Studios Books

Excellent book with excellent tips. Simply a must read and a keep to read again later. Anyone can get something out of this book. Great photography tips. A must read.

Great information and takes up from where Vol. One left off. SK did an awesome job in putting the reader next to him in casual conversation about the how to's in getting great shots.

EVERYONE can learn something from this book. Easy to read and understand too. Buy it!

If you have a digital single-lens reflex (SLR) camera and you want to learn how to take the camera out of "auto mode" and get great pictures, then this book (and its predecessor) is for you. If you don't know how to use that flower on the mode dial, this book can teach you. Even people with point-and-shoot digital cameras will find valuable tips throughout this book.

The Digital Photography Book Volume 2 by Scott Kelby is not an update of his previous work, but rather it starts where Volume 1 left off with a whole new set of topics. Written with Scott Kelby's dry sense of humor, the book explains how to use a flash, improve shots using the standard flash that comes with the camera, how to set up a digital photography studio, and how to get great shots. For example, if you want to learn how to take macro shots of a flower, rather than explaining depth of field and apertures, Kelby tells you the settings you need to adjust on your camera to get the shot; this is when to use that flower mode button on point-and-shoot cameras. This step-by-step formula is repeated in the section on how to take great travel photos "it won't be long before you friends are overcome with emotion (jealousy)," portraits, landscapes, macro shots and even how to shoot a wedding. However, once you've read that section, you might be more inclined to tell Cousin Jennifer that your camera is broken when asked to shoot her wedding. In addition, there are tips on using your camera's features to get better shots, and, like Volume 1, recipes for getting a particular shot. Each page shows a photo of a scene or the camera and a short explanation of how to achieve the desired shot. The book is written as if Kelby is standing next you giving you how-to tips.

Kelby is a professional photographer, designer, and podcast star. Volume 1 is the best selling digital photography book of all time. However, most digital photographers know Kelby for his work with Adobe Photoshop users. He teaches on-line photography and Photoshop classes, and he participates in photo walks and teaches at photo workshops in locations like Yosemite and Santa Fe, New Mexico. He has an on-line blog and asked his loyal readers how to convince people to read the introduction to his book. He incorporated their suggestions and rewrote chapter 1 just prior to the book's publication.

The Digital Photography Book Volume 2 by Scott Kelby is an entertaining read for those for whom photography is a serious hobby or for wanna-be pros. It is well-written with easy-to-understand instructions. You can literally open the book to a particular page, grab your camera and go shoot a great scene. A word of warning, though, if you think all you need is a digital camera, a memory card and this book to achieve professional results! You will soon learn that to get the "good" shots like the pros, you need more camera accessories - like an external flash, remote shutter control, polarizing filter, a flash screen and of course, a tripod... and I could go on. Scott Kelby gives away the pro's secrets. With practice, an alarm clock (the best light is at dawn) and a few accessories, you can wow your friends and family with some amazing photographs. This book should be carried right alongside Volume 1 in your camera bag.

I purchased both Volumes 1 and 2 at the same time. Both of these books are great!! Volume 2 builds on the subjects listed in Volume 1, going into more detail about certain subjects like shooting for weddings, landscapes, etc. As I wrote in my review of Volume 1, I really like not having to wade through tons of theory to get to the meat of the subject. The book itself is very nice, with great example photos of each subject along with Scott's commentary, instructions, and advice. I also enjoy his brand of humor. Being able to get the type of photo I want, with minimal figuring out of things, frees me to take Scott's instructions and advice and go a step (or more) beyond, thus learning the theory itself. Think of this book (as well as Vol 1) as a sort of "learn a foreign language while on the plane" type of book. And don't scoff! You'd be surprised at what the brain retains during a plane flight.

Can recite the whole book. I always buy this for baby showers!. It is a fun and happy book and I always loved reading it to children.

My grandson loves this book. He's only 18 months but loves to cuddle up w/this book.

i enjoyed this book as a child, so
i got it for my grandson[17 months old]. I hope he will be happy with it as well.

this was one of my favorite books as a child, and when i picked it up after 35 years, i remembered and recognized the illustrations and scenes as if i had read it yesterday. this is a pleasure to read with its simple verse-like writing, its wonderful drawings, its bright colors, and its loveable characters. i couldn't reocmmend a book more highly, especially good for young dog lovers, like our son. don't bother with the board book version, which takes down 76 pages to about 6. this original is easy to read and a joy.

Is there a better childrens book than Go Dog Go? Great colors, simple but satisfying pictures, and of course, lots of dogs. Finally just wore the cover off the original with the third kid. If your child age 3 to 8 doesn't like GDG perhaps you should make an appointment. With a lot of Barney/Pooh Bear/TV tie in knockoffs out there, get an original. Also good are: the Bernstein Bears, the Olivia series, Roosevelt and the magic pebble, Ten apples up on top, Are you my Mother?,and for girls the Madeline books to name just a few.

This book is the basic text for how light works. It will introduce you to the behavior of light and the work of handling various surfaces, including what makes good portrait lighting. If you're into product photography, handling glass and metal is in there. If you're just interested in people, everything you need to know is here. Unless you're already in college for photography and are getting a solid grounding in all the technical (physics) aspects of photographic lighting, buy this book and be "enlightened".

Loads of information / explanations. A little bit of physics but only that necessary. Details how light works, how to photograph glass and metal, and much more. One of my favourite photography books, and so far the ONLY book (I've purchased around 20 photography related books from Amazon) I've been motivated to review on Amazon!

When I buy a Tec Book. I am happy if I get at least 1 really good chapter of info I can use. This book had many good chapters and I use it as a on going reference for my work. I recommend this book for anyone serious in improving their lighting techniques in the studio.

PS It's not filled with a lot of poor attempts at humor like some of the "Photoshop" technique books. You probably know who I am talking about...

I bought this book in my quest to begin studio photography. I was hoping that this book would give me diagrams to follow to achieve these affects along with any other information I'd need. While the book does include some diagrams, this is NOT the purpose of the book.

The book is written in textbook form and is a comprehensive lesson on how light behaves. After reading it I now understand that these are the basics of lighting and having someone give you a bunch of diagrams will not be the answer to studio photography unless you also understand WHY these lighting diagrams work.

Being written in textbook form, this book is not for the faint of heart. I found myself on several occassions looking up more information to go along with what I was reading so that I could better understand the principles taught. (This is NOT because there was any information lacking...this was soley due to my capacity to understand science).

I have found myself looking at light differently now and feel I have a much better understanding on how to achieve the lighting effects I desire. If you are interested in studio photography (this book is about much more than studio portraiture however)I recommend reading this book FIRST and then following it up with a *fun* book on portrait photography.

This is essential reading for any photographer serious about "getting good."

Lighting is simple in theory but complex in practice; this book helps you with both. As the authors point out, one has all the practical knowledge about light and shadow they'll ever need stored in the brain already. But, also as the authors state, it's difficult to translate that into actionable ideas for your photography. That's where this book comes into play.

You'll learn the difference between, say, a polarized reflection, and diffuse reflection, and what each of those things -- among others -- means to your photographic composition. Read this book and attempt the examples provided; doing so will give you a MUCH better understanding of how to correctly light virtually any subject.

"Light: Science and Magic" is the end-all-and-be-all when it comes to learning lighting.

I remembering absolutley loving this book as a kid, even though for the life of me I cannot quite remember why. But as far as pointless folktales go, this one really hits the spot. And how can I ignore those amazing illustrations and those silly monkeys? Not much in the way of plot, but somehow the book manages to be incredibly entertaining for some reason unknownst to me. Oh well. Maybe that is its charm.

Another classic to add to the list of beloved library books we had renewed so often we decided to buy it. It is a timeless classic. My 3 year old son loves it. Also see the sequel- circus caps for sale.

I remember a teacher reading this book to the class (a long time ago!) and now I read it to my 27 month old granddaughter. She loves the story and likes to immitate the monkeys. It's one of her favorite books. Our book is a soft cover, which I didn't realize at the time of purchase. With all its use, I wish I would have purchased a hard cover or even as a board book if it's offered that way.

Caps for Sale is a wonderful classic that young readers love to hear. There is enough repetition to encourage children to "read" along. This can also be "acted out" to engage different learning modalities.

Captain Kangaroo read me this book some 40 years back. I remember laughing then. My kids, all teens now, liked the book which is not meant to be read so much as performed. Reading becomes action as one verbally plays the parts of the pedlar and the monkeys. My theory, at least, is that children will enjoy reading when it has more vitality than a pre-bedtime drone and learn that books are not dead repositories of information, but interact with our imaginations and become alive. Little books like this, a few moments of funny story, make a good impression on young minds------and are fun to read in their own right. This is cute and clever.

The book was in great condition and arrived promptly to my door. For me, the typeset was a bit small, but the book appeard to have been brand new. Silence has been very thought provoking. A must read for anyone of Catholic background.

How proud is God? How should God's people uphold his honor? How exactly should the gospel transform human society?

These questions lie at the heart of Silence. Written in the wake of World War two by the Japanese novelist Shusaku Endo, Silence tells the story of the persecution of Christians in seventeenth century Japan.

Although proselytizing efforts by Francis Xavier had been successful in the previous century, the 1600s brought about ecclesiastical quarrels between Roman catholic and protestant missionaries. These squabbles often went hand in hand with political and military shenanigans between competing European powers in Japan. Japan's leadership came to view Christianity as an essential part of this distasteful western mess, and severe persecution quickly became standard fare for the newly budded Japanese church.

Endo's protagonist, the young Portugese priest Sebastian Rodrigues, enters Japan secretly in the midst of these persecutions, along with a monastic colleague, Francis Garrpe. They encounter crude but strong faithfulness among the Japanese believers, who undertake great sacrifice in order to protect the padres from the authorities.

Eventually, however, they are betrayed by a weak-willed Japanese Christian, and their trials begin in earnest. Rodrigues's faith is tested to limits which comfortable modern western Christians may never be able to properly understand. His captors torture him psychologically in order to make him renounce his faith. This is not a simple temptation or test of honor; it is not Rodrigues's mere conscience at stake. If he submits to the authorities by trampling on Christ's portrait, his peasant flock goes free. If he does not, they will be tortured to death.

This test is one of the most soul-churning passages of literature I have read. What will Rodrigues do? Will he apostatize? How important is his honor? How important is God's? As the pastor of these simple peasants, is it better to renounce his faith to save their lives, or better to embrace martyrdom and doom them?

Initially, I found myself cheering for Rodrigues's perseverance and martyrdom, but by the novel's end, I was shaken and unsure. In the West, Christendom has a long and hallowed tradition of persecution stories, from the early believers in Jerusalem, to the church in Rome, and in various places throughout the centuries. Although Christ gives approbation to those who are persecuted for his sake, human sinfulness, such as it is, can even distort the meaning and value of martyrdom. Even the brightest lights in Christian history sometimes succumb to an unspiritual triumphalism. With the benefit of time, we often come to see some of Christendom's triumphs as accreted with sin and pride.

The first believers in Japan did not have this cultural background narrative to inform their consciences. They had only an immediate pagan background confronted with the fresh, non-accreted startling news that God has suffered, endured shame and humiliation, and forgiven their sins. This gospel surely would have motivated them to endure great persecution, but at the same time, the gospel is the story of a man who suffered in order to release his friends from condemnation. In that light, martyrdom for its own sake is dubious at best.

What is true religion? The bible maintains that true religion consists in looking after orphans and widows in their distress, and keeping oneself from being stained by the world. Those two mandates, it seems to me, should never be at odds with one another. If Rodrigues had refused to trample on the fumie (the term for the sacred image of Christ), he would definitely not have been looking after orphans and widows, but rather sending them to certain doom. However, would his simple act constitute "being stained by the world?" Would he be a Judas and an enemy of the gospel? There is a prominent strain of Christianity, very much in the tradition of the western theology of glory, which says "yes". Endo's answer, more in tune with the theology of the cross, is "no".

I am inclined to agree with the latter.

As author stated in the preface of "The Life of Jesus", he is for "Japanese readers who have no Christian tradition of their own and who know almost nothing about Jesus"
1. Two Roman Catholic priets/missionaries from Portugal crossing dangerous oceans to reach Japan. Then giving up everything:Pride,
faith, freedom, and love(?)
2. Courageous Native Christians. Accepting their martyrdom with silence.

There is no balance between these two. There is no reality.

This is a book written by a Japanese for Japanese readers.

I knew a little about this book before I purchased it, since it was referenced in an article I read for one of my doctoral courses.

This book is about the missionary activities in Japan back in the 1500s and 1600s. What would YOU do if you were faced with the choice of stepping on the face of Christ or allow other people to suffer?

Read the book -- and be prepared to THINK! It's worth every second you spend in it!

I am now reading this book for the third time and I can't think of another book I've read three times (if you don't count the my daughter's favorite children's books which I read to them many, many times.)

I am a Catholic and this is my go-to book during times when I experience those periods of doubt and despair. This may surprise people who know that this is not a happy-ending book and the spiritual lessons in it are harsh and stand in sharp contrast to the smug blathering that characterizes so much of American Christian life ("We're not perfect, just forgiven." "God doesn't give us anything we can't handle," etc.) And the question that haunted Endo--whether the fate of a religion is bound up in the culture and history of a given land--is fully fascinating and goes to the very nature of the whole of missionary endeavor. (And, in these times, one wonders if there is a parallel in the political questions related to the applicability of democracy to any land and any people.) "Silence" is a painful read, but an indispensable masterpiece.

I bought these books to give as gifts and the kids that recieved them just loved them. I am glad you had them in stock as it would have been months waiting for the book store to get them in otherwise.

My kids love this book! They love the stinky alphabet with the puppy poo and dirty diaper in the trash truck. They love the sounds that the truck makes and the pictures. I have to read it to them at least twice a week before bed. I highly recommend this book for young children and beginning readers. It is fun and interactive and educational.

My two year old son took this book out of the library. The third time he renewed the book, they would not let him renew it again. I ended up buying it.

My son has loved "trash trucks" since he was a baby,
this book is just plain fun.

my son was afraid of this at first, he is only 2.5 so the facial expression of the truck briefly gave him the willies, but now he can't get enough of it. i like to read it!

Words are not enough to describe this beautifully written and illustrated book. You should experience the descriptive, poetic words and haunting drawings of a young boys rite of passage. All ages would enjoy the well told story. This is a must read!


Owl Moon

I used this book in my classroom as an example for my students to write thier own story. My 3rd and 4th graders loved the story and it worked great for the lesson I was teaching.

My grandaughter fell in love with this book from the library and Granpa had to buy it for her birthday. It is very well illustrated and well written, Granpa never tires of reading it to her, as she never tires of hearing it. In a market filled with children's books of dubious merit or worth, this is well worth it, to read, to buy, to have in the library of a young reader on her way to a lifetime of reading.

I ordered this book based on the reviews found on amazon. I was looking for a nature oriented book for my 2 year old son. This has become, by far, one of our favorite family bedtime stories. The illustrations are beautiful. The story is heart warming and real. My husband loves to read it as much as I do. This is a classic in our library and will remain so for many, many years.

I like Jane Yolen's work - the children do too (lol). But Owl Moon is probably the most poetic of her works that we have read. The word choice and imagery is wonderful; soft and soothing. You can hear the crunch of snow, and feel the biting cold.

Like the others I give it 5 stars, and would add that it makes for a good bed-time book.

Five Stars. Top notch Read-aloud. Artwork is nice, in darker shades than Yolen's other works. Perhaps not quite as nice in detail, but well suited to the story.

A big and fine research work.A dream for all musician,particular for all Fab lovers.
I hope amazon use more care for shipping the book.Not is the first time
I receive damaged book in corner.
The solution is make the package with more care.

I am both and enjoyed the book very much. It is long on details and has a lot of great pix. In fact it may even have been more than I expected.

This is a book that should have been published a long time ago. Great photos and they really do their homework and research as far as what instruments were used at what times. A must have for any Beatle fan. Think of it as a companion to the Beatles Recording Session book. Two complaints: 1. As with most Beatles material, they gloss over late 1965 and 66, especially with photos. This was when the Beatles were reinventing themselves artistically and created some of thier most critically acclaimed work and their most imitated sound. When a song sounds Beatle-esque it usually sounds like 1965/1966. Maybe it's a lack of documentation during this period. 2. There are a lack of info and pictures regarding the myriad other instruments which "Pepper" their songs. You get to see a Bach trumpet made famous by Penny Lane, but not much else. It's not that they should or could track down the original instruments, but more visuals would be nice as you read along. This is especially true with the indian instruments, which made up so much of the Beatle sound but are visually almost non-existant in the book. What about a Bass harmonica, French Horn, clarinet, Sitar, Tambora, Indian Harmonium, The EMI sound effects closet? A great book that could be perfect if not for these two flaws.

this does not dissappoint. the author knows his stuff and he dishes out the details that will satisfy a guitar lover.

I am a musician (guitar, drums, bass, vocals), and a hardcore Beatles fan. This book, for me, brings together the best of both worlds. Every time I pick it up, I cannot put it down. It is incredibly well researched, and I have next to no unanswered questions after reading it. It even has quotes from members of The Quarrymen, the band that evolved into the Beatles. Being a musician, I cannot imagine if this book would be interesting to non-musicians, even if they are hardcore fans. If that's the case, check it out anyway; it may inspire you to pick up an instrument. That's not a bad thing.

Like some of the other reviewers here, I grew up on the Trixie Belden books, and I also dreamed of being a member of the Bob-Whites! Being a horse-lover, too, the fact that they all rode horses was an added bonus.

I agree that Trixie and the gang were "real" characters: they teased each other, had spats, screwed up at times, and each had a distinct personality, yet all were extremely lovable. I especially always enjoyed the bantering b/t Trixie and her know-it-all brother, Mart. Yet for all the teasing you knew they really loved each other. I was an only child, and although I did have a close friend like Honey, I would've loved to have brothers like Trixie's Brian & Mart, and Honey's adopted brother, Jim.

I am so happy that Trixie and the gang are not considered too "old-fashioned" to appeal to a new generation. These books are truly ageless and timeless. I still have my original collection from when I was a kid (won't say my age, but that was many, many moons ago). I cherish them, will never part with them, and I STILL re-read them every so often, and STILL enjoy them immensely.

There were many Trixie Belden books after the original six by Julie Campbell, but IMO the ones by Julie Campbell are the best.

Thirteen-year-old Trixie Belden couldn't be more shocked to believe that she's stuck in boring old Sleepyside for the summer, while her two older brothers are away at camp. But then a millionaire moves into the mansion next door, and he has a daughter Trixie's age, named Honey Wheeler. Soon, the two girls have embarked on an adventure to see whether a ghost truly lives in the house nearby which Trixie has christened, the Miser's Mansion. But what they find is really no ghost at all, but rather a teenage boy named Jim, whose runaway from home, and is looking for his great-Uncle, who just happens to be Trixie's miser. Now the two girls and their new friend are searching for a so-called fortune within the walls of the Miser's Mansion, and having a not-so-boring summer after all.

I have been a fan of the NANCY DREW and BOBBSEY TWINS mysteries for years, so when I came across the TRIXIE BELDEN series in the store recently, I just knew that I had to try it out. Luckily, I am pleased to report, the series is as good as everyone said it would be. Trixie is an adorable character who is hardheaded, and brave, while sensitive and kind at the same time. Her vivacious personality brings the story to life, as do the quirky personalities of her friends, and the lovely black and white drawings contained within the book. Fans of NANCY DREW and the BOBBSEY TWINS will find themselves flocking to the new re-printing of the TRIXIE BELDEN books, and begging for more.

Erika Sorocco
Book Review Columnist for The Community Bugle Newspaper

This book is the best book I ever read! It is a wonderful book to start off the series of Trixie Belden.

This was my first time reading a Trixie Belden book and I enjoyed it immensely! In this book, Trixie meets a new friend, Honey, who moves in next door. While exploring an old mansion with Honey, they discover a runaway boy. He has runaway from his stepfather, who treats him cruelly.
These stories are cliffhangers! I love them and advise you to read them all, as I plan to do.

This story is one of my fave series because I love misterys so much. This book is about a girl and has nothing to do in the summer time in till she meats Hunny her best friend and thats the begining of the misterys! READ IT NOW!

This is the BIBLE for Cold Fusion. I have read a few too many compter books. This is the first one I finished and keeped around. The CD has codeing found in the samples in the book. Very easy reading for this type of book. It even teaches you some HTML. WOW.

This book was fantastic. Sure there are the few editing errors common with computer books. I knew NOTHING about Cold Fusion or database connectivity to the web before I got this and now I've written a dozen or so Cold Fusion applications for the UPS intranet. An EXCELLENT resource for beginners and professionals with a tag index for quick referencing. A chapter on SQL also for those who don't know it. It will teach you everything you need to know to get your application online and running. Great Great Great!

Forta's book is very interesting. I almost bought a book solely on SQL, but just bought this book because of its comprehensive SQL sections. As an Application Server Developer, I also have experience with ASP, and this makes ASP look extremely primitive. In fact, I used the concepts of Cold Fusion presented here to evaluate better solutions for projects in ASP. An example of this is the easy implementation of Dynamic SQL in Coldfusion. I then built a Dynamic SQL implementation. Thanks Mr. Forta for a great one. If you know ASP, this book will show you what you need to engineer within ASP to get it to compete with Cold Fusion. An awesome book!

I have very little programming experience and have this book to be very easy to use.

Forta takes you from the start of Cold Fusion and SQL. If you are new to programming and SQL, this is the book for you. I was writing data interface apps in a few hours. A great book overall. Worth the read. I still use it as a reference regularly! A must have for the Cold Fusion developer.