Portraits and Photos Books

Enchanted Self: A Positive Therapy (New Directions in Therapeutic Intervention , Vol 1) As a positive psychologist I spend a lot of time trying to express in words all sorts of subtle thoughts and feelings. I try to build up people with words, helping them recognize their strengths and talents and potential. My women clients are often at a loss for words about what is right about themselves, but full of what is wrong. Thus, I was thrilled to come across this book, which is such a positive tribute to us women. Without any words, the pictures express so much of the exurberance, delight and at times pathos of being a woman. We can see in the expressions on these women's faces and their bodily stance a life-time of events, feelings and reactions. I particularly love that the women are from many lands and from times long gone. This is a book worth looking at again and again. It helps us truly 'remember' that yes, all of us are special and worth celebrating.

Amazing book in excellent shape and a must have for photography fans....

I loved the selection of pictures. It gives a comprehensive portrayl of women since the birth of photography. A great gift for a mother, sister, friend or even yourself.

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.

This photo book really touches the heart. The photos along with brief synopsis really makes one think about the plight of women around the world. I highly recommend this coffee-table book. It will inspire you to take action.

I cannot emphasize strongly enough how moving this book is. I have a lot of photography books and this one is my favorite. You will not be disappointed!

Strong images speak for themselves, and the inspiring text goes right along with the beautiful photography.

I was familiar with Phil Borges' photography and knew I'd like this book, but it exceeded all my expectations. The photographs speak for themselves, and the text is inspiring and enlightening. I plan to purchase this book for all my family and friends. It is a beautiful book, full of hope and compassion.

I have been one of Kurt Edward Fishback's students for the past year and have been looking forward to the publication of this book. It is truly an extraordinary and prodiqious work and should be of interest to everyone. It makes artists accessable to the public. Lonnie

This book is both very beautiful and informative. Kurt's images allow you to really see the artist and the surroundings that help them create their work. Kurt looks at both their outer body and their inner soul.

I highly recommend this book for any person who loves both Art and Photography

I met Kurt about 5 years ago. He was teaching a class at The Workshops in Rockport, Maine. I was immediately impressed with Kurt's work and his uncanny ability to capture the essence of his subject at the defining moment. Kurt's vision is timeless, and this work demonstrates his ability to make powerful images with only Tri-X and available light. This is an excellent book for the serious amateur photographer who wants to refine his own photographic vision. You won't be disappointed.

see my review under listing of ART OF GRT HWD PORTRT
other edition.

John Kobal's The Art of the Great Hollywood Portrait Photographers is as good as his book on Hollywood with Kevin Brownlow, which is one of the essential books to read (and one of the essential TV series to watch) for anyone interested in movies.

Kobal gives an illuminating account of the function of the movies during the Depression, contrasted with eg Walker Evan's photography, and explains 'glamour', tying movie stars in with the Venus from Milos and the Mona Lisa quite convincingly. Well thought, well written. Chapters follow on the organisation of the studios, how publicity was done as it has rarely been done before or since. And some beautiful images - Garbo by Ruth Harriet Louise, Clara Bow by Nicholas Murray and Eugene Richie stand out, but there are many. The images are exceptional, taken by some of the greatest artists of the camera and the volume layout does the images justice. All complemented with reminiscences from the stars and photographers themselves. The very best history, anecdotal, with many perspectives and implications explored, and written with love.

This book has touched a deep chord sensitive to vanished beauty. The stars are now just names, some of them not even that. And of course they were not the same as their carefully crafted images displayed in this book. These evoke not only the stars themselves but the fact that they brought hope to many who perhaps would have found it otherwise hard to deal with the Depression - all those hopes, fears, ambitions, petty, grand and mean, silly and endearing. Only the images of beauty remain!

Publisher: Knopf; (October 12, 1980)
First edition copy. This book is oversized and OUTSTANDING!

291 pages of glamour. 1925 - 1940 is the tops in Hollywood glamour. Though the 40s weren't bad either.

These are some magnificent photoplates. Superbly printed in this volume. Even the pickiest at quality (like me) will be happy. Amazing images not shown in ohter books. The Kobal colection is vast and bar none the best. This is a wonderful selection from him, that he put together in this book.

See more of my reviews for more must have full page or near full page portrait glamour books from this Golden era.

BUY THIS BOOK, then thank me later.

Waaay back in the early days of Bear Magazine, Brahma studios was born... and with it wonderful photography. This book is a collection from those days. Simple, masculine, erotic. To call this 'bear porn' is a mistake. This is classic male erotic, with a wonderfully bear-ish 'slant'. (just wish it was hard back to allow it to stay open!)

Still a classic.

My not-so-insignificant Otherbear and I are both fans of anything the British critic and photographer Edward Lucie-Smith puts his name on, so we both got off on both the Lucie-Smith bearish books of photos by Chris Nelson and Jack Fritscher which are Amazon.com musts for any serious bear collector of not-at-all-insignificant Otherbears, especially with the end of Bear magazine.

Chris Nelson's "Bear Cult" makes a perfect companion with Jack Fritscher's "American Men" which afterSeptember 11 terrorist attacks is an apt title. Both books came out about the same time---in fact, Fritscher is in Nelson's "Bear Cult." Do all bears know each other? Both are very different photographers. Nelson: stills only. Fritscher: stills backed with videos. British bear critic Edward Lucie Smith wrote the intro to both books. I confess I've used them both as art and as bearotica. Plus the bear look really is an American invention. These two prime bear photography books should lead the way to more bear photo books. I recommend both these landmark books for every gentleman's library.

Sumner Fowler is an excellent photographer. I knew him in high school when he was a photographer for The Birmingham Eccentric. Even back then he had an eye for the unique. He knew what he wanted and was patient enough to wait for the right lighting, the right nod of the head or the look in the eyes. He saw life through a photographers lens. His talent has grown and he has captured the delightfullness of the animal world. Best Friends, is evidence of where Sumner's heart, as well as talent lies......

"How many hearts with warm red blood in them are beating under cover of the woods tonight, and how many teeth and eyes are shining! A multitude of animal people intimately related to us, but of whose lives we know almost nothing, are as busy about their own affairs as we are about ours." John Muir

Sumner's camera takes us into the lives of the animals he has photographed here. I highly recommend the book. The proceeds go to an excellent cause.

Each photo in this book touched me in some way for the better. Mr Fowler certainly has a magic touch with his camera. I'm hoping he comes out with more books.

Beautiful black and white photographs--the look of unconditional love in a beagle's eye, a sleepy yawn from a tabby. These and other photos (there's horses too!) of rescued animals make this book completely heartwarming.

As a photographer and the proud owner of 26 images published in this book I should also admit that my review might be a tad biased. Still, I was completely impressed with the presentation of this coffee table book. The images featured showcase a variety of styles from your totally adorable every day snapshots, to some truly stunning professional portraits in addition to several very famous images of celebrity babies. The sentiments added to the pages seem to bring just the right touch to the photographs. Well designed and well printed, this is a must have for anyone who loves babies!

Terrilyn O'Neil - [...]

As a baby and child photographer, I LOVE this book. Beautiful photos and really cute stories throughout. Who doesn't love pictures of babies??!!

Since 34 of my images appear in this book, I am likely a bit biased. But it is a beautifully printed book and quite a joy to thumb through and take in the imagery and sweet quotes.

Connie Groah, Barefoot Photography

I don't know anything about Nigel's background and have never met the guy (hopefully I will one day)....but just by looking through the images in the book it's easy to assume he's great to work with and is the kind of guy who can get even the hardest people to soften up, the most powerful to submit, and the average looking to display amazing beauty.

And the great equipment he uses is worthy of his talent. The images are tack sharp (just look at the detail on Sean Connery's photo). Through his lens Nigel gets the viewer face-to-face with some of the most powerful and famous people in the world, subjects who are rarely seen in such a tight and up-close point of view. However he doesn't shoot everything this way so it's not at all repetitive going through the pages.

I just got his book, Sharp, which so far I really like but not nearly as much as Blunt. This book is amazing and as a photographer myself I find so much inspiration looking through his images that I can't decide whether to turn to the next page or pick up my camera. Nice work, Nigel...keep it up!

Wow this book is great. I have never seen such a good celebrity photography book, Its a page turner. I love the way it is laid out and how each person looks so elegant and meaningful.

i think Blunt is a classic photography book!!!
simply designed, beautifully photographed....the photographs are stunning and iconic..

Mr Parry work is wonderful and i look forward to buying his next book

this book has become a regular resource guide for me and my wife. it is clear and accurate with great photos. quite frankly i needed a little help and this book was and continues to be the ticket!

A great guide for getting better photos of your kids - helpful for novice photographers, especially new parents, and those who have used cameras for years but never given much thought to getting good pictures of their children in all different situations. Grandparents will also find this book useful.

We loved this book. It is a wonderful aid as you try to record your childrens' growing up. I would say it is a must for all parents.

If,like me,you already have scores of scholarly books on castles, and are looking for a stunning visual reference crammed with oversized, beautiful aerial photos of castles from all over the world, look no further. This is it.

This is a stellar collection of aerial views of castles all over Europe and ranging as far East as Turkey. While showing no author or even photographer credits, the brief text and very short captions merely offer context for the main show--the wonderful oversize two-page spread color plates showing the great variety of castle layouts as well as some later fortifications, including some seacoast defense sites. Arranged in rough geographical order, this is a veritable aerial voyage offering views you simply can't get on your own lacking a private plane or helicopter. I've seen many of these places--but never from these angles. It is great to see a castle book that does not rely on the usual photos, let alone the usual places. There are a host of sites shown here that are new to me and make me want to head off on yet another castle trek. In all, well worth the money---a sheer delight.

A gorgeous collection of European castles from the air, with just a bit of identification on each rather than a description.

Long introduction on castles and history. Included several castle sites that were new to me.

Beautifully photographed, occasionally from a non-traditional vantage. (Example: Segovia is normally shown looking up at the north side, here it's shown as an aerial view from the west side)

No author is listed. I hope they'll do another volume with many more castles. The book makes one want so many more photos, especially of such splendors as Krak Des Chevaliers.