.

Eye popping colors!!!!!
If you catch this exhibit in London, you will be amazed at how many of the photos you will recognize not knowing who the photographer was. No wonder Princess Diana allowed only one man to catch her as she truly was, simply a woman. The fashion shots and ad campaigns are great. His celebrity photos are ok, but Testino is fashion and that is where his best work lie. In either b&w or color, these photos speak!! ... Read more

Reviews (1)

"The easy hum of men among men"


Thanks to the popularity of a recent movie, Barbershop, the public's attention has focused on the central gathering place for black men, the local barbershop. In an oral history that covers every aspect of community life, Marberry gathers stories from across the country, from "Detroit to Orlando, Brooklyn to Houston". This small gem, complete with black and white photographs, captures the wit and wisdom of barbers and their patrons, including a very select few women barbers who wield their scissors on this sacred turf.

Albert Ghee, Jr., a customer, talks about Shorty, a midget with a shoe shine stand, who worked in the back of his uncle's barbershop in Farmville, Virginia. If you gave Shorty an extra dollar, he'd thump out tunes with his rag as he polished your shoes, "The Star Spangled Banner" or "Amazing Grace." But Albert never enjoyed Shorty's unique rhythms until he was thirteen-years old; boys had to be teenagers before they were allowed to partake of the barbershop ambiance.

Wheeler Parker, a barbershop owner, has a cautionary tale to share, a hard lesson forced upon young men in his day, white men terrorizing in the middle of the night. Parker wants more for the younger generation after all the suffering, all the lost opportunities of his youth. He wants them to remember his cousin's name, Emmett Till. "He had a short life. Fourteen years. But if we remember, then it wasn't a wasted life."

Betty Reece was the only other woman besides Clara Poke and forty men in barber school. Betty was so painfully shy that one of her instructors said she was "so slow, she would miss the boat and the bus". Betty never did overcome her shyness and sat all day waiting for customers, lacking the effusiveness to gather regular clients. Sometimes she never had a single customer: "Felt like I was watching hair grow." She quit the business but still has her license and may go back to barbering one day.

Omar Rasul is a barber who enjoys the camaraderie of the shop, always up for a few laughs, which he considers good therapy. He favors "cut down" sessions, where "you target a person's flaw and roll with it. It's all about making people bust out laughing." On the other hand, the Reverend John C. McClurkin, a customer, likens the barbershop to the dinner table, a forum for family members to share stories and fellowship. The shop enjoys a similar dynamic, "except nobody's trying to hide their vegetables".

There are a few barbershop rules: "comments must both entertain and enlighten, proverbs need punch lines and comedy needs a dose of the profound". This thoughtful and humorous collection offers a peek into the rarified world of the black barbershop, still as popular today as when it first began. There's a sound you can hear above the clip and buzz of scissors and clippers: "It's the easy hum of men among men." Luan Gaines/2005.
... Read more

Reviews (15)

Physical perfection here captured by a stunning artist.
Something about these photos nourishes my soul. I am not a photographer, don't even own a Brownie camera, simply noticed the book at a check-out counter in a bookstore. The cover alone is worth 100 times the price........ a perfect nude dangling from an enormous tree limb that hangs out over the ocean. Cindy Crawford? Maybe. It's lyrical, stunning, art of the finest sort. . Patrick Demarchelier makes an incredibly profound statement with each photo. Buy it simply to soothe your soul........over and over and over and over again

A masterpiece from a prominent fashion photographer
With this wonderful depiction of form and expression, Demarchelier shows his mastery of presenting the face, the body, and the mood through an incredible feel for lighting and contrast. His adeptness at capturing the nude female form brings out incredible beauty without the slightest hint of pornography.

What you get: 82 black-and-white photographic plates, most of which are formatted to fill the entire page. With a few exceptions, all were taken from the late-80s to the mid-90s, and about half were taken from fashion magazines or designer ads. Most are of people, the majority of whom are recognizable (to me) celebrities. About one-forth feature the nude or semi-nude female body. For good measure, a couple pictues featuring members of the Demarchelier family are also included. All photographs are presented "stand-alone," with no notes or credits; however, this information is clearly referenced at the back of the book.

What you see: a straightforwardness of subject matter. Where other photographers might dazzle by snaring a moment in time from an event (e.g., Robert Doisneau), Demarchelier presents his subjects with no mystery as to what the viewer is to behold: the intricacies of the baobab branches in contrast to its massive trunk; the variations in lighting between two figures, one illuminated, one silhouetted, seated in front of a window; or the calm, confident gaze of Christy Turlington wearing only a tangle of wet hair, and a sheet around her hips. The side-by-side photos of Helena Christensen are perhaps the best of her ever, as may be the one of Turlington. Not to forget the face: the shots of Versace, César, Corbassière and Nastassja Kinski are absolute gems. I'm having a hard time puting this book down, and I'd love to know who that is hanging from the tree on the front cover.

The Wonderful Art of Patrick Demarchelier
Patrick Demarchelier is one of the best artist of this age; his Photographs are pieces of history. Into this book you'll find his masterpieces: emotions in B&W!

Extremely Good Photography
A must own book for people that love b&w photography. Patrick is excellent at getting the perfect angle for the image. The way the natural light and shadows enhance the objects is great. The true persons are drawn by the way the pictures are taken.

Beautiful Display of photography
My 12 year old saw this book on one of the display tables, picked it up... for the cover (naked lady) and glanced through it. He then later came running up to me saying... Please buy this book. The pictures are excellent. Well now, my son is interested in photography as a hobby. ... Read more

Amazon.com

At the age of 6, Joel-Peter Witkin witnessed an automobile accident in which a little girl was decapitated, her head rolling to a stop at his feet. This experience may have had a bearing on his lifelong obsession with the macabre, but does little to prepare the viewer for his bizarre photographs of hermaphrodites and other human grotesqueries. Imagine the fruits of a collaboration between Diane Arbus and Federico Fellini that might be rejected for being a little too extreme. Imagine what Larry Flynt might publish for residents of the Twilight Zone. Two of the milder images: the disembodied, almost skeletal heads of two gnarled old men locked in an intimate kiss; and an obese woman in a cone-shaped mask, breast-feeding an eel. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Hypnotic Dreamscape Daring You to Look Away
Strange, decadent, daring, lush, sacred, gorgeous, hideous, nightmarish, dreamlike ... this is Witkin, a mass of contradictions capable of stirring so many mixed emotions that you may find yourself feeling a bit dizzy or queasy or struck mute in some sort of hypnotic trance. These photos are not to be ignored. They demand you to either look away and hide your head beneath a pillow as you struggle to erase them from your memory (good luck) or stare transfixed as their obscene beauty pierces your soul and leaves its indelible mark. Either way, honey, you are doomed - but in such a wickedly wonderful way.

Witkin makes no apologies for his art nor should he. He is a loathe it or love it kind of master surrealist who layers one assault to reason upon another. The freakish and ethereal images that live in his photos belong to an alien world as much as they exist in this one and in us. It doesn't necessarily take a brave heart to enjoy his work but it does take one that is willing to accept that beauty is capable of thriving even in the inkiest black regions of decay or disfigurement; it dances there, haloed in its own light, while waiting for us to join it.

Art that is capable of eliciting such strong emotions is worthy of our attention and the fight to preserve it.

A Very Sad Book
This is a book about a sad man who choses to photograph dead babies and corpses.

Very Highly Recommended - Biggest Visual Impact
I appreciate Joel Peter Witkin's photos for a few years, before I can actually own this book finally. This book makes my experience complete.

A comprehensive collection of Joel-Peter Witkin's work, which belongs to the dark side of human. The careful composition of human body, objects and background, sometimes with cross-reference to classical paintings, invites a surreal, poetic, and miserable feeling.

If you only think that his photos are terrible, you need more time and more patience to read his images, through understanding. Extract from what Witkin said - 'When people see my work, there is no 'grey area' of response. What they experience is either love or hate.'

For all photography books I have ever read, this one is the most visual impacting ! Joel Peter Witkin's work is inspiring, original, and creative.

Very highly recommended, if you want to look into our human side.

The Definitive Volume
Be forewarned: Witkin's photographic art is wholly unique and strange and bizarre and macabre.....and wondrous. How often do we really have the courage to face our nightmare demons, real or imagined? Here is an artist who has devoted his life to addressing the dark side of our minds. Yes, these are photographs of "freaks" manipulated to states beyond which even they can go. Some people are put off by these images, finding them cruel and disgusting. But why do these same people pack the theatres and movie houses that continue to grind out rehashed Dracula, Frankenstein, Phantoms of the Opera, and other creatures from the black lagoon of invention? Perhaps the fact that these are photographs and not drawings or paintings makes them fall into the realm of possible rather than make-believe. But here they are, like a sideshow, with incredible presence, lighting, theatrics, and pain. For the unafraid, Witkin's photographs are beautiful. And so is this volume!

The original and best: A master of the Macabre
Witkin is an extremely original and spiritual artist who never strays from his own personal vision. He also comes recommended by the best: Clive Barker is a fan and Nine Inch Nails made a music video based on his work. His work is often imitated but his unique style which blends the freakshow, the gothic and the baroque with imagery of death and religion, can never be matched. Witkins photographs are often horrific and deeply bizarre but are always beautiful. This book contains the best quality reproductions of a great number of Witkin's photographs that I have ever seen, as well as lengthy and informative essays. I highly recommend it for initiated fans of Witkin or as an introduction to his work. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Photography finds its own Rocky
We are living in an age of sequels. From Star Wars and Matrix of Hollywood to the Gulf Wars, it is repetitions with the same premises and towards, dull or worst, tragic effect. Wegman's early work with his dog Man Ray captured everyone's imagination with its wit and sometimes thought provoking concepts. Wegman like his dogs also became a star, subject of documentaries and an advertising model for Gap clothing. Alas, there was no one to tell this talented artist when to stop, and from doing the children's fables to an episode of Hardy Boys adventure, Wegman's canine companions have found more newer uses including featuring as various alphabets in books for nursery children as well as in between graduate courses offerings in a New School for Social Research catalog.

Like Sylvester Stallone's Rocky that raided the Oscars cupboard in the 1970s, only to milk the concept dry (Mr. Stallone is reportedly scripting another edition), Mr. Wegman has chosen to risk doing the same with his canine models. His latest offering is getting into another commercial territory besides that of prequels and sequels -- the "Making of ___" (for a hit movie) or the "outtakes" or "Alternative Takes" (for a well known but dead musician). Whether Wegman is the Hendrix of Photography or revisiting Man Ray's polaroids is like "the Making of Citizen Kane" is something debatable. What is however more certain is that despite the high levels of literacy that permeates photographic art and the fact that photography doesn't have to pander to the lowest common denominator like most other art forms, it cannot escape the trends in the market place. Trends driven, not by artists but accountants and following the cold logic of prequels, sequels, outtakes and alternative tracks. Whether Wegman will soon be getting his canine models to reinterpret the boy scouts manual or move from the Hardy Boys to Nancy Drew adventures, is there to see. But if this does happen, remember you read it here first. ... Read more

Book Description

What role has photography played in shaping our ideas about race, nation, and selfhood? How has the camera been used to construct and contrast images of racial difference? To create or debunk stereotypes and romantic myths about specific ethnic groups? This groundbreaking book is the first to thoroughly investigate the impact that photography has had on race and racial identity in America-among the most profound and explosive issues in our nation's history and everyday life.

From Dorothea Lange's portrait of Mexican braceros brought to the United States as farm workers, to Anthony Aziz & Sammy Cucher's digitally manipulated, idealized nudes, Only Skin Deep presents historical and contemporary images and embraces a wide range of genres and movements, including portraiture, social documentary, ethnographic photography, fine-art photography, and photojournalism. Complementing the images are four original essays on race and photography, eight reprint essays that have served as foundational documents in the discussion of race, and five case studies that focus more narrowly on representations of specific cultural groups. The book will accompany a national touring exhibition prepared by the International Center of Photography in New York. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

GRAND VISION/HARD VIEWING
An enormous and fasinating series of discussions surrounding "raced looking" in America's history of photography is central to this group of essays by many of the cultural critics working today. A massive tome with outstanding visuals, some not seen in the exhibition, provide extensive background and analysis to the area of how race has intervened in American culture today. For museums who felt the race subject had been addressed in the 90s post-Quincentennary exhibition, it is obvious that much more in depth examination is necessary and relevant. An outstanding effort for a museum catalogue and exhibition. All should be commended. Required reading for anyone working and teaching in cultural studies, ethnic studies, humanities, and the arts. ... Read more

Book Description

Upon Jacque Lowe's death, commentators credited his pictures with creating the myth of Camelot. Lowe's photographs of the Kennedys, taken during his span as JFK's personal photographer, have become the iconic imagery of a time that remains vividly etched in the national psyche. Of Lowe's 40,000 photographs of the Kennedys, only a few hundred have ever been seen. Authorized by the Lowe estate, REMEMBERING JACK--which is being published to coincide with the 40th anniversary of JFK's death--features more than 600 pictures, half of which are previously unpublished. All of Lowe's original negatives were housed in a bank vault in the World Trade Center and were destroyed on 9/11/01. The book includes an introduction by Tom Wolfe, Lowe's friend and photo subject for 40 years. Hugh Sidey, who was traveling with Kennedy when he was assassinated, writes the commentary, while Thomasina Lowe chronicles her father's work and legacy. The focus, however, remains on the pictures--a poignant evocation of the charm, youth, high spirits, and legend of the Kennedys, all tinged with a sense of loss. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

very intimate photographs of the whole kennedy clan
A real treasure of intimate photographs of the entire kennedy clan by the photographers who was granted access to them before jfk became president. this book is a treasure.

A Heartfelt Tribute to a Great Kennedy
The "intimate and unseen photographs of the Kennedys" taken by the family's entrusted photographer Jacques Lowe starts off as just another photo album dedicated to a great president whose charismatic glow is still alive today.

But as one intimate sequence of photographs builds up on another, and through a series of brief but perceptive chapter commentaries provided by Hugh Sidey, the veteran journalist who covered the Kennedy presidency like perhaps no one else did, we are pulled into an emotional time-warp which makes us privy to many crucial moments in JFK's life and career. We become privileged witnesses to many public and private moments in a world leader's life.

At the end of the book one can't help but wonder if it was indeed some sort of divine providence that saved Lowe's contact sheets from the ravages of the Sept 11 attack that destroyed the original negatives kept at a safe inside the World Trade Center.

These photographs reproduced after Lowe's death in May 2001 by his daughter from those contact sheets are a wistful testimony to a time when everything looked possible under the energetic leadership of the 45-year-old JFK.

There are two aspects of this album that I really loved.

1) Besides the individual single B&W frames of JFK, RFK and many other family members in never-before-seen settings, the album also provides the original contact sheets from which the individual frames were selected.

These sheets, besides carrying the artist's original red markings and thus providing us with a visual commentary on Lowe's uncompromising aesthetic standards, also do present us a fascinating sequence of snapshots, each showing JFK or another Kennedy with a slightly different facial gesture, with an immediately related but different interaction in the same setting, thus providing us with an unedited kaleidoscopic feel for a moment long vanished in time.

Those series of unpublished and "discarded" frames make the viewer the proverbial fly-on-the-wall who can judge the true context of the situation for him/herself.

They take us one step beyond the polished and well-balanced press photos and enter the back-stage of many unforgettable moments from American political history.

2) We all remember JFK for his spectacular rise to power, his election as the youngest President in U.S. history, his memorable words and vision, and the great tragedy of November 22, 1963.

But how many of us remember "Jack" early in his career, when perhaps he also had his own doubts about whether he could pursue the path that he and his family set for himself?

Those early campaign trail photos that depict a lonely JFK, sometimes lost in his thoughts, sometimes braving his predicament with his trademark thousand-watt smile, were my favorites in the whole album.

For example: JFK visiting Ona, West Virginia (p.111), talking to miners on a mid-night shift change (p.107), welcomed in Portland, Oregon by only three supporters in 1959 (p.85), eating breakfast unnoticed at a diner in Oregon with Mrs. Kennedy and brother-in-law Steve Smith (p.79), and staring into the water in Coos Bay, Oregon (p.75) are some of my favorite "private JFK" photos. In my judgment, they alone are worth the cover price of this unique historic compilation. Makes a perfect gift for any history buff at any time of the year.

one of the best book i ever seen!!
to all kennedy fans, buy it!
there are a lot of pictures that are very rare, we can see the all family particularly rfk jfk and jackie kennedy.
I loved the pictures of rfk and kids, there are very touching, and we can how much he loved his children.
there is a good introduction too.
soif you want a great tirbute of the late president kennnedy buy it!

A Wonderful Tribute
This volume is first rate not only for enthusiasts of President Kennedy but also for those interested in photo journalism and the period from the late 1950's through to the early 1960's.

Despite a review stating that there is not much new here, I did not find that the case.

As stated on the jacket, there are indeed over 300 unseen photographs.

Of course, many of the photos are from a sequence of photos taken, with most of us being familiar with the image that Jacques Lowe chose for publication and general release.
However, It is very revealing to see the sequence of photos from which, for example, the photo used on the cover of Richard Reeves 1993 book was chosen. The many moods of John Kennedy are captured and it is as if for a brief moment he is once again with us.

Hugh Sidey provides a first rate narrative and the books production values are exquisite.

Given the recent death of Jacques Lowe, the book is also a final (unfortunately) rememberence of this special relationship between 2 men which produced perhaps the most intimate photographed record of a President that we are ever likely to see in our lifetime.
It is at times as if you are sitting in the Oval office with President Kennedy on any given day. I cannot recall any other President being this comfortable in his own skin and allowing such access.

For the many admirers of the late President, this book will fill your eyes with tears and your heart with hope.

Worthwhile But Nothing New
The cover of this latest Jacques Lowe collection trumpets that it contains "intimate and previously unseen photographs of the Kennedys". This is not entirely true. The vast bulk of the images were previously published in one or more best-selling Lowe books that include Portrait: The Emergence of John F. Kennedy (1961); The Kennedy Years (1964); Kennedy: A Time Remembered (1983); The Kennedy Legacy; A Generation Later (1988).

So, while Remembering Jack is a treasure trove of photographs, only a rare few are in fact previously unpublished, and the majority of these are rejects from proofs of particular events that produced famously memorable portraits: JFK's reaction to the news of Patrice Lumumba's death, meeting the Khrushchevs in Vienna, and dinner at Versailles.

Indeed, while the thematic selection of photographs is to be commended, there is some sloppiness apparent in the editing process. The chapter titled "Testing the Waters" features a photograph of a supposedly sleeping JFK with the description: "Jack stretches out on his bed on the Caroline." There is a good reason why this particular photograph was previously unpublished: the sleeping man in the photo is not Kennedy: his hair parted on the wrong side and he is wearing a wedding ring. The editors only had to look at the full-page photograph of Kennedy on the opposite page to have spotted the obvious differences.

With these qualms in mind Remembering Jack is nevertheless a worthwhile and relatively inexpensive addition to one's library. It will be particularly useful to readers who have not had the benefit of viewing Lowe's work previously. ... Read more

Book Description

Natural light portraiture is fast becoming a popular style of photography. Photographers and clients appreciate the understated, low-maintenance shoots and the spontaneous, casual quality of the photos. Featuring images shot on location, in clients' homes, and in the studio, the author teaches how to use the unique qualities of direct sun, window light, porch light, shade, and the light at sunrise and sunset to create flattering, natural-looking portraits. Photographers will learn how to select the right setting, equipment, backdrop, and props, as well as how to control the balance of light between subject and background. Each sample portrait is accompanied by detailed technical information to help photographers achieve the same results in their own work. ... Read more

Reviews (15)

Great Resource
I highly recommend this book - I've been looking for a guide/resource like this for years. "Professional Secrets of Natural Light Portrait Photography" is well written, very comprehensive, and supports the written words with excellent photos and diagrams. I'm a serious amateur photographer - both of friends and family and for travel/vacation - and have won a number of awards for my photos. I find that more and more of my shots are of people, even when travelling. This book suggests many well thought out natural light posing and composition techniques - natural light sources, backgrounds, props, metering, even clothing. The book also covers topics such as working with kids and "difficult" situations. Many of the topics apply equally to candid or quick shots. Wish I'd had the book a few years ago.

Nice book, but
This is a very good book for a beginner photographer, however there are some things I would recommend to add and/or improve. Throughout all the book there are very interesting details describing the light sources, shading, and other aspects of natural light photography. However, author keeps repeating the same staff on every page... I.e. posing scheme, lens details, techniques, etc....

I wish to turn 100 or something pages and find something new on each page... Otherwise after you read couple of chapters you meet lots of repetitions... Same thing is told twice or more.

Good Book
Portraits are almost certainly the most common type of amateur or professional photography, and natural light is the only type of light truly available to us all (unless, of course, you live in an asylum, in which case I mean no offense). Why, then, must a beginner's pictures look any worse than those of a seasoned pro? The answer: they don't have to!

Natural light is the first kind of light. All forms of artificial portrait lighting is made to approximate the sun. But shooting good pictures in natural light does not mean that the natural light is any kind of sunlight. There is good and bad light, and there are ways to turn bad light into good light. This book teaches how.

The examples are great. Some are cheesy, some tasteful. All are noticeably professional, and a reader will learn essentially how to get the same results. The book also touches on posing and backgrounds and technical details about exposure. All-in-all, the book is worth the money.

Pretty cover but that's all. Content is fluff.
I buy a lot of books and this is the first that has ever so drastically underwhelmed me. As someone who has made a fairly good income in photography on the side, I wanted to learn more about informal outdoor portraiture (not weddings) in natural light and settings. The cover photograph is quite nice, but unfortunately is the best in the book. The rest are barely mediocre, especially for a photographer who reminds us throughout he text that he's endorsed by Hasselblad University.

In the beginning of this book, he claims it is for both the professional and for the mom who want to take better photos. It is for neither since it doesn't have enough of the basics for the uninitiated, and only talks about medium format focal lengths which the "mom" typically wouldn't be using nor understand the comparison to her 35mm lens focal lengths. (He could have added in parenthesis the equivalent length for 35mm camera), and neither does it cater to the pros desire for technical information by not publishing much data about each shot.

The nitty gritty of why this book is fluff: Photographer Douglas Allen Box continually glosses over pertinent technical information so vaguely that you wonder if you missed a paragraph or a page, while he goes on in depth about posing and clothing choices for your subject. At first thumbing through the pages, you'll see all sorts of 2 dimensional sketches next to some photos - that seems promising - until you actually try to match what is going on in the sketch to what is going on in the photo. They are often turned at odd angles to eachother - and often are actually wrong when you decipher the elements. Not helpful.

He describes a few tools and their use so inadequately he shouldn't bother mentioning them at all. Take these four examples: (1) A translucent light modifier has a page dedicated to it, yet there is no photo of one, nor is there a diagram showing how he placed it, nor a before picture to see what happens if one does not use it. (2) He complains that in one photograph he would have made a better photo with a longer lens that he did not own at the time of that portrait sitting. Well, set up a new one for this book and show us the difference - one with the shorter focal length and one longer - give us a diagram showing the difference in placement and the resultant photo. (3) His LIght Finder cube - in one passage he keeps refering to "the other two sides" but does not explain whether these are the dark sides, or light sides. A full page-and-a-half of vague description that leave one scratching one's head about a tool you really do not need in the first place. (4) He talks about blocking the overhead light when it is not naturally blocked, but never actually shows a diagram of how one might arrange such a set up, what tools and placement etc.

Lastly, when Box talks about adding flash he really ought to add a page or two for the uninitiated that explains why he's simply setting his flash at f8.5 and receiving different results. The accompanying text is exceptionally vague - yet he displays resulting photographs all extremely different from one another. I guess he leaves it up to us to buy another book that explains flash in a more satisfactory manner and then reapply it to his posing techniques of like-dressed people.

All in all, a complete flop unless you are very interested in learning how to pose and dress your subject. I'll be returning this one to Amazon quickly. Don't waste your money and time.

Should be called Sunset Photography
Box is obvoiusly a talented Photograher, but if your looking for ideas on how to make great looking portraits at all times during they day, this is NOT your book. Nearly every one of the outdoor photographs in this book are taken at sunset.

He constantly talks about finding good light, and that's the big trick, but he's obviosly not even very good at it since he can only find good light at sunset. ANY half-rate photographer can find good light at sunset or dusk. If you want a book about taking outdoor shots, get Jeff Smith's "Outdoor and Location Portrait Photography." Smith makes Box looks likes he's a beginner. Nearly every shot in Smith's book is NOT at dusk.

This book is really about posing, and understanding how to make artistic outdoor portraits (at dusk of course). He talks more about group photography and dressing your subjects in like clothing where Smith's book is about individual portraiture.

The photo on the cover is probably the best image Box has ever taken, and there's 2 or 3 other high quality captures as well. Smith's book is littered with high quality shots, and amazingly most of them were taken during mid-day, and he even shows you how he accomplished the task.

Douglass Allen Box's "Natural Light Portrait Photography" is for the amateur who wants to improve their group photography skil outdoors where time is really of no concern. Where your willing to sit around for hours waiting for "perfect" light. ... Read more

Book Description

Published just last spring to follow the runaway success of Couples and Men, teNeues introduced a third collection of beautifully composed, highly erotic images from acclaimed photographer Stefan May. Now the stunning black and white photographs that revealed the beauty, sensuality, and grace of women’s bodies are available in an exquisitely produced, slip-cased collector’s edition. This volume is sure to become a treasured gift for fans of erotic photography everywhere. ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (2)

Amazing Amazons
A great compendium of pictures and information -- you don't get this stuff often. This book talks to your inner Terminatrix -- not only guys get muscles. Gals can be hardbody beautiful too!

An Intelligent and Sensitive Testimony to Strong Women
This museum-quality, coffee-table book is outstanding in every respect. Produced to accompany the New Museum of Contemporary Art exhibit, the book faithfully recaptures the power and immediacy of the exhibit photographs and art reproductions. The authors gathered the finest images from the long history of strong women, spanning the worlds of circus, of cartoons, of classical sculpture, and of modern bodybuilding. The illustrations and their captions convey a story in themselves, without ever needing to read the text. But what a storehouse of information is contained in the text! As a professional female bodybuilder myself, I have read nearly everything about my sport. This book gives an honest portrayal of the sport and of the ways in which female bodybuilders are presented to, and perceived by, the dominant culture. It effectively conveys the Catch-22 that enmeshes women of strength. Would a female sprinter be told, "Run fast, but not too fast. Don't try to run as fast as the men." How this situation came to be, and its effect on the sport's top competitors is carefully and responsibly presented here. The interviews with five very diverse representatives of women's bodybuilding are, in themselves, worth the price of the book. In addition, the authors present essays by the sports' acknowledged top historian, Steve Wennerstrom, and the sports' premiere sociologist, Leslie Heywood. The essays are daring, provocative, and brilliantly illustrated. Issues of race and class are addressed head-on. This is a strong book that doesn't apologize for itself or its subjects. This book will be enjoyed by anyone who has a fascination with women and strength. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Photographer August Sander's great gift to the world is his collection of portraits documenting German society in the early decades of the 20th century. His sitters are anonymous, described simply by their occupation, with the stories of their lives, hard or soft, written on their faces. Drawn from all ranks of society, they look at us with a directness and honesty that reflect those of the man behind the camera. There is little artifice in their settings; Sander captures the essence of his subject's character through a neutral but sympathetic simplicity of vision. Calling his portfolio People of the Twentieth Century, Sander builds a picture of the Germany of his day that is at the same time both an artistic and sociological study. The calmness and humanity of his photographs contrast starkly with the violence of his times; though his work is pointedly apolitical, portrait titles such as Victim of Persecution, Cologne, 1938 suggest the hysteria that was overtaking contemporary Europe. Printed in Italy, this study presents a trilingual essay and 168 high-quality reproductions of Sander's work. Complementing the portraits are powerful landscape compositions of idyllic countryside and bombed-out ruins. The book is a fine introduction to the work of a pioneer who refined portraiture to its essence, changing the way photography was regarded in Germany and the world. --John Stevenson ... Read more

Book Description

Edward S. Curtis was the greatest photographer of Native Americans that this country has ever produced. Curtis photographed more than eighty Native American tribes at what for many was the penultimate moment of their existence in a period spanning more than three decades.