Photography Books


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Photography Books sorted by Average customer review: high to low .

Photography
Photography Your Way
Published in Paperback by Allworth Press (2000-03)
Author: Chuck Delaney
List price: $18.95
New price: $6.29
Used price: $0.47

Average review score:

Excellent, no-nonsense book on the field of photography
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2008-05-28
Excellent! A great introduction for someone considering the study of photography. Takes an unusual, sort of psychologically analytical approach to the field, in addition to dealing with the specifics of education, equipment and the like.

It was after reading this book that I finally made the decision to study photography through the New York Institute of Photography where Chuck Delaney is dean. He came across as being a down-to-earth, no-nonsense expert in the field, and his NYIP course bore that fact out. Both his book and the course gave me more than they promised, something that is rare today.

Great book
Helpful Votes: 3 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 2007-04-25
The book takes a very holistic view of photography. Though this book isn't really designed to improve your ability to take a picture, it is aimed more at developing you as a passionate photographer. It ensures how you want to take pictures, develope style, and many of the nuances of photography.

Wise words for the aspiring photographer
Helpful Votes: 6 out of 6 total.
Review Date: 2006-10-21
This book could also be called "Zen and the art of being a photographer". So happy I decided to purchase this book. Chuck is encouraging, practical and humourous in his approach. This book generously answers the kind of questions you might ask a relative in the photo business before you launch in yourself, complete with the author's balanced views and opinions. Thanks Chuck.

It's Chuck Delaney...
Helpful Votes: 7 out of 9 total.
Review Date: 2002-12-05
I really liked the book. I'm a a NYIP student and it reads real close to the course. It's not 100% photography information as he also talks about some of his views on life. I subscribe to the same views so it didn't bother me. Overall, a great book. Lots of information for someone wanting a career in photography.

Excellent advice on your way to become a pro.
Helpful Votes: 8 out of 8 total.
Review Date: 2000-07-04
One of the most interesting books on becoming a professional photographer I ever read. No matter if you are interested in becoming a part time freelancer or full time pro. Chuck DeLaney, dean of the oldest and biggest photography school in the U.S. did a tremendous job writing a book that not only covers the standard aspects of the trade, but also includes many topics that are of more peripheral nature, but still of vital importance to become successful in the business.

Showing how he managed to become a pro, covering more or less common traps and pitfalls, psychological and health wise aspects of work and how to solve possible problems, relationship between other fields of fine art and photography, talking about his experience with other professionals and how those people solved problems, makes this a must read book for any aspiring photographer.

When reading I felt like listening to a good old photographer friend telling me about his experience during decades of practical work. The book is crammed full of information, that it might take a bit longer than usual to read it. Definitely a five star book and a must have.

Photography
Photoshop Elements 4.0 Maximum Performance: Professional Image Editing for Photographers
Published in Paperback by Focal Press (2006-01-17)
Author: Mark Galer
List price: $29.95
New price: $18.68
Used price: $17.00

Average review score:

Takes Elements to an advaced level
Helpful Votes: 11 out of 12 total.
Review Date: 2006-08-07
This text is written for photographers that want to make their images look there very best. Unlike introductory texts, Mr. Galer's book goes into the very soul of Photoshop Elements (PSE) to find hidden features that give pictures a WOW factor. Here are a few examples. In introductory text, the student is introduced to the unsharp mask filter and given some suggested settings. In Galer's text, the student is introduced to some unique masking techniques created with the high pass, and threshold filters to locate edges. He then combines that technique with paint masks and the magic erasure tool to isolate just those areas that will benefit from edge crispness. The results are stunning. Galer also has a technique for making high dynamic range (HDR) photos using some add-on layer styles that are available in the companion DVD.

A number of introductory texts concentrate on color correction and marginalize the importance of luminosity and tone. In Galer's text, there are a number of advanced techniques on levels, contrast and preserving shadow that are used to allow photos to look their best.

Speaking of the DVD, it not only contains all the images used in the lessons but many additional background photos of sky and sea and other landscapes that the user may access to enhance their own projects. Unlike many introductory books on PSE the photos are of high quality (lots of pixels) and all the lessons on the DVD are also included in the text. The lessons are quite good and Galer's English accent lends credibility and authority to his narrative.

What you won't find in the book is any serious mention of the Organizer, quick fix or photo creations (with the exception of a lesson on panoramas). In summary, this is an important book on the advanced features available in PSE that every serious student should own.


Photoshop Elements 4.0 Maximum Performance
Helpful Votes: 14 out of 15 total.
Review Date: 2006-07-09
One of the best books out in the market about using Photoshop Elements 4.0 (PSE4) to edit pictures. Comes with a DVD containing pictures to practice on, and some movies to watch while the author explains a specific technique. There are some techniques included in this book that I've not seen included in any other book. Examples are clear and concise, and with accompanying pictures at each stage. Stress is on using techniques to work on pictures that will not harm the pictures or the pixels themselves. These techniques include learning all about gradients and making some for yourself that increase contrast, or using adjustment layers, and making masks to affect the contrast, learning how to get the most efficient use out of the levels settings, among other things. Take part of a gradient sample in PSE4 and use it to create beams of light coming out of a storm cloud! Great book. This book teaches you how to work on pictures with many different techniques--techniques that do the least harm to the original working photo--techniques that allow you to take care of small subtle details that are usually ignored, but that make your work more believable. Highly recommended.

Photoshop Elements 4.0, Maximum Performance
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 2007-01-13
Of all the tutorial manuals I have on Photoshop Elements I think this one is the best. While not exactly at a beginner level, it can still be of value to a novice. The great thing is that it pretty much avoids the 'first face the stove' approach that most all books of this nature feel required to do. The lessons on color correction and turning a color photo into black and white are particularly great!

Photoshop Elements really made easy
Helpful Votes: 5 out of 6 total.
Review Date: 2007-01-14
This outstanding book provides many step by step instructions for editing photos with photoshop elements. Along with common instructions such as croping as straightening photos it includes blurring backgrounds and the use of masks for special effects.
Everything is made simple. Have a problem recreating the effects in the book? Simply view one of the included movies and watch the author perform the functions step by step. This included movie feature is GREAT!
Watch to movie and you should be able to find a step that you omitted when using the book. Useful content, well written, included DVD for chapter movies. The complete book for anyone wishing to enhance their photos.

Truly Maximum Performance
Helpful Votes: 8 out of 9 total.
Review Date: 2006-07-26
I have completed several Photoshop course books and found all of them to be very good and useful. So I had a reasonable knowledge base when I discovered this book. I found that in this book, the author has covered the most useful Photoshop examples yet. The text and video projects complement each other perfectly and are seamless. Not only does the author explain every step of the project, but he also does the most important thing: he tells you why he is doing it. This book has propelled my knowledge of Photoshop Elements 4.0 to a very high competent professional level. I cannot express my absolute delight with my new skills.

Photography
Piazza: Italy's Heart and Soul
Published in Hardcover by Eccola Press (2007-01)
Author: Joe Bauwens
List price:
New price: $50.00
Used price: $38.50
Collectible price: $100.00

Average review score:

A Stunning Book on Italian Piazze
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-06-22
This lovely portfolio book was born out of a love affair with Italy that has spanned many years, and that has been nurtured by numerous personal visits. On one of those trips the authors, Joe Bauwens and Marybeth Flower, visited a different hill town every day. Spending most of their time in the piazze of these towns, they came to appreciate how the piazza is an expression of the unique cultural life of each community. No one had used photography to tell this story in the way that Bauwens and Flower came to know it. Challenged by this awareness, they undertook a year of rigorous training from professional photographers in various workshops. Armed with this education, they returned to Italy for five months, traveled to many of Italy's towns and cities, took thousands of photographs, spent endless hours selecting the very best, and wrote captivating text to go with them. Piazza--Italy's Heart & Soul is the result. Clearly, these two amateur photographers transformed themselves into amazingly skillful photojournalists, and in so doing realized their dream of communicating in photographs and words the vitality of Italians and their beloved piazze.

The artistic and vibrant quality of this work is an inspiration to those who aspire to tell other stories in a similar manner. In chapter after chapter the authors succeed beyond measure in capturing the beauty, joy, action, passion, color, and fashion found in the piazze of this wonderful Mediterranean country. Those who already know and love Italy will want this book to enrich their memories. Those who do not, but who see this book and open it, will want to make the journey in order to know and love Italy.

Magnifico!!
Helpful Votes: 3 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 2007-07-09
Wow! We gave Piazza to my Italian husband for Father's Day and it was a hit with the whole extended family. The photographs captivated all of us-- by either taking us back to Italy in our memories or inspiring the desire for a first visit. Piazza excites and inspires through the very last photo. We can tell the authors/photographers are in love with their subject. This is truly and exceptional book!! Debra Romano

Call your travel agent!
Helpful Votes: 3 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 2007-06-18
After flipping through the pages of this award winning book, I instantly called to make airline reservations to Tuscany! The authors/photographers images are so vibrant and exciting you feel like you've traveled and experienced the moments with them! Not only is this book a must have but a great gift for even the non-traveler!

One of the most lush and beautiful coffee table books I have ever seen
Helpful Votes: 5 out of 5 total.
Review Date: 2007-06-11
Joe Bauwens and MaryBeth Flower love photography and Italy! The results are incandescent. I yearn for Italy most days of the week and this book makes me especially nostalgic for this gorgeous and delightful nation! This is my favorite coffee table book and I have 30 or so that I love! This is a fabulous gift!

Fuel for my daydreams of Italy...
Helpful Votes: 7 out of 11 total.
Review Date: 2008-06-09
Italy has long been at the top of my list of countries to visit if ever given the chance. Sadly, budget and vacation time are currently prohibitive factors for such a trip. That's the beauty of books such as Joe Bauwens' and MaryBeth Flower's PIAZZA: ITALY'S HEART AND SOUL - they can transport you to places you've dreamed of, through the splendor of their photography and the descriptive footnotes teaching a bit of that region's cultures and traditions.

When you open the book, you are immediately captured by the colorful flags born by the sbandieratori of Gubbio, and can almost feel their movement as they run, proudly bearing their flags.

You can feel the press of the crowds when you turn to the depiction of the Ceri Marathon. Then a castle in Vernazza seems to be carved from the seaside bluff it tops, rather than being built upon it by mere men.

As exciting as some of these photos are, still others convey a solemn peace and stillness, such as the picture of the Santa Maria della Salute church in the dark of night, with lights spotlighting its majestic dome.

Mr. Bauwens and Ms. Flower miss nothing, including pictures of citizens in traditional costume as well as people in modern dress. We find children laughing and playing, and other people from all walks of life, who through the very normalcy of their pictures, depict everyday life in Italy more surely than mere words. From the pink-haired woman on her cell phone to the pony-tailed man on his unicycle, we experience it all.

I can almost taste the rich cappuccino when I see the pictures of this dark treat decorated with whimsical chocolate designs atop the foam. I can imagine sitting at an outdoor cafe quietly watching all of these sights go by as I sip my own cup, careful not to burn my mouth.

But the creators of this coffee table book don't rely on just pictures to deliver the Italian experience - they draft prose as picturesque as their photographs to completely immerse you in the details of the event, the town, the feel of the place.

I'd expected PIAZZA: ITALY'S HEART AND SOUL to assuage some of my wanderlust, but instead I find I want even more fervently to wander through the rainbow town of Burano. I want to coast through the watery streets of Venice in my own gondola, with a gondolier pointing out spots of interest in a thick Italian accent. I want to dance in the street to the beat of the street musicians on the Ligurian shore.

Italy is a country steeped in history and this beautiful tome clearly shows this in everything from the architecture to the people to the traditional celebrations. It's the next best thing to being able to visit Italy yourself. For a taste of Italy sure to fuel a few daydreams, pick up a copy of PIAZZA: ITALY'S HEART AND SOUL.

**Courtesy of Wild on Books**

Photography
Pierre et Gilles: Sailors & Sea (Icons Series)
Published in Paperback by Taschen (2005-06-01)
Author: Eric Troncy
List price: $9.99
New price: $5.39
Used price: $0.01

Average review score:

Excellent artist and excellent book
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2000-11-13
The art of Pierre et Gilles shows beauty, sensual, intimate, contemporary and quality works made for two individuals that becomes an author in a perfect union. They create fantastic worlds with photography and paint. Their works talks about their dreams, lifes, obsessions, pleasures, pains, loves, friends, interests. They shows a unncommon vision of the contemporary world through topics related to religion, sexuality, mithology, personalities, and their own lifes. This is one of the most beautiful art books ever made, every single detail have been realized carefully.

Excellent artists and excellent book
Helpful Votes: 3 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 2000-11-13
The art of Pierre et Gilles shows beauty, sensual, intimate, contemporary and quality works made by two individuals that becomes an author in a perfect union. They create fantastic worlds with photography and paint. Their works talks about their dreams, lifes, obsessions, pleasures, pains, loves, friends, interests. They shows a unncommon vision of the contemporary world through topics related to religion, sexuality, mithology, personalities, and their own lifes. Even like an object, this is one of the most beautiful art books ever made, every single detail have been realized carefully.

Excellent artist and excellent book
Helpful Votes: 3 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 2000-11-13
The art of Pierre et Gilles shows beauty, sensual, intimate, contemporary and quality works made for two individuals that becomes an author in a perfect union. They create fantastic worlds with photography and paint. Their works talks about their dreams, lifes, obsessions, pleasures, pains, loves, friends, interests. They shows a unncommon vision of the contemporary world through topics related to religion, sexuality, mithology, personalities, and their own lifes. This is one of the most beautiful art books ever made, every single detail have been realized carefully.

Wonderful artwork.
Helpful Votes: 3 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 2000-04-24
The photography of Pierre and Gilles is absolutly fantastic. This makes a stunning coffee table book.

There are true artists
Helpful Votes: 5 out of 6 total.
Review Date: 2000-09-09
Pierre et Gilles set a new standard when it comes to their combination of photograpy and painting. No wonder photographers like David La Chappelle try to knock off their style (imitation is the highest form of flattery). I found this massive coffee table book to be thorough, entertaining, titillating, and funny. I would recommend it to anyone interesting in modern "pop" art and portrait photography. The imagination of these two is priceless as is this collection of their work.

Photography
Plateau Light
Published in Paperback by Graphic Arts Center Publishing Company (2007-05-01)
Author: James Lawrence
List price: $19.95
New price: $11.95
Used price: $9.04

Average review score:

A GREAT Muench book
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-04-06
Not that more to say than the title... This book contains many great photos made by a master, and the print quality makes justice to them (well, to confirm another review, there is one image that went too far on the reds, and has a deceptive burnt look - while many are great, and the splitND use is far more unobtrusive than Rowell's eg, with due respect ;o).
Page layout is more conservative than in other Muench books I have (I think to Primal Forces, great images but layout on the kitsch side), and that suits me well.

A beautiful book
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 1999-08-05
This is the first David Muench book that i've purchased and because of the beautiful photos inside it will not be my last.

One of the Best from David Muench
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 1999-12-23
Besides the several landscape books from Muench, I have collected quite a few other landscape books from other famous photographers. By far, this is the one I like most (together with one by Apse called "New Zealand Landscape"). The photos in the book fully demonstrate that one can always breathe new life to old scenes with enough skill, perception and perseverence.

A beautiful book with slight flaws
Helpful Votes: 8 out of 9 total.
Review Date: 1999-12-27
This is a gorgeous book of southwest photographs. It has many examples of how to take great photographs. An interesting feature is the photographers comments about each photograph, found in the back of the book. There are only a few flaws in my humble view. Some of the photographs were printed with very exagerated color saturation. This is painful in some cases. Another problem is Mr. Muench's use of a split density magenta filter for several of the photographs. He tries to give the scenes a warm glow but the magenta color looks totally fake, especially when one sees it only across the top of the photograph. Please throw that split density magenta filter away and let the southwest present its beauty naturally. Still a great and valuable book to own.

Breathtaking photos of the Colorado plateau
Helpful Votes: 9 out of 9 total.
Review Date: 2000-02-13
This book offers a breathtaking view of the Colorado plateau. The full-page color photos are so incredibly vivid they almost jump off the page. It really makes you feel like you are there.

You get a look at towering mountains & magnificent nature made stone sculptures. Cascading waterfalls, meandering steams, peaceful snowscapes, brilliant autumn leaves, beautiful flowers & endless skies take your breath away.

Muench is a master at capturing detail and light, and this setting shows off his talent to the maximum. A narrative by James Lawrence provides a history of the area and conveys the feelings inspired by this natural wonderland.

Some images have small quotes & poems under them. In the back, each photo is shown in miniature with comments from photographer and technical details. This book provides a beautiful world to get lost in.

Photography
The Polaroid Book
Published in Hardcover by Taschen (2005-04-01)
Author: Barbara Hitchcock
List price: $39.99
New price: $69.94
Used price: $11.85

Average review score:

a MUST-HAVE for all polaroid enthusiasts
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-07-07
I recently purchased this book and must say that this is a beautifully created masterpiece. Give it up to Taschen for yet another exquisite piece of documentation; this time showing the love and art of the polaroid instant medium. This book provides a visual history of art created through the polaroid lens by some of the great photographers. If you love polaroid you will love this book. Simply a must-have for any enthusiast.

Great Polaroid Attraction!
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 4 total.
Review Date: 2005-10-04
I recently bought this book. It shows great polaroid pictures and their simplicity attraction and much more! It's worth to have one!

What a SEXY book!!!
Helpful Votes: 14 out of 14 total.
Review Date: 2005-12-04
WOW... words can't even begin to describe how much I love this book! It's about time they released a book like this! And the wrapper of this book is genius! It looks like a gigantic box of Polaroid film... I didn't even want to remove the cover at first... I fondled it for awhile and then I slowly peeled it off and curled up on the couch for an hour or two and looked at all the pretty pictures.
This book is highly recommended for any Polaroid enthusiast! And if you want to see some great 'roids on the net- check out Polanoid.net!

Do not miss the opportunity to own this treasure!
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2008-05-16
This is a classic which sold out its first printing. BUY THIS NOW! You will have, preserved on your bookshelf the essence of what Edwin Land envisioned over 65 years ago distilled in one BEAUTIFUL volume. How can the Petters Group (who now owns Polaroid) dare to banish such a beautiful art form from humanity? That's right, Polaroid has stopped making instant film and the supply may barely run through the end of this year, and all expire by the end of next year. THIS IS A CRIME AGAINST ART AND HUMANITY!! Buy the book, then go to savepolaroid.com and join us all to save this incredible art form. JUST LOOK AT THE PAGES OF THIS INCREDIBLE VOLUME!!! You will be amazed!

One of the BEST photo compilations ever!!!
Helpful Votes: 8 out of 8 total.
Review Date: 2005-10-12
My dad bought a Polaroid Land Camera (of the peel-apart type) before I was born... to take pictures of his chubby firstborn (that would be me, BTW).

Ever since, the sharp, colorful and amazingly stable little prints became part of our family's memory. My love for pictures was definitely boosted by the instant gratification offered by an SX-70 camera, which I still own and use after 25+ years, as well as a brand new Jobpro 600.

"The Polaroid Book" is a must for any hardcore Polaroid fan. Lotsa pictures, beautifully printed, with absolute respect for the authors' vision (Ansel Adams, Joyce Tenneson and Bill Allard, to mention only three of them). Nevertheless, the book's greatest virtue is to prove, without any doubt, that beautiful and creative work can be achieved with the simplest tools and the sheer power of imagination.

Polaroid is still alive and well, and this book is the best supporting evidence. Now, I'll just lay back and wait for that new new-old stock Polaroid Nightcam that I bought on the company's website. Let's see what that 600 film-munching baby can do.


Photography
Portraits from the Desert: Bill Wright's Big Bend
Published in Paperback by University of Texas Press (1998)
Author: Bill Wright
List price: $24.95
New price: $78.29
Used price: $6.35
Collectible price: $25.99

Average review score:

Perfect portrait of the Big Bend
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-08-28

I have visited the Big Bend more than two dozen times over more than that many years and have never found a book that captured the land and the people as well as this one by Bill Wright. I remember years ago searching for something like this. I could only find a photo book of the canyons back then but this is a book with much greater depth and it did not stop at just the geological. Wright does a top notch job of introducing the wild characters who inhabit the spaces between mountain and desert; the ones who live on the sand road that goes back behind the mesa. You won't regreat adding this book to your home library.

A Superb Read
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-07-05
I live in the greater Big Bend area; and, was surprised to discover my newest neighbors were Bill and Alice Wright. Bill's reputation is that of a great photographer; but, it will become immediately apparent to you when you read this book, that Bill is a great story teller. You will not soon lay this book down, nor forget the colorful stories revealed in his experiences of the Big Bend area.

A book rarity, superb photographs joined to a stylish text.
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 1998-11-07
This fine book will give the reader a good look and feel for the Big Bend of Texas.

Awesome place, beautiful book.........
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 1998-10-31
Although I am a native Texan, I have never visited Big Bend. Through the author's experiences with the people he met along the way, Big Bend has become more than the awesome pictures. I'm planning a trip. Bill Wright is a wonderful writer as well as photographer - I hope there are more books to come. Sounds as if he has travelled the world.

West Texas as it really is
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2004-01-05
Photographer and writer Bill Wright comes from the West Texas town of Abilene: roughly eight hours drive at a steady seventy from his beloved Big Bend National Park. In Texas that, along with the fact that he's been visiting the park since childhood, pretty much makes him a local.

Texas has a considerable modern history, quite apart from it's more ancient nomadic inhabitants, and Wright maintains a consciousness of this in his travels through these southern borderlands of the USA. Passport controls do indeed exist at the border bridges into Mexico, along with stern warnings that it is illegal for Texans to carry guns into the neighbouring country, but the border patrols continue for nearly sixty miles across the desert into the USA with major checkpoints ocurring at the towns of Marfa and Marathon. The area South of these checkpoints, where Wright's portraits were made, are known as The Badlands and have been for the past 150 years.

Put simply Wright has an abundance of curiosity, the essential requirement of the documentary photographer; and a considerable degree of patience in the fact that he only really began making this book after a lifetime of visits. Be he visiting with the photographer Etta Koch, writing about "Crazy" Angie, who apparently isn't and operates the theatre at Terlingua Ghost Town, or photographing the rancher Buck Newsome, the white hat line on whose forehead clearly explaining how his life has been spent, Wright, while mentioning the people he was with and the details of the trip, never puts himself over the people or places he introduces to his readers. The border in West Texas might be described as permeable, with several unguarded but regularly used fords exisiting along the river. One such ford exists at a place called Lajitas, today a resort town bought lock stock and barrel by a billionaire and now boasting "the world's only international golf course", but Bill Wright digs deeper under the surface harking back to the time when the ford was an important crossing on the trail from Mexico city to the Spanish province of Nueva Viscaya. He remarks upon the "politically constructed" nature of the border between the States and their Southern neighbour, and the fact that locals continue to move freely across the Rio Grande even to this day. In an aside his thoughts wander to the realisation that where in the past Texas Rangers patrolled these areas, to keep international cattle rustling to a minimum, today the trade is reversed and the border patrols and enforcement agencies are more concerned with preventing the importation of illegal drugs. But for the local populace life continues much the same and Spanish remains the predominant language.

In many ways the story as a whole is about Wright and his experiences, but more about the manner in which the place molded him over the years than any form of personal recollection. For Texas is very much about the land. He has been absolutely true to his subjects and in this book he presents that very rare sort of travelogue that will be enjoyed by visitors, people who only ever visit far flung lands from the comfort of their own living rooms, and especially the residents of the Big Bend itself; who will understand.

Photography
Priceless : The Vanishing Beauty of A Fragile Planet
Published in Paperback by Andrews McMeel Publishing (2003-09-01)
Authors: Bradley Trevor Greive and Mitsuaki Iwago
List price: $18.95
New price: $11.42
Used price: $3.74

Average review score:

Priceless is "priceless"
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2007-12-06
What a great book!! PLEASE parents , get a copy for your kids , this is the most inspiring book ever!

Inspirational...
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2007-01-24
This is truly a wonderful book with incredible wildlife photos accompanied by a simple yet poignant narrative highlighting the need for conservation.

"In the end, we will conserve only what we love and we will love only what we understand." BABA DIOUM

A Priceless Reminder
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2006-07-09
This is a beautifully photographed book and the language that accompanies these images is heartfelt. This is a must have book in every home and classroom.

A Celebration of Our Environment
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2006-02-13
The combination of breath-taking photography, and insightful and inspiring prose create an awesome yet humbling book. Its appeal is universal--everyone can learn, if we listen to its message.

I Love This Book
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2005-08-19
This book is one of the simplest, yet one of the most inspiring and enjoyable books I have ever read. The photography in it is amazing and Greive deffinately has a way with his words. In addition to this intriging visiual presentation, there is much to learn in this book as well. Learn about endangered and threatened animals thoughout the world while looking at unique images of them. This is a must read for everyone and it should be a required book for schools throughout the world to read instead of many other required books that have no appeal to students.

In addition, on the inside cover it reads, "BTG (author) is donating all his author royalties from the worldwide sales of Priceless to his principal wildlife conservation charity, the Taronga Foundation." Thats gotta say something about the book in itself!!!

Photography
Puerto Rico Mio
Published in Paperback by Smithsonian (1990-04-17)
Author: Delano J
List price: $39.95
New price: $26.32
Used price: $21.31

Average review score:

Puerto Rico Past and Present
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2005-03-20
This is an amazing book. This book allow the reader to see the different changes than our island had been thru. Excellent.

Memories of joyful, heartfelt splendor fill the soul.
Helpful Votes: 12 out of 13 total.
Review Date: 1998-12-18
The pages of this pictorial opus expresses the legacy, struggle, beauty, misery, joy of Puerto Rico of days past. Second, third generation Puerto Ricans will reconnect with their roots page by page. This is surely an enlighting photo memoir of our People, the images speak louder then words. The power of photograph comes to light in these pages, and Delano did it so well. Delano saves the spirit of Puerto Rico's past, once thought to be lost with faded memories. This is a book to keep for oneself, it strenghtens one's soul.

Can pictures talk? ....I think so.
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2006-09-30
I can't belive how Mr. Delano took this pictures in a way that it seems they are telling you a complete story. In thi book you can see how Puerto Rico had differente eras and how progress came to our Island. It was not an easy process but you can see it thru the excellent work of Jack Delano. Children, Adults, workers, farmers, everybody even poor people have part in this book because they all were part of our history. An excellent work.

Breathtaking, beautiful and touching
Helpful Votes: 5 out of 7 total.
Review Date: 2000-07-01
I simply love this book. As a starving college student, I still haven't come up with the money to buy it, but...someday I will. I've leafed through it a million times and never get bored by it...as a native Puertorrican living abroad, this is simply my favorite photographic work on my homeland. Delano did an amazing job.

A powerful photo essay about change in Puerto Rico
Helpful Votes: 6 out of 7 total.
Review Date: 2001-02-25
This book is fascinating! After spending an hour with this book I felt like I really knew what time has meant to Borinquen. Hearing family stories is one thing, but seeing pictures from when they were growing up is another. Anyone interested in Puerto Rican history should have this book.

Photography
Ralph Eugene Meatyard: The Family Album of Lucybelle Crater and Other Figurative Photographs
Published in Hardcover by D.A.P./Distributed Art Publishers (2002-12-31)
Author:
List price: $45.00
New price: $22.97
Used price: $12.69
Collectible price: $55.00

Average review score:

Surprising, Informative, Provocative.....
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2004-11-29
I first heard of Meatyard in a Lenswork interview with photographer Larry Wiese, and this casual reference aroused my interest. Rhem's well-researched account satisfied my initial interest, but then Rhem acheived something else as well. I gained an appreciation for Meatyard's work that I had initially avoided out of ignorance. Rhem brings to light the numerous influences that molded Meatyard and informed his work: influences as varied as Ezra Pound; Gertrude Stein; Flannery O' Connor; and Zen Buddhism. Rhem interviewed friends and family, combed through archival material and rare unpublished interviews with Meatyard.
The end product is one of the finest art books I've personally ever read.

A treasure.
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2002-08-31
This is a beautiful book: complicated, exhaustively researched, yet written to be accessible to the lay reader. Meatyard's work is gorgeous, comic, haunting, and virtually unknown except to photographers. James Rhem has done a masterly job of balancing scholarly rigor and critical transparency. In _Family Album_ he fills a void in the scholarship of photography. I look forward to seeing more work by this author.

Enlightening essay on an important photographic artist
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2003-05-20
I have always been amazed at the work of Meatyard. I gained more respect for his work and understanding of the man behind the camera in the work published by James Rhem. To know the feelings of all involved in the creation of Meatyard's work adds a greater understanding of this complex man. James Rhem has gone the step beyond to make all who read the book understand the creation of the Lucy Belle Crater Series!

EXCELLENT!

At Last!
Helpful Votes: 3 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 2002-09-24
At last someone has written an extremely intelligent, well researched, and accessible book on Meatyard. Rhem takes on this complex and poignant piece of art, and reveals its mystery to us. As an artist, tired of reading badly written criticism and art-writing, I found this book to be a real gift. I've read most of the available writing on Meatyard and nothing approaches this. A must-buy.

Rhem's Meatyard
Helpful Votes: 5 out of 6 total.
Review Date: 2002-10-29
In James Rhem's book Meatyard's well-known Lucybelle Crater photographs are reproduced in the family album setting that the photographer himself planned they should have, but never got during his lifetime. The photographs are printed on black pages, with handwritten captions underneath; the images are arranged in groups, & the groups are themselves sequenced. For those who like Meatyard's photography, or acknowledge his significant position in American photography, this new presentation is reason enough to want this book.
But there's a lot more being offered here. First, in an authoritative introduction, Rhem presents an overview of all of Meatyard's photography. This essay is a prelude to and a setting for Rhem's real (and groundbreaking) work: thoroughly researched, original & penetrating elucidation of Meatyard's Lucybelle Crater photographs.
Personally I have had difficulty in understanding what the Lucybelle Crater pictures were about since first seeing them in an earlier version 25 years ago. From comments by friends & other photographers I realized that I was not alone in having this difficulty. We faced page after page of photos of two people, one wearing a hag's mask, the other a mask of an old man. These figures are posed most often against suburban backgrounds that are familiar and mundane. Some pictures are visually interesting, others dull. As you turn the pages the images accumulate, asking be "read". But how? "What's going on here?" was my nagging question. I knew I was missing something important about these pictures. What was it?
Rhem's essay is valuable in answering that question. And what's striking is how he does this and how well he does it. Not with scholarly jargon (though he has the thorough-going mind of a scholar). Not with flights of imaginative "interpretation" based on his own subjective feelings and opinions. And certainly not by calling attention to himself as a critic, biographer or insider (all of which, by the way, he is).
James Rhem works from a dense gathering of factual information about Meatyard--some unknown until now (thanks to Rhem's wide, and thorough investigations into primary sources.) This factual information provides the basis for a conceptual approach to the Lucybelle pictures that is both lively with anecdotes and rich with insights. Rhem has a sincere desire (you can sense it in his sentences) to tell you what he thinks Ralph Eugene Meatyard's photographs are about. He approaches the photographer not as a subject for a thesis but as a man whose pictures continue to have something important to offer us. Rhem has taken up that offer and made it his job in this book to understand and interpret it, using the considerable (and considerably generous) means that he's accumulated for that very purpose.

27 oct 2002


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