Book Description

Fruit of the Secret God is a groundbreaking collection of dark erotic images from one of todays most unique photographers.The hauntingly resonant poetry of Victoria Rimerman accompanies his beautifully provoking images for which Bethalynne Bajema provides a revealing forward.Also included is an insightful article by respected critic and author, Philip Miller.Collected here are thought-provoking images from eight years of work, selected and printed by the artist for this unforgettable monograph. ... Read more

Reviews (8)

SANTINEROSS RUNS RAMPANT WITH ORIGINALITY
As an erotic photographer myself, I dont see too many of my peers whose work Id cross the street to see. Or whose work I would say even "moves me". But for Santineross Id run across the street. His haunting images that showcase femalians wrapped in gauze or naked and clothed merely with angels names written upon them, are really some of the the most original images Ive seen of late. You cant really put his art in a "slot" which is what makes people shy away from some artists and I think this is one of the things that will hurt Santineross in the long run as they will try and slot him in with Witkin. His stuff is really more erotic and more glamourously beautiful than Witkins imagery. Give this book a chance. Youll be happier for it.

John is an amazing talent...
I happen to have had the chance to visit with John int he studio where most of this was shot - and I must tell you that the sense of reality you see in his art is present in John's daily life.

The book is an amazing addition to your collection.

Enter if you dare...and be welcome.
John expertly shows his ability to turn the most mundane of objects into an absolute feast for the senses. With anything from baby dolls to birdcages, fruit to frogs, coffee tables to coffins; he paints a picture that is at times both unsettling and comforting. It brings to the forefront of our minds the dark thoughts and fears that lay within each person upon this planet. However, it also shows in tasteful elegance that such is the way we are all made and there is always a desire for what is considered "forbidden". Victoria's poetry adds to the ambiance and effect by providing a written "map" in this journey of the soul. It was my honor and pleasure to read this book and I hope for and expect many more visits to this magical place, compliments of this duo.

In praise of the author
When I first saw John's work displayed on a website I was overwhelmed by the visuals. The design of his sets, to the models he used, it looked aged to me, antique and quite beautiful in a rough way I have no words for. I immediatly wanted to write something about the scene I was viewing, and that is the highest compliment I can give to another artist. Soon after I had the pleasure of getting to know him as a friend as well as an artist, and there are so many wonderful things to be said about him and his work. His work never ceases to move me in some way and I will always recommend it to others I think will appreciate his unique vision.

...
before my friend pratically made me buy this book, i had never really understood or appreciated visual art. it didn't do anything for me. but after i discovered this book, that changed. his pieces made me feel something, offering me a glimpse into what must be an infinitely complex and talented individual. they made me think about a lot of things, like what constutites beauty and sensuality and power. some of his pieces still make me catch my breath and i feel a sense of awe. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Great book for the celebrity hound
I love this book! Great as a gift or just to feast your eyes on celebrities. Top Quality Book - and I know what's sexy! - Kristy Welsh, Author of "Good Credit is Sexy"

Gorgeous Good-Humored Celebrity Fun!
I cannot remember ever seeing a book of photography as filled with fun as this collection of images from Us Magazine. The humor is solid and clean, something that comedians have a hard time duplicating. The book is greatly enhanced by the special genius of Mark Seliger for this type of work.

Before going further, let me caution you that some images are of partially undressed women that would earn this material an R rating (on the soft side) if it were contained in a motion picture.

The photographs are reproduced in both color and black-and-white. The reproduction quality is very high, and the editors have chosen well where to use two-page spreads and where not to. Although not every image displays good-humored fun, about two-thirds of them do. The book probably would have worked even better if every image had followed that theme. In most cases, the image itself is a happy one that also contains a joke about the celebrity involved . . . creating two ways to have a fun with the image.

Here are my favorite images in the book:

Drew Barrymore (cover shot) holding boxing globes up as a visual bra as she stands in a sparring pose in a boxing ring by Mark Seliger;

Elizabeth Shue nude holding a dog by Mark Seliger;

Patrick Swayze in a slip by Mary Ellen Mark;

Emma Thompson undressed but covered by the bottom of a stage curtain wrapped around her by Neil Davenport;

A puckish looking Hugh Grant by Jon Ragel;

Kato Kaelin in a swimming pool that magnifies the size of his torso by Mary Ellen Mark;

Jodie Foster laughing by Mark Seliger;

Ashley Judd as Marilyn Monroe wrapped in a sheet in bed by Mark Seliger;

Jason Priestley as an urban cowboy tough guy by Lance Staedler;

Whoopi Goldberg looking alarmed by Mark Seliger;

Helen Hunt half-wearing a man's white shirt with a wistful smile by Mark Seliger;

Sharon Stone looking like a 40's pinup or a 50's Playboy model with lots of fluff by Andrew MacPherson;

Julie Louis-Dreyfus spitting water like a fountain statue by Jon Ragel;

Garry Shandling seriously sitting in business attire in front of a burning desk he cannot see behind him by Mark Seliger;

Leonardo DiCaprio thinking in mismatched, outrageous clothing by Mark Seliger;

Kennedy wearing a veil, and using an arm and a hand to create modesty over an otherwise nude body in a take-off on the classic ways to pose nude women without being too revealing by Mark Seliger;

Smiling Rosie Perez by Dewey Nicks;

Sting in a bathtub with rubber duckies by Max Vadukul;

Siegfried and Roy doing an illusion by Mark Seliger;

Juliette Lewis featuring her face and the soles of her feet by Peggy Sirota;

Smiling Lisa Kudrow by Davis Factor;

Matthew Perry by Andrew D. Berstein;

Gamine-like Sandra Bullock by Kate Garner;

a funny, foreshortened Paul Hartman by Mark Seliger; and

David Schwimmer curtseying in a t-shirt and khakis.

"You are a vision of nowness" is the description of this book written inside. I personally found the images more timeless than that. You get a sense of what is universally appealing at all times and to almost all people.

After looking at these happy images, think about the ways that fun appeals to your better nature. How can you experience that kind of fun more often? How can you surround yourself with an environment that teems with such fun? How can you extend and share that fun with others?

Have a great giggle . . . as often as possible!

reccomended...entertaining and interesting
though some of the featured celebrities weren't on my "sexy" list, they were presented very well and the photography was high quality. entertaining and creative shots, worth the price if not just for the alice in wonderland shot of drew barrymore on the first page. also includes some random text; very intelligent, provocative and fun. i keep this book out for frequent viewing.

A great book with great pictures
In this book, there are lots of pictures of celebrities. There is also a selection of quotes from celebrities. It is worth the money.

Excellent 'coffee table' book...and for autographing
Actually, I have two favorite celebrity photography books: this one and Rolling Stone: Photographers. I am an avid autograph collector; so, I use these books whenever I hear about a celebrity being in the area. At the moment, I have this book signed by Denis Leary and Stephen Dorf..with more to come, I hope. About the only photograph I didn't like was the two-pager of Alicia Silverstone. It doesn't really look like her. This is definitely a great book to have on the coffee table for company while you're still getting ready. :) ... Read more

Book Description

Book Description

When Time Out commissioned renowned photographer Gavin Evans to snap Iggy Pop, he first met with Iggy's stylist, Judy Blame, and explained his ideas about a simple shoot focusing on the man himself. Judy replied instantly, "Sure, we'll just use a feather and a fishnet T-shirt." And that, quite literally, is what happened. The result is a collection of arresting and sometimes risque shots that are more powerful and less constrained, more beautiful and less deliberate than anything you will ever have viewed of Iggy previously. For the thousands of music fans across four generations who worship Iggy — his music, face, body, and attitude — this series of images, gathered in just ninety minutes, provides a startling revelation of the many moods and facets of the man who is Iggy Pop. It is far more revealing, in fact, than many painstakingly researched biographies, revealing the good of rock in all of his multifaceted, transgressive, and energetic splendor. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

IggyPop+nearly nude photos of an old dude= Why?
Im not too thrilled with the idea of sitting down and looking through a book of almost nude photos of a dude who is one of my personal heroes. Don't get me wrong, the Stooges are, in my opinion, the greastest rock band of all time. However, I don't know who they were trying to appeal to when they published this book and maybe it doesnt matter, but I guess i'll continue speculating.A star for Iggy

Iggy kicks tushy even after all these yers!
This book, when I initially saw it, was a surprise for me. But the photography is wonderful, as is, of course, the subject.It has rekindled the crush I had on Iggy when I was but a girl, and he was a BAD BOY.

Evans has taken pictures that are unforgiving and harsh and at the same time, show the subjects humor and rawness.Warnings for those who have never seen Iggy up close and personal, there are many shots of Iggy's "little man" and if you are not warned, it might be a shock.

I thoroughly enjoyed the artist and the photographer, and this book is proudly displayed on my coffee table!! ... Read more

Book Description

Addressing the reservations many wedding photographers have about digital photography, this guide explains the many valuable benefits of this technology, including saved labor costs and quick turnaround time. Topics covered include equipment selection and usage; scheduling digital prewedding, wedding day, and postwedding sessions; managing the workload; and using digital proofs. Photographers learn how to market their images-from dealing with client questions to pricing images-and how to use digital imaging software to make easy and effective corrections to flawed images. Providing practical information on running a profitable photography business, this book also gives important technical instruction that will help photographers embrace technology and realize the true potential and profit of their art. ... Read more

Reviews (11)

A "MUST HAVE" to move into the Digital Age
WOW!!! For anyone thinking about moving into Digital Wedding Photography this book is a must have. I have operated a Photography Studio for over 25 years and have taught and attended hundreds of seminars thru the years and have never seen a more down to earth, thought provoking system. Jeff and Kathleen lay out there approach to handling a Digital Wedding from start to finish. In the book they cover every aspect of the Digital Wedding from marketing to equipment, sales, production, to the delivering the finished Wedding Album. They show you how to do simple digital special effects to add to the wedding story and your bottom line. Jeff & Kathleen show you how they lay out their workflow in a time saving fasion that keeps you files organizedand easy to work with.

This book will return at least five times the price you pay for it on your first Wedding.

George Dunlap - Master Photographer, Cr., CPP

Awesome!
I have read about five books on wedding photography and this book is the best I have read yet. A great tool for anyone interested in digital wedding photography. I like the fact that Jeff and Kathleen spent a lot of time writing about the business and digital workflow instead of just merely technical picture details as many photography books do, although that part is great too. I feel 100% more comfortable now in moving to the digital arena. This book covers it all. Excellent work!!

Wedding Photography by Kathleen Hawkins
This is an excellent work which teaches how to plan a wedding with particular emphasis on the photography. The author discusses three types of photogs i.e. the traditional photog, photojournalists and a combination

She advises couples to search the internet, attend bridal shows and follow-up on referrals. The work is a "must have". It will save you time and money. The planning for a wedding can be hectic. There are pressures. People tend to think emotionally with little room for reasoning. This work will focus your attention on the important planning horizons for accomplishing a successful wedding without spending too much money.

AWESOME BOOK!
This book is terrific! It is just what I needed to make the leap. I have been photographing portraits digitally but I have been hesitant to take the plunge with my weddings. Mainly because I was overwhelmed with the workflow process and not sure if I wanted to take the additional time to prep, save, and create the images digitally. This book gave me the confidence and the steps required to do move forward and capture weddings digitally. Once I made that leap, I was amazed at how the steps and tools shared in this book helped me in the process and now weddings are fun once again! Anyone thinking about taking the leap should read this book!!!

Very Helpful and Informative
Having photographed about 45 weddings per year for the last 15 years using film, I bought this book looking for some direction. I had just purchased my first Canon D60 and was wondering, "OK, I've got the digital camera, so what do I do now"?

Although the information on wedding albums, marketing and sales will be old news to the more seasoned wedding photographer, it is all VERY sound advice and will be very helpful to those just starting out in this challenging field.

Here's where this book shines. The information presented on what type of media to use, digital workflow and numerous proofing methods will be absolutely priceless to those photographers who are considering, or are in the process of switching, from film to digital capture. There are also a few examples presented on how to quickly make your images stand out through some simple digital manipulation techniques. These techniques will be helpful whether you're an experienced image editor or are just starting out.

If you are making the switch from film to digital wedding photography, this book will save you a lot of time, money and headaches. ... Read more

Book Description

The work of photographer Annie Leibovitz has defined celebrity photography for thirty years--her iconic images of musicians, actors, dancers and artists like John Lennon and Yoko Ono, David Byrne, Whoopi Goldberg, the Blues Brothers (Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi), Louis Armstrong, Mikhail Baryshnikov, Ray Charles, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Keith Haring, Mick Jagger, Bette Midler, Patti Smith, Clint Eastwood, and Ella Fitzgerald have defined how we see those figures. "Stardust: Annie Leibovitz 1970-1999" presents images of all of the aforementioned performers as well as other famous figures including Hillary Clinton, Muhammad Ali, Carl Lewis, astronaut Eileen Collins, and Jann Wenner, in work previously published in such magazines as "Rolling Stone", "Vogue", and "Vanity Fair". This volume, published on the occasion of a recent exhibition at New York's International Center for Photography, is as much a tribute to the ever-increasing power of celebrity in contemporary culture as it is a testament to Leibovitz's skill behind the lens. ... Read more

Book Description

This jewel-like, clothbound volume is a photographic homage to woman in all her glorious diversity and mystery. From a rare image of a grinning Greta Garbo to the direct gaze of a young Guatemalan woman, Woman revels in the breadth of the human experience, with the feted and the nameless shoulder to shoulder. The work of dozens of immortal photographers - Henri Cartier-Bresson, Elliott Erwitt, Julia Margaret Cameron, Willy Ronis, Ruth Orkin, and many more - fills this volume with over 100 photos. These photographs embody the many moods of their subjects in a breadth of photographic styles, from sepia-tinged pictorialism to guilelessly modern. A book as captivating as its focus, this small but substantial package is virtually a history of the photographic medium vis-à-vis its timeless subject, and the perfect gift for anyone who is, knows, or loves a woman. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

great holiday gift
Like many of the women inside it, this compact book is beautiful - cloth cover, classy presentation, vivid images. While there are a few celebs (Hepburn, Mother Teresa, Billie Holiday), many of these pictures are of unknowns - rich and poor, black and white, young and old, happy and sad. This diversity is the book's secret joy. Romantic and heartfelt (not cheesy), it would be a safe and thoughtful gift for almost anyone, a provocative addition to coffee-tables everywhere. ... Read more

Book Description

Cultural nostalgia is omnipresent as we enter the new millenium, and much of the looking back is focused on the 1970's. It was a time when being young and American meant a world of sexual freedom in an era untainted by AIDS. For photographer MArk Helfrich it was a time to not only explore these freedoms, but also to document them. In 'Naked Pictures Of My Ex-Girlfriends', Helfrich shares with us what most have hidden away or have long ago destroyed- intimate, private pictures of his ex-girlfriends, a decades worth from 1970 to 1980. Helfrich explains "...it was no big deal photographing my girlfriends topless or nude, almost all of them were thrilled to pose for me, because they knew I was so into it. It was fun. It was like playing a game. It was like living Antonioni's 'Blow Up." This collection of black & white and colour images is presented as a nostalgic diary from the carefree sexual seventies, a glimpse of a time and life many wish they could have lived. ... Read more

Reviews (44)

An even better book!
So the book is the "Blair Witch" of the publishing world, who cares! I bought the book and find it so much more GENIUS after learning that the photos were staged to appear as though they were snapshots from the seventies. The recreations are so realistic that they convinced THE NEW YORKER, TIME MAGAZINE, PLAYBOY, DETAILS, MAXIM, etc., of the authenticity of the photos. To have captured the aura, the look, the experiences, of the decade of free love in book form is an outstanding achievement. Mark Helfrich is a true artist, one who took a vision based on personal reminiscence and created a "valentine to a bygone, carefree sexual era." Art is meant to convey ideas, capture beauty, evoke emotional responses. "Naked Pictures of My Ex-Girlfriends" does it all. I'm glad he went for the hype. That's how we all heard about the book.

Genius Book!
So the book is the "Blair Witch" of the publishing world, who cares! I bought the book and find it so much more GENIUS after learning that the photos were staged to appear as though they were snapshots from the seventies. The recreations are so realistic that they convinced THE NEW YORKER, TIME MAGAZINE, PLAYBOY, DETAILS, MAXIM, etc., of the authenticity of the photos. To have captured the aura, the look, the experiences, of the decade of free love in book form is an outstanding achievement. Mark Helfrich is a true artist, one who took a vision based on personal reminiscence and created a "valentine to a bygone, carefree sexual era." Art is meant to convey ideas, capture beauty, evoke emotional responses. "Naked Pictures of My Ex-Girlfriends" does it all. I'm glad he went for the hype. That's how we all heard about the book.

Flip through this one at the bookstore
I'd read a review of this book when it first came out, but there was no mention of it being fictitious. When I saw it in a bookstore, I browsed through it and was totally taken in, although a very distant voice in my head made me wonder how the author got permission from a couple of those women for his written comments about them. However I decided to see if I could get a cheaper copy online, and that's when I read that the pictures were recent and the stories fictional. If the book is indeed a hoax, then there is really no point in buying it if you're on any kind of book-budget at all. The pictures aren't particularly good because they are designed to mimic snapshots. And the stories, if fictional, are irrelevant.

Not understanding the backlash...
While this is an interesting book, it's not a masterpiece in any sense. Having said that, I am confused by those who are writing reviews to decry this book as a fake (see a majority of the one-star reviews). Who cares if these are really his girlfriends? This is one person's attempt at art.

Flawed as it may be, it is still an attempt at art (which is short for artifice... a contrivance... aka a lie.) Do you go to the movies expecting to see the "truth?" Not me.

If you're interested in one man's experiment on the theme of relationships, this might be a great read. If you're turned on by the possibility of looking into a guy's past and living through him vicariously... move on. But don't base your reviews on whether or not this tale is real... hint: most aren't (even when billed as non-fiction).

Books stolen from my ex-boyfriend
Saw my ex-boyfriend leaning by the "erotica" section of the bookstore and i thought, "Oh dear, what is he checking out now?". But once I took one look at this book, I knew we had to buy it. We were spending the night in a B&B and sat on the bed taking turns reading Helrich's comments about each of his ex's. This is a book that couples can share and maybe be inspired to take their own photos. Beware though, you too might end up in a book someday. Hoping there's a sequel. ... Read more

Book Description

Since 1940 Slim Aarons has been hard at work, first as a war photographer, then with unprecedented access as a photographer to the rich and famous. In this gorgeous sequel to Slim Aarons-Once Upon a Time, he develops the environmental portrait to the level of art, always showing his subjects in their natural setting, in a circumstance synonymous with their station in life. He documented a particular world that is vanished. A Place in the Sun is that special glimpse of privilege under a bright and beaming sky, whether on sandy shore, snowy slope, or elegant home where cares are few. Through 250 stunning color pictures, Aarons provides a veritable who's who of high society: Aristotle Onassis with his first wife, Tina, and their children, Christina and Alexander; C.Z. Guest at her villa in Palm Beach; the Aga Khan at his Sardinian resort; and Truman Capote in Palm Springs. From Mustique to Monaco, from Aspen to Gstaad, only Slim Aarons can take us on a journey to the most exclusive playgrounds of the rich, inspiring even the most jaded armchair traveler. ... Read more

Book Description

The long awaited follow-up to Sternfeld's classic American Prospects, STRANGER PASSING is a fresh view of contemporary society that accompanies a major new exhibition at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art.

With an essay by celebrated novelist and humor writer Ian Frazier and another by Douglas R. Nickel, of San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, Stranger Passing is an in-depth look at the art of Joel Sternfeld. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

A Compelling Book Of Photographs By An American Master.
"American Prospects," a landmark study of how the modern social order is revealed through landscape, published in 1988, brought brilliant photographer Joel Sternfeld to international attention. Sternfeld expanded this study with "A Stranger Passing." The sixty color portraits of ordinary Americans included in this book, and made over a fifteen year period, were first shown at The San Francisco Museum of Modern Art in 2001, and published at the same time.

Although Douglas R. Nickel describes this book as a collection of portraits in his introductory essay, Joel Sternfeld's vivid images are so much more than traditional photographic portraiture. The pictures go beyond reflecting a mere image of the subject, no matter how interesting or aesthetic. And Sternfeld's subjects are more than the people being photographed. He has captured here the very essence of our culture - Americans, depicted in the context of their daily lives, during odd moments between events. Many of the warmest images feature relationships between two people.

Each photograph tell a story. The volume's cover portrait is titled "Young Man Gathering Shopping Carts." A teenager, with blond bobbed hair, open shirt, loosened tie, stands in a parking lot cluttered with pink shopping carts. The ubiquitous strip mall is the backdrop. His stance, the look of discontent on his face, and the generic locale say much more than most narratives. Sternfeld stirs the viewers imagination. One cannot help but wonder about the subjects' lives - the before and after of each picture. "A Lawyer with Laundry," New York, portrays a seemingly reluctant subject, laundry in hand, leaning against a newsstand while warily suffering the photographer's attention. Some of my other favorites include: a colorful sari wrapped middle-eastern woman pumping gas in Kansas City; a young woman with bouffant hair, wearing a cotton-candy pink jacket holding her pet rabbit in a plastic carrying case; a forlorn woman on a New York City street holding a spectacular Christmas wreath; a man grilling a single hamburger on a broken patio in Cincinnati; and
"Motorcyclists," which shows a man on a motorcycle, wearing goggles and a leather jacket, with an adorable baby in the sidecar wearing a helmet.

Douglas R. Nickel, who wrote the Introduction, is director of the Center for Creative Photography and associate professor of art history in the College of Fine Arts at the University of Arizona, Tucson. Ian Frazier, who contributed another fine essay is an author.

I don't usually buy coffee table books, although some of them are gorgeous. I have found that while I may admire the work a few times, I wind up placing the volume in a prominant place and then only glance at it occasionally, while dusting. This book is special though. "Stranger Passing" is a "travelogue of sorts, a detached, understated but compelling portrait of the people with whom Sternfeld has come into contact during his itinerant journeys." The photographer compels us to question the assumptions we make about others. This is an extraordinary book by an American master.
JANA

Photographic short stories
These sixty portraits of American strangers are rich with an intelligent, questioning beauty.I was dazzled by the exhibit in San Francisco, but now I'm especially glad to have the accompanying book.I rarely find it worthwhile to purchase museum exhibit catalogues, but what I love about "Stranger Passing" is that I can ponder a given image as long as I like, "reading and re-reading" it as I would a really good short story.Indeed, many of these portraits seem as laden with interpretive possibilities as a story by Chekhov or Alice Munro or T. C. Boyle.From a grizzled woman selling papers in the middle of a Colorado boulevard, to a solitary New York banker having dinner, his aloneness matched by a single tulip in front of his little bistro table: I found myself deeply moved by the lavish yet subtle artistry Sternfeld has bestowed on these people and places--each one unique yet somehow familiar--that he encountered in this strange and wonderful country of ours.

Americans Revisited
This is the best photographic testament to the USA since Robert Frank came to shore and showed us how strange and beautiful our country was nearly fifty years ago. The subject of these photographs are both ordinary and extraordinary people, who we may cross paths with during any given day. The brilliance of Sternfeld's art is the way these images draw you into the world of each subject. Even the most superficially mundane subject such as two suburban kids standing in a cul-de-sac is cause for reflection. Most of these portraits economically use the scenery to define the world of each individual. In the end, the images are a celebration of anonymous Americans (one can't say "typical" because this collection shows you that there is no such thing as a typical American) in common settings. In my mind, the best images here evoke the mystery and power of a Vermeer painting. The way they heighten our experience of everyday images is what I think they call art.
A side note: If you have the chance, you must see the exhibit at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. The hyperreal poster-size prints are a wonder to behold. And the cumulative effect of these images leaves one exaltant. (Oh yeah, there's also a pretty good Ansel Adams exhibit curated by John Szarkowski on the floor above.)

redefining "landscape" photography
Joel Sternfeld travels the roads of America, and takes pictures with his large-format camera. Although all his pictures include people in various situations (attending a party, selling coffee, hanging out in their own homes, vacationing, promenading, relaxing, observing, working), what he is really interested in, is the depiction of landscapes and soft outplay of the mid-afternoon light. There is an overwhelming sense of loneliness. His composition style is superb; his depiction of quality of light reflections of the industrial surfaces is without precedence. In my opinion, Sternfeld really stands on its own. Not since Robert Frank's "The Americans" have I seen such a collection. His compositions are best reminiscent of Philip-Lorca diCorcia's; but somehow people are not the center of attention (and sometimes not even of focus), what is important is the quality of landscapes and how they shape human lives. ... Read more

Book Description

In this stunning collection of homoerotic images, noted photographer Anthony Gayton presents a provocative body of work based on the history of gay culture. Inspired by sources as diverse as mythology, renaissance and baroque painting and early photography, his pictures are always highly stylized and masterfully composed. Whether painterly images of bacchanals, straightforward evocations of Hollywood beefcake from the 1940’s and 1950’s, or sepia-toned allusions to Victorian nudes, these rich and varied images celebrate the iconography of the male throughout history. ... Read more

Book Description

From the innocent allure of Audrey Hepburn and the sensuous poses of Marilyn Monroe to the macho charisma of Marlon Brando and the cool sophistication of Humphrey Bogart, this fabulous, inspirational book of star photographs provides classic portrait styles and detailed directions on how to set up, light, and shoot each photo. Step-by-step instructions reveal the techniques used by top-notch Hollywood photographers for their glittering glamour portraits of the 1920s through the 1950s. Diagrams and additional step-by-step instructions give readers the information needed to create classic Hollywood-style portraits of their own. Included are sections on equipment, processing, lighting, and modern-day equivalents, plus a decade-by-decade gallery featuring vintage portraits of the stars. ... Read more

Reviews (10)

you will never get tired of this book
Some else worte that the book is not correct, they had never tried to recreate some of the effects. I have personaly tried recreating some of the lighting and all of the photo's came out great without much make up and no touch ups. Also most all of the photo's I took were worth blowing up to a large photo. The book explains lighting, film types, and how it has changed over time. You can reproduce the hollywood portrait look with very little expense.

Good, but not really necessary
The photos are excellently reproduced, and the text is well written, but if you've already been digging into Hollywood glamour photography, you probably can figure out lighting setups pretty well without diagrams. The diagrams in this book are good for the most part, although the authors left out a few lighting instruments and included a few that probably should have been omitted. They do sort out some rather confusing lighting rather well, though. If you already have Mark Vieira's book "Hurrell's Hollywood Portraits," you probably don't need this book as a technical guide. However, it does have some nice examples of work by other photogs that you may not have seen.

How to Shoot like the Stars
I was surprised when I recieved this book that it not only had fantastic photographs, but it gave you great detail in how to reproduce the same effect for each photograph. It was rather a nice addition to the fine photography. Stars included are Vivien Leigh, Sophia Loren, James Cagney, Elizabeth Taylor, etc. Photographers included are among the best like C.S. Bull, Lazlo Willinger, George Hurrell, and some anonymous photographers who sadly did not get credit during their time. All in All, this is a nice book printed on high quality paper and bounded in soft cover.

Awesome!!
This book was great!! It really helped me achieve the results i wanted!!!!

Very little substance
Several portraits of the Kobal collection are presented along with a brief guess as to how each was made, based solely on visual clues within the photograph. Photographers will probably be disappointed in the lack of useful technical data. The lighting diagrams are very vague, even so, some are obviously wrong. If the authors had bothered to recreate the photographs, they might have noticed the errors. However, they seemed satisfied with filling in blank spaces with biographical information about the actors. This seems like a very easy book for the authors to produce. ... Read more

Book Description

Internationally recognized photographer Rachael Hale's New-found-friends celebrates Newfoundlands, the colossal, companionable canine from Canada's rugged Atlantic province."Newfies" have long been associated with the sea, since they originated in Newfoundland, the remote, eastern Canadian province that's part island, part mainland. Working dogs, Newfies are famous the world over for their countless reported heroic sea rescues of men, women, and children whose ships foundered on the storm-driven and dangerous Newfoundland coast. Over the years, they've also been used for pulling carts and carrying cargo. Of course, most Americans prize them as watchdogs and pets, tasks they also perform admirably.In New-found-friends, Rachael Hale creatively captures these huggable giants. An award-winning animal photographer, Rachael's images of her own Newfie, Henry, have garnered praise and prizes, and led to other Newfoundlands. There's Oscar, pictured with his fisherman's cap pulled down tight; George, photographed with his duckling friend Hugo; and Corduroy, captured in his casual, comfortable hat of the same name. From beginning to end, Hale's endearing photos and text make for a delightful celebration of this special breed. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Tiddlywink10
This is the cutest book! The photos are incredible. I wanted a book to set out on my coffee table and this is perfect. The photos are so adorable. I have even tried with my dogs to have a photo session. I would highly reccommend this short pictorial book to anyone who love newfies or anyone who loves unique photos of dogs and interaction with other animals.******

Great Book!
loved this book. thought the pictures were adorable:)

An adorably funny book for Newf lovers!
Sweet and comical full colour photos, of sweet, comical gentle giants: Newfoundlands. Reminiscent of Wegman's photos and a wonderful small giftbook for the Newf or general dog lover on your list. ... Read more

Amazon.com

A trip to Paris can be a culturally enriching experience for anyone, even a pair of rambunctious pooches like Betty and Rita. And while they do soak in some of haute couture, Betty and Rita's main concern is good-old, down-home, butt-sniffin', roll-in-something-dead fun. These are two girls who know how to gnaw on the bones of life and suck out all the marrow.

The girls generously brought their favorite humans along with them on the trip. Michael Malyszko, whose work has been published in 40 countries, photographed the mad escapades while wordsmith Judith Hughes chronicled their trip through the City of Light in appropriate cano-centric verse:

A spot to cool off is what every dog needs,
so we dipped our paws at la Place St. Placide.
Big and refreshing and deep as a well,
But not so grand as la Place St. Michel.

If you were looking for biting cultural commentary, you are surely barking up the wrong arbre with these girls. But if you are a dog lover and a fan of whimsy (and who isn't?), you are sure to find Betty and Rita Go to Paris a doggone bewitching book. --Perry Atterberry ... Read more

Reviews (5)

I hope this is the beginning of a series!
What a great book! I actually am a lover of Paris and photography, and of course who can resist a dog, let alone two? I really hope the authors make this into a series, maybe London, Florence, Venice? The book reads like a childrens book, but the target audience does seem to be aimed at adults. Whomever reads this book, it's enjoyable and one of my favorites!

How to see paris - ground level
This book was a gift from a friend who knows our love for dogs and Paris. My wife had just returned from the city of lights to our four "children" when the book arrived. What a delightful remembrance of the city seen trhough the keen photographic eye of Michael Maylszko. The text is complementary to a fault. A truely seamless product.

This should be enjoyed by anyone who understands the mind of a dog or who has been to Paris. It will be especially pleasing to those who appreicate both

Lovely doggy fun, beautifully photographed & smashing text!
The dogs on their own are adorable, the words on their own are wonderful, the sights of Paris are beautiful - but put them all together in this lovely book and you get the dreamy package that is "Betty & Rita Go to Paris". Excellent work! I look forward to Betty & Rita's next adventure.

Perfectly charming.
This book is a charmer. The pictures are delightful and some are hilarious. It is a perfect gift for anyone who (1) is a dog lover and (2) has a sense of humor. They did a wonderful and creative job.

A highly recommened book
Being a good friend of the family, you can see how hard Malyszko and Huges have worked on this terrific book. The photographs are sure to go down as wonderful photos and the short poems are nice and 'crisp'. If you want a fantastic book to look at, read, learn a little French, or just have on a coffee table for guests to marvel over,this is it! It is a splendid and interesting book. I highly recommend it! ... Read more

Book Description

See Betty Grable, John Wayne, Hayworth, Marilyn Monroe, 106 great stars in 163 fascinating photographs. Innovations in pose, angle, composition are still major influences on modern Hollywood professionals. "An outstanding bargain, sure to please any movie nut."—Newsweek. Introduction. Captions.
... Read more

Reviews (4)

A stunning collection!
This book features beautiful and captivating photographs of some of the biggest movie stars of the 1940's. The book's focus is primarily the 1940's, but there are several photographs from 1939 and a few from 1950. Some of the many stars include Hedy Lamarr, Rita Hayworth, Gene Tierney, Joan Crawford, Victor Mature, Alan Ladd, Gary Cooper, Lucille Ball, Merle Oberon, Lana Turner and many others. Each of the photographs exudes an air of elegance and dramatic artistry that is no longer seen today. This would make a great gift for fans of Hollywood's golden age as well as photographers and art lovers, but the photographs are so clear and the stars so alluring that anyone who looks at this book will surely fall under it's spell. Highly recommended! Also recommended is "Hollywood Glamor Portraits, 145 Photos of Stars 1926-1949" also by John Kobal (editor).

Esoteric and Haunting Beauty Captured
This collection of photographs of movie stars taken during the 1940's era is ever thought provoking. There seems a deliberate attempt to challenge the reader/viewer to discern the real life personality from the screen persona from the photographs chosen for this book. The result is a somewhat enigmatic experience leaving one with an euphoric feeling of melancholy. I think this is an important book for anyone who loves films from that era. The meticulous quality of this book allows you to stare into the eyes of these people stimulating your own imagination into your soul. It challenges you to find an answer to your own attraction to these immortal icons of a Hollywood long past and hopefully not forgotten.

Mysterious Portraits, Pin-Ups, and Beefcake
This book will delight anyone who is a fan of movies from the 1940s. It contains 163 photographs of 106 stars, taken by 34 photographers. The reproduction quality is quite good, and the compositions are often superb. The acting skills of the stars add to the allure of these images.

In the book's introduction, Mr. Kobal talks about how these were the "years of Old Hollywood's last stand." The images are "dreams reflected in the bathroom mirrors of their generation." He also talks about the role of the clothes designers and hairdressers in creating these glamorous, moody images.

Here are my favorites in the book:

By A.L. Schafer: Rita Hayworth, 1940; Olivia de Haviland, 1941; Loretta Young, 1940; Alan Ladd, 1942.

By Frank Powolny: Betty Grable, 1941; Marilyn Monroe, 1950.

By Robert Coburn: Gene Tierney, 1941.

By Scotty Welbourne: Ida Lupino, 1940; Humphrey Bogart, 1941; Lauren Bacall, 1946

By Clarence Sinclair Bell: Hedy Lamarr, 1941; Greta Garbo, 1941.

By William Walling: Fred MacMurray, 1940.

By Edward Cronenweth: Lena Horne, 1943.

By Ernest A. Bachrach: Dorothy McGuire, 1945; Claire Trevor, 1944; Jane Russell, 1946; Barbara Hale, 1946.

By Eric Carpenter: Ava Gardner, 1944.

By John Engstead: Lauren Bacall, 1951; Ingred Bergman, 1946; Marlon Brando, 1950.

By Laszlo Willinger: Susan Hayward, 1948.

By Bud Fraker: Gary Cooper, 1947.

As you can see, the book is dominated by the glamorous female stars. Most of these images are done in partial shadow to highlight the facial structure and emotions of the actress or actor. In some cases, sculptures are used to highlight certain physical features of the subject. In general, the reproduction quality is quite high. Studios did now allow photographers to make their own prints in those days, so it all depended on the studio darkroom artists how it turned out. You will occasionally see an image that needed to have more cropping, more or less light, or which is muddy, but most are at least good reproductions.

After you finish this book, imagine how you can help people understand your thoughts by how you hold yourself and what expression you use. Do you see any poses or expressions here that can help you be more communicative?

Use all the elements of yourself to share your most important thoughts and emotions!

Great Photographs of Movie Star Legends
This book of photography has over150 portraits of Hollywood legends including Loretta Young, Lauren Bacall, and Ava Gardner. These actors, actresses, and budding starlettes of the forties are as glamourous as they could be in these brilliant portraits. You don't have to like old movies to like this book. You will spend hours just flipping through the pages at the stars who built Hollywood movies. ... Read more

Amazon.com

There's a famous photograph of Picasso in his 70s that probably would make you think "genius" and "visionary" even if you had no idea he was a great artist. One hand pushes up against his forehead, carving a few extra wrinkles and hooding one eye; the other eye stares out with implacable intensity. This is the work of Arnold Newman, one of the great contemporary American portrait photographers, whose images--frequently made on assignment in Europe--appeared in Harper's Bazaar, Fortune, Life, Look, and other major magazines. Trained as a painter, he believes (as he writes in a short, passionate essay prefacing his selection of 60 years of his work) that "we do not take pictures with our cameras, but with our hearts and minds." He has always been fascinated by the kind of people--scientists, musicians, actors, politicians, writers, and artists--with whom he could have "long conversations until late at night."

Arnold Newman, probably the most extensive of the many samplings of the photographer's work, amply displays his vaunted skill at portraying mostly well-known sitters in their native habitats, whether these happen to be lonely-looking palaces (Haile Selassie, Generalissimo Franco), book-lined offices (Golda Meier, Stephen Jay Gould), a shabby road veiled in darkness (Shelagh Delaney), a bed (Woody Allen, scribbling on a legal pad), or mysterious precincts that capture the willful individuality of artists and architects. With 240 black-and-white and color plates, this beautifully produced book (marred only by the awkward way the elegant black silhouette of a grand piano lid in the Igor Stravinsky portrait bleeds across two pages) accompanies an exhibition at the Corcoran Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. (March 18-May 21, 2000). --Cathy Curtis ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Almost as good as being there
I just got back from the Newman exhibit at the Corcoran Gallery in Washington D.C. and although I thought I had seen most of his work, I was stunned by the boldness of some of the photo collage work and color workwhich I had previously only seen in B&W.The book has all of the showand many more.It was $40 there and they were selling like hotcakes.Thebook is beautiful and has $1 million worth of images in it. Hard to pick afavorite. Certainly Picasso and maybe Isaac Asimov too.

Simply AMAZING photographs
I'm an amateur photographer, so when I heard an interview with Arnold Newman on NPR's Morning Edition, I knew I had to get this book.Newman is considered the inventor of "environmental portraits," in whichthe photographer uses surroundings to capture essential elements of his orher subject.

The photos collected in this volume span Newman's entirecareer and range from Senator John F. Kennedy to President Bill Clinton. The collection is mostly black-and-white.Leafing through the book, I'vegotten many ideas for my own photography, but I've also gained a newappreciation for many of the historical figures Newman captured in hiswork.

The book is large and heavy, very satisfying to hold and lookthrough, and will make an excellent coffee table book.Whether you're intohistory or photography, you'll really enjoy this book. ... Read more

Book Description

Heroes, idols, and enemies revealed as never before.

What happens when a photographer known for his empathetic portraiture of the marginalized or downtrodden suddenly focuses his extraordinary eye on the lifestyles of the rich and the famous? In Bruce Davidson's wildly diverse and typically revealing Personalities witness an aggressive Joan Crawford, apparently hell-bent on force-feeding some poor soul; the unwavering intensity of Samuel Beckett during a rehearsal of Waiting for Godot; and Diana Ross and the Supremes in the midst of a snowball fight or relaxing backstage at the Apollo. Seen through Davidson's lens, Newt Gingrich looks as goofy as Bobby Kennedy seems impenetrable.

From his portraits of East One Hundredth Street in Harlem, to subway riders in Subway, or the denizens of Central Park in his most recent, widely acclaimed Aperture Book, Central Park, Davidson has always established an intuitive rapport with his subjects. Now, for the first time, we see him take on some of our favorite and most controversial personalities.
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Reviews (2)

Famous folks, by Davidson
Fans of humane, compassionate photographer Bruce Davidson won't be surprised at these portraits. They are of famous people, mostly American,caught in wonderfully human moments by Davidson over many years. TheSupremes have a snowball fight in Detroit in 1965; a pensive (or exhausted)Sammy Davis Jr., shirtless, a microphone strapped to his chest - in hisdressing room; Antonioni filming, on a bus in LA in 1968; Marilyn Monroegetting made up on a set; Paul Newman (fishing) and Joanne Woodward withtheir dog on the water's edge in Connecticut in 1965. Linus Pauling atStanford, seated at a desk, papers piled high, with a fabulous, chaoticchalkboard in view. Lots more, too, and not all of them are glamorous"celebrities," some are well-known Americans such as Fannie LouHamer, poet Sharon Olds, James Meredith - at work, in bed, on the street.Great photos, some almost candids, that are expressive and informative - ofthe era as well as the subjects.

While great to browse through, thiscompilation seems a little rushed. There is no table of contents, and noindex. Some of the subjects are puzzlingly unidentified by name;"Henry Fonda's wife," for example. Davidson supplies memories andanecdotes about fewer than half of his subjects.

Human moments of the rich and famous on film.
Photographer Bruce Davidson departs from his usual pictures of the downtrodden to focus his discerning lens on the rich and famous - the result is Portraits, a powerful set of black and white photos which offeralternative perspectives on the stars. This will appeal to a wide audience;from those interested in portraiture to others intrigued by capturing thehuman moment on film. ... Read more