Photography Books

Well, even in the tenth revision, it is one of the classics one photographer needs to have in his bookshelf.

It is not "how-to" (albeit it is how-to) but to get the idea of having that image created in your mind and then banned on chip of film.

Galen Rowell writes clear and deep essays about what his heart touches.
It does help if the reader has a broader knowledge about art, painting, and especially "construction techniques" to frame a picture with your camera.

Highly recommended!

Galen's images are inspiring, but the real value of this book is the wealth of topics, inspiration, and creative thinking presented in the articles.
This is NOT a coffee-table book. It is one you should take the time to read and digest. If you're an outdoor photographer you will appreciate the energizing effect of Galen's writing. A rare gem among countless other "pretty pictures but not much substance" offerings.

This is a must read for anyone who likes to shoot landscape photography. This book doesn't go into a lot of technical details, and the author assumes the readers have a basic knowledge of how SLRs operate, but rather it deals more with the "why" of photography and "when", which I found to be very interesting and thought provoking. Galen Rowell shares his insights about mountain light and how his mind works when he is out with a camera along with what photography meant for him, and it changed my approach to landscape photography. He also shares his unsuccessful stories, which is not very usual for these types of books, and it's good to see that even for photographers of his level things have never come easy. Luck is a big part of it all, and he has a great essay there on how to be in a better position for its appearance. In addition, this book is full of his outstanding landscape art, and that alone is worth whatever the price you will pay for it.

It's a great book ! you'll find all you need about photographing up in the mountains ! Galan Rowell was a great person ! A book worth reading by anybody who enjoys photography at high altitude.

This is a book about making meaningful landscape photographs. This is not a book about which f/stop to use or how to adjust your depth of field or exposure. There are a ton of those types of books on the market. This book is about vision, learning to see and connecting personally with your images.

If you're comfortable with the mechanical aspects of your camera and are struggling with "technically well executed but lifeless images" this is your guide.

I highly recommend it.

This is an amazing work, which draws you into the mystiques of our past and makes us seem so inconsequential in the greater scheme of lives gone by.

I have lived in Northern Arizona for most of my life and visit Sedona often. This book, with its wonderful images and text, make the reader feel like they are in Sedona. As a photographer I find the images outstanding and the messages in the text inviting.

Elegant and unique - the best of it's kind! This book is one that I enjoy over and over again, enriched each time by the authors' reverent vision and writings about this sacred and profoundly beautiful landscape.

The new edition's 22 Hikes are described and well organized (i.e. Easy Hikes, Hikes along Water, Hikes to Arches, Hikes into Canyons, Vista Hikes and Loop Hikes) and are wonderful for all levels of ability. I keep this book out for guests and visitors to see and have given it as a gift to out-of-town guests. Lindahl's photography and writings blend the beauty of Sedona in both mystical and poetic ways. I was especially impressed with the combination of rich native historical information and journal narratives that create a sense of being in the timelessness of the place. This book gives me a new appreciation of the natural world through the author's keen attention to detail and the way his profound descriptions and relationship to the land keeps me right there with him on his deep and meditative journeys.

Arizona Highways Magazine

I love this book. My parents are long time Sedona residents, and every time I visit them I purchase a few of Lindahl's "Secret Sedona's" to take home as gifts from vacation. The photography is phenomenal, as well as the written word, which decribes Sedona in the romantic fashion it is in reality.
An easy read, with pictures worth a thousand words and beautifully laid out, I recommend this book to anyone, whether you live in Sedona, visited Sedona, or have even never been there! (It will make to want to do all of the above.) 5 Stars!!!!!

Secret Sedona illumines, with precision and beauty, Sedona's swirled red rock country and its ethereal waters.

Larry Lindahl's photos have such depth that it's worth taking them into the sunshine, to see into the purple shadows.

The layers of his text include Lindahl's journal, cultural and natural history, plus a thorough index.

But the book isn't a travel guide. Lindahl's text invites the reader to settle in for a slow read, with supple images, riding the edge of the known and unknown in Sedona.

Here is a lasting cache of awe to enjoy, alongside, or far away from, time in Sedona.

-Jane Yett

I bought three books to teach myself how to produce DVDs. The Erica Sadun book is for advanced users and was not helpful to me. The Bob LeVitus "Little iDVD Book" is probably one of the most poorly organized and edited books I've ever come across on any subject.

Pogue's "Missing Manual", on the other hand, is comprehensive, clear and well-organized. I've produced about half a dozen DVDs since reading (and re-reading) Pogue's book and it clearly made a huge difference in what I was able to construct using iDVD.

In my opinion, this is the only book you need to read to learn how to produce movies using iDVD.

Beyond teaching readers to work with iDVD, Pogue also offers loads of helpful suggestions about editing in general. This book is outstanding.

I love this book! I was ready to give up trying to use iMovie because of a small glitch that was incurring. After browsing thru the book the very first time I opened it, I came across the trouble I was having with iMovie. Mr. Pogue directed me to the correct settings and I am now having a great time editing my DV movies.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone attempting to use iMovie. There is so much more to this program than Apple addresses in the help file. Mr. Pogue's writing is concise but not out of reach for the average Mac user.

I have many books by Mr. Pogue and I would recommend any of them if you are stumped and need a well explained how-to-manuel.

Can it get any simpler !! ha ha ha ha ha
I found this book to be extremely informative and easy to understand (especially since i am yet to purchace a mac and digital video cammera ).. I will have no hesitation now to go out and purchase a Mac and a Digital cammera .. and feel confident making my first feature film or "Home Movie " LOL

It's OK. It has about the same amount of material as the "iMovie 2 for Macintosh Visual Quickstart Guide" - The missing manual is fatter because it contains additional stories and things that a reader might find amusing, but that are not particular relevant to the topic. The section on movie making basics is very good. For an expanded view see "The Five C's of Cinematography". I thought I would find more information in this book since it is fatter than in the VQG, but it ended up that they are about even in content.

First I have to give props to David Pogue and his Missing Manual series. As a bookseller and computer geek I've long favored the Dummies books as the best entry-level source for third-party information on software. However, O'Reilly made a smart move when they turned their attention on that market and grabbed Dummies standby Pogue to headline the new series. The Missing Manuals (and their mutant-dogcow mascot) are a credit to O'Reilly and a must-have... assuming, that is, that they cover the program you need. The series is still too small, but I'm sure it won't stay that way.

Now, to the book itself. If you need to do something with iMovie, it's in there. That pretty much covers what I need to say in this review, but it doesn't cover everything the book has to offer. Remember back in the 80s when the Mac made desktop publishing a reality, only to unleash a torrent of wretchedly amateurish graphic design? Well, Pogue spends much of the first couple of chapters attempting to prevent that from happening. This book starts off with a very basic primer on video production and how to use your equipment -- assumed to be a typical consumer-grade MiniDV camcorder, but it covers other options as well, particularly video bridges and the like.

The meat of the book discusses iMovie 2's capabilities, including discussions of its weaknesses and how to work around them. Effects, titles, and transitions are discussed in detail, including some useful information on crossfades (never fade straight to black -- instead, you want a black stillframe). Conversion to other formats is also an issue, and a significant part of the book discusses postproduction using QuickTime Pro. Directions are given for converting your work for DVD or VCD as well.

The issue I have with the book is largely its focus on iMovie in MacOS Classic, and the bugs that are present in that version that might not be in the OS X version. Screenshots all come from 9.x, with the only Aqua material being the interface of iMovie itself. I don't mark down for this since the program operates more or less the same, but an inexperienced user may have trouble. (I might note as well that the book works just as well for iMovie 3, which has a superficially different interface but handles more or less identically.)

So, yeah. If you're doing video production on iMovie, this is the book to get, hands down.

This has to be one of the most fascinating ,interesting ,and probably the most factual treatment of the trial and execution of the assassins of President Lincoln.
There are several reasons that this book is so outstanding.It's large size,9 1/2 X 12 inches is required to do the photographs justice.The paper, quality,printing ,color reproduction and overall construction are supurb.The two authors are outstanding in their knowledge and long time interest in the subject.It has a selected bibliography that must be as good as one will find on the subject.The organization of the book makes it a clear ,concise and easily absorbed chronology of events that was probably even more captivating in its day than the period after the Assassination of President Kennedy.
The book also shows, as a besides, the difference in the art of photography in 1865 compared to what we have come to take for granted today or in the time of Kennedy's assassination. The fact that newspapers did not even have the ability to print a photograph. Photographs were not even available until several days after taken,and forget about color photography then. Come the advances in 100 years and we watched events live and in our living rooms with the assassination of JFK.
Compare this advancement in recording and speedy dissipating of information with the regression of and the drawn out, convoluting that takes place in the legal and justice that has become the norm today. Absolutely amazing in both cases.A few weeks and negligable expense in the case of Lincoln and years and untold millions with Kennedy.There has been great advances in the information processes and just the opposite in the legal and justice process.
Getting back to how the assassination is covered in this book. The authors have been able to make the reader feel that they were living at the time the event took place and convey what it might have felt to witness those great events taking place.There have been many books on the subject,and it was complicated;but the authors have boiled it down to the essentials.The hundreds of photographs,illustrations,reproductions and illustrations are a real treasure trove that have been collected and assembled in a way that obviously must have talen taken lot of time ,knowledge and contacts.
If you want a book that details the capture,trial and execution of President Lincoln,in a clear,concise way;look no further --this is the book you are looking for.

James Swanson has done a super job at presenting Lincoln's assassins thru the the use of pictures of the individuals as well as documents of the time. An excellent source for teachers dealing with the capture, trial, and execution of those associated with Lincoln's assassination.

I saw James Swanson giving a speech about his other book "Manhunt" and found him fascinating to listen to. he knew facts that I had never heard before and could describe them with such detail I felt like I was watching it happen. I read "Manhunt" and was thrilled to have the details of those twelve days come to life. When I saw this book I snatched it up as quickly as I could. It is the perfect book for both the avid reader and for those who like to look at artifacts and photographs of the era. This is by far my new favorite Civil War book (and I have many). James and Daniel did an excellent job of laying out the story then showing artifacts and pictures from the event. I've looked at this book for hours and am only through the second chapter! Not that it's hard to get through, just fun to look at and read.

This text dovetails nicely with Swanson's recent effort "Manhunt", but more from an artifact perspective than a written one. Many of the pictures are one-of-a-kind, especially Alexander Gardner's entire collection from the courtyard at the D.C. prison where the conspirators were hung. Again, this is not a complete text (nor does it aspire to be), but a great addition to any historical collection regarding the Lincoln assasination.

This is more of a picture book than a text-laden history book, but it's the appeal of the many photos, pictures, illustrations, and even cartoons that make this book a fascinating one to read. The book includes photos of all the conspirators, in life as well as death, along with other interesting details such as a letter Booth wrote as a teenager. Today few remember that John Wilkes Booth was the teenage heart-throb of his day, making it all the more shocking when he was involved in the assassination.

The details of the trial sound like something from some fantastic kangaroo court, not the U.S. For example, the defense had no time to marshall their case, interview or call witnesses, or even to meet much with their clients. The jury was composed of generals and military men, not civilians, and their decision would be final, with no right of appeal.There were indeed judges in the courtroom, but they were watching from the audience.

The public and the press constantly talked about their favorite conspirators, of which the young, handsome and dashing looking Lewis Powell was the favorite, who attempted to kill secretary of state William Seward with a Bowie knife on the night of the assassination, rather than the president, but was foiled. Even the decision of who to prosecute left many questions unanswered, as several suspects with far more incriminating evidence weren't even brought to trial, whereas others with less evidence were tried and executed. The authors suggest that this might have had more to do with who actually plotted the murder vs. who was involved with post-assassination attempts to shelter Booth.

However, it's the stunning visual presentation here rather than the now well known history that is the star here. This book will be enjoyed by any history or Americana buffs or anyone interested in a well done presentation of a unique event in our history.

One may feel a sense of gloom and doom as winter closes in. But Ken Libbrecht shows us the astounding beauty that only comes in winter -- in the intricate designs of snowflakes. Libbrecht's exquisite photographs of snowflakes have appeared in a number of books, and have been honored by the U.S. Post Office on postage stamps. This little book is a wonder. It show a miniature miracle of creation in each unique snowflake. And with each picture come captions discussing the science behind their beauty, as well as literary quotes relating to snow and nature. With no two exactly alike among the billions that fall, snowflakes are a magically beautiful picture of the infinity of the Creator.

My wife loves snowflakes and I bought her this book for Christmas. I was disappointed in the book, not in the quality of the images, but in their relative scarcity. For the money, I would have expected more book and certainly more photos. The pictures are beautiful and we both love them, but this is simply a case of too much money for too little book.

Saw this little book and was really impressed. Gave it to my wife for Christmas...and she LOVES it.

The photos are spectacular and the little sayings/poems suit it very well.

WONDERFUL!

This is a beautiful little book containing magnified pictures of real snowflakes. It is a chance to marvel at God's creation.

Very beautiful book. I paired it with a crystal snowflake as a gift and the receiver loved it.

I just got this book, opened it up and leafed through it. All I can say is, "wow...," Tim Fitzharris certainly knows how to write a book. The way he blends photos and explanations of how to shoot it are first rate. Suggestions on technique, care of equipment, and the overall quality of the book make this just about the best photo book I've purchased. Believe me, I made a living photographing brides and portraits for many years, did custom color darkroom work, and a lot of B&W work. I know good books from bad books. I also purchased Digital Nature Photography: the Art and Science this week, supposedly excellent from 2 of the top people in the field. It is full of interesting stories and lots of good photos, with suggestions of where to go to find wildlife, or nice scenes they've shot. This book runs circles around it. While this book is softbound, it has a cover just like a hard back book. The photos in the book are amazingly beautiful, and broken down into easy to understand segments. If you are undecided on a landscape book to purchase, get this one. My only disappointment is that whomever shoved the book in the box, put a thumb bend in the top edge of the book. I'm a teacher and I know what kinds of materials are easy for students to grasp and learn by. My advice: Buy it!

Very good combination of both landscape photography methods and tips. Quality of this book is almost perfect. Highly recommended.

I'm an advanced amateur photographer, i've found this book quite useful, it gives strongs helps to improve photograph.
By the way, in most of its parts its based on 6X4 system, that is really different in performance and "thinking" from the digitalreflex we use. The "big" concepts for composition and "theming" our works are obviusly the same, but in application it's different, also the example works ( beautiful ) are quite all in 6X4.
In any case a really good book!

First reason: exceptional images.

Second reason: advice on obtaining these kind of images.

How many books get 5 stars for 16 out of 17 reviews? This is one. The images are excellent and the advice is sage. Fitzharris used both film and digital for these images, and his advice challenged my prosumer level. He really is an accomplished professional, and he has shared many of his ideas and techniques. Other professional landscape photographers would be interested in this book. But much of the information is accessible to amateur photographers as well. His description of depth of field, hyperfocus, wide angle, rule of thirds, exposure, composition, etc. are clear and straightforward.

Even if this book had just the clear, large, interesting images, it would be worth it. Other books of his did not get such great reviews. I can't say how much I liked this book.

For $16, just click the "Buy it now," button.

I have been an amateur photographer for about 35 years, and I have enjoyed the instruction of several masters in the days I used to lug around a large view camera (mostly B/W imaging). Tim Fitzharris's book about (color)landscape photography is my most valued book on the subject in my entire library. He is an excellent writer and communicator of key thoughts. His writing is dense; he doesn't prattle. As he states in his introduction, "The emphasis of the book ... is on the photographer's actual interaction with the subject" {being photographed}. This book is for the intermediate to heavily experienced photographer (amateur or professional alike). As much as possible, he doesn't dabble in the usual tech stuff. He includes myriad photographs to illustrate all of his concepts and principles.

The part of the book most rewarding to me is Part 3, "Creating an Image." In these 28 pages, he articulates the key elements of visualization and image control. He thoroughly analyzes each element of good composition and the rationale for each. After reading the book, I went back to the pictures in this book and others in my library to validate these elements. As I did, I related more and more to the principles. They were clearly authenticated. They are clearly valid for all landscape-photo venues; color landscape photography is clearly the emphasis of the book, however. His photography alone is worth the price of the book.

I'm a recreational diver at the moment and I love this reference guide to some of the amazing stuff you can encounter while diving! Although it's just a small sample of what you'll run into underwater, it's a very informative and helpful guide to browse through before and after your dives to give your dive a fun scavenger hunt! It comes with a retractable clip that prevents it from getting lost or misplaced. A great gift for those considering becoming a scuba diver and veterans alike. Even if you don't go diving it will take you into the amazing underwater world through the wonderful pictures along with a description of the marine life shown.

I like its physical size since its large enough to easily utilize while checking out interesting animals, yet not overly big and clumsy so as to interfere with your equipment. With the animal's photo on one side of the page and its environmental aspects discussed on the opposite side, e.g., size, hiding areas, and behavior, it helps enlarge one's knowledge and appreciation for subject. And I first tested its `waterproof' capability in my marine aquarium, where it was left for 30 minutes, then removed and cleaned in freshwater. Still looks like new, and I'll test it somewhat further when I go to the Caymans in the near future. I'm already looking forward to Vol. 2. Bob Goemans

Just in the first five minutes I learned to much about the world under the sea.Great book.

Waterproof materials, GREAT photos, extremely useful information. I would recommend this clever reference guide to any diver. I can't wait for more scuba dic volumes! Retractable device a must, too.... places marine species identification literally at your fingertips.

I was skeptical at first when I saw this, but I was getting bored just knowing the names of the fish I came across. I thought this would turn out like Fish Flips(eg only names of fish listed for each pic), but it has a LOT more to offer. There are written descriptions for each pic, that don't just list facts, but also explain how to find & approach sea life (eg. Size, time of day, hiding spots/location, animals behavior, etc.), I found this really useful, because after tooling around with my camera, I was getting tired of only getting snapshots of fishtails. The book held up great UW; the pages just got sticky bc I didn't rinse it off initially, but I left it overnight in fresh water and there was no problem after that. Since i started taking along scuba dic for dives, it's been abused more times than tina turner, & its still in good shape....thus far. I do think it's better to get familiar with it on your surface interval vs trying to learn underwater. But all in all, it's a really good idea.

I picked this book up at the San Francisco MOMA a few years ago. I saw it and immediately began to wonder, "What exactly did I do with my old Blythe doll"? I spent endless hours as a child, pulling the string, and clicking through the eye colors (though I always loved the purple best). In the absence of my girlhood doll, the book was a delightful trip down memory lane!

I'm a collector and I love having a book with photos of Blythe that I can study for the endless possibilities the doll offers for dressing and customizing.

Oh my gosh I love Blythe! She is the best doll ever. in this book, gina garan photographs Blythe so well that the dolls actually look real. i have a Blythe doll collection for myself and I don't photograph it but maybe I should! Blythe might be expensive doll-whise but she's worth every penny! (Or every...dollar!) Blythe, your eyes can change but the rest of you can't! Blythe, dearest Blythe......YOU RULE!!!!!!!!!!

..I just had to add that I picked this up not knowing that my 30-year quest for a beloved doll that was taken from me was about to end until I turned to the page (near the end) where the two dolls are wearing that famous green dress (the only part of my doll I was able to salvage).

Gina Garan, thank you!!

I am several years (almost 5 to be exact) reviewing this book but after seeing a few of Gina's Blythe pics online, I ordered this book and ever since I've been hooked! BIG TIME. These pictures and all of Gina's are so beautiful that I had to get a collection of my own Blythes underway ASAP. Here I am 5 years later and more than 20 Blythes richer! Get the book! Like most people I know, you'll either fall in love or be creeped out.

There are some beautiful ladies in beautiful photographs in this collection; there are also some ladies who are seriously overweight, one missing a breast, and some older ladies--and the revelation is that if you pay attention, there's beauty there, too. I'm not being sentimental; someone can be way too heavy and have a beautiful, strong face; the lady who underwent the mastectomy is a dancer, with a correspondingly lithe, supple body.

There's only one woman in all these shots who might not be a person of color (hard to tell sometimes, isn't it?), and not all are black. Some of the shots are full-body photographs, and some are classic portraits of the face. It is very nice to see beautiful women of color featured in a collection like this. As always, showing someone smoking takes away from the appeal of a photo, just as it would if it showed them shooting up. Otherwise, all the settings and poses are just fine.

Growing up in a house full of women...I really appreciate Mr. Baptise's approach to this book. The photos are great and they illustrate both the inner & outer beauty of our beloved black women.

This book is amazing, the photographer captures the human body in the most natural way. The subjects that are used are more life like not over done models. He clearly has a love affair with the body and the camera. Incredible!

I think some reviewers here have missed the point.

This book is a tribute to the oldest ideals of femininity (women of color) and a counterpoint to the very narrow one we have now.

The women pictured here were absolutely stunning; not because of their flaws, nor because of their fine features, but because of how all of that together adds up to beautiful photographs of women.

Women here have cellulite, pubic hair, stretch marks, high breasts, and low, because yes, beautiful women have them.

From Hollywood stars, models, and musicians, to dancers, moms, and women with curves; they are all photographed with the same reverence for their beauty. And contrary to what's been said, though it is majority Black, Asian, Latina, and Native American women are pictured here as well.

The nudity is neither fetishist nor is it exploitive. In a culture all too happy to do both to women of color, this is REALLY refreshing.

It's a respectful honoring of the beauty of all women's bodies. I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a counterpoint to the typical, modern, feminine, beauty ideal.

This book is tastefully done. It illuminates beauty in every walks of life, as life has many different challenges for all of us. Bravo, very well done....................

I was given the postcards book as a gift and had to have this book. Full of color pictures. If you love cats or photography with great color and contrast, this is a wonderful book.

If you like to look at kitties, this is a no-brainer. It's a beautiful book. One of its charms is that it's a quiet, calming book. It brings the viewer into the world of these cats...and causes me to ask (not being on a sunny island) how can I bring such solitary basking moments into my life? how can I peacefully share space with others? can I find a warm, sunny, basking place within myself and the space I inhabit?

We often hear the expression "Lucky Dog". This book is "Lucky Cat".

I bought this fabulous coffee table book for my boyfriend's birthday last month, and we both think it is fantastic. The pictures are so luscious and colorful--now I can't wait to visit the Greek Isles and see some of these amazing cats.

I purchased it to gift to my niece for her 15th birthday. She has mania for cats and many books related with feline. This book is better than the others she had because the beauty of the scenery is in harmony with cat feature. She was suffused with delight when received this gift.
It seems that every photograph has mood and story so that is create imagination of beautiful world. If you take a look the picture of this book then you will cannot help but like cats. I strongly recommend people interested in feline to purchase this book.

I was given this book as a present two months after my own kitty was put down. This is the most wonderful book on cats I've ever seen. It shows quite clearly how different their personalities are and seems to capture the essence of a cat's soul! These beautiful creatures will make you laugh because their personalities just shine through the pages of this wonderfully large coffee table book.

Just like cats, they don't need to say anything. There are no quotes within the book, just large beautifully artistic photographs with curious cats smiling, stretching, and being frisky. There is a touching introduction to these critters in the beginning, but then just sit back and make friends with these 400 cats!