Photography Books

Very clear and detailed information, with excellent photo and graphics that illustrate the alternative processes.
All the processes are historically contextualized.
Congratulations Christopher James for this great book.

'Tis the most complete alternative processes manual of all times. More beautiful color photograph illustrations than you could think to shake a stick at. To get the most alternative use of this book, one might stitch the pages together to wear as clothes, and alternatively processize to one's heart's content.

This book is for artists. It is worth every cent. Remember, you get what you pay for. It contains the details, the history, the examples and the intellect. Very well put together and a pleasure to read. If you are serious about learning "alternative" photographic processes, this is the book.

Every learning photographer must have this book. More to photography than photoshop and digital and this book will open up you photographic world.

You may not believe it, but this book is actually good bedtime reading for any photographer. Christopher presents the history of each process backed up with examples both historical and contemporary. His sense of humor is evident in much of the writing. If you've never tried any of these processes, step by step instructions are given as well as helpful tips to ensure success and sources for product. More about digital technology is incorporated in this edition- yes it is ok to make digital negatives to use with an old process!

This book was very well titled and illustrated. It looked as if my own cat ERNIE posed for many of the pictures himself. If you have a black and white(tuxedo cat), I strongly urge you to purchase this book. It will mean so much to you later when you lose your cat(to death) like it did with my ERNIE. I highly recommend it.

I was recommended this book by a colleague as I was starting to get into photography. My first thought was that it'd be boring - I mean photos of cats?! If I wanted that I'd buy a calendar. However I ordered it and it is brilliant. The photos are outstanding - nothing like your typical cat-calendar shots, but rather they capture the essence of the subject, which in this case just happens to be a cat. Add to that, the fact that it is beautifully presented, it could only be 5 stars.

I encountered Ernie while visiting the Tate Modern bookstore here in London over the weekend, and was instantly won over by his crazy, self-possessed ways. The genius of Mendoza's work lies in his ability to faithfully capture the personality of his feline subject, with the same amount of detail and devotion one would expect to see in photographs of people. As a filmmaker and photography enthusiast, I have accumulated a library of photography books by those renowned in their field, and Mendoza's masterful memoir deserves its place amongst them. Sure, he is not a Pulitzer Prize winning war photographer, the subject is light-hearted but it is also sincere, which is the most you can ask of an artist. Ernie is a fine example of what photography and portraiture should be: an engaging and revealing insight into its subject, one that compels the viewer to revisit the photographs again and again, delighting and inspiring with each subsequent reading.

I love this book. As a cat lover the book captured this cat's character perfectly. Loved the narratives of both the photographer and especially when he wrote on behalf of Ernie!! If you love cats, you will definitely enjoy this book and its pictures. I love Ernie!

This little book is a personal favorite. After spotting it at a bookstore a couple of years ago, I've given it as a gift to several friends and family and all of them have loved it too.

The book shows its star -- Ernie the cat -- in a variety of poses: being playful with the author, fighting with another cat, yawning, stretching, sleeping, growling, chasing bugs, perched on the fridge, watching people from the window, and exploring the world. Each of the great black and white photos shows another side of Ernie, making him a lot more complex than one would consider a feline.

This book is a must for any cat lover. If you like cats, buy it. I think after you're through you will find yourself looking at it again and again. Definitely the mark of a classic.

The book arrived quickly, was reasonably priced, and was in great shape. My son loves Calvin and Hobbes! He really enjoyed it and I enjoyed not worrying about finding the right gift. It was the exact book described in the ad so I was sure he didn't have that one and the condition was excellent.

Thank you very much

Very funny. My son is finally reading. He is enjoying himself while learning new vocabulary.

Calvin and Hobbes is one of my favourite cartoon series, and it is one of the few which can be equally enjoyed by adults and children alike.

Bill Watterson has a M.A. in Political Science, which suggests the reason for the names of the main characters. Calvin is of course named after John Calvin, the Reformed theologian who advocated Predestination, and Thomas Hobbes, the English Political Philosopher Thomas Hobbes who argued for 'The War of all against All' in his social contract theory.

Calvin is a somewhat dysfunctional six year old who is a constant headache to his parents, babysitters, teachers, and classmates. Calvin seems to embody several classic types of rebellious children in one character. Addicted to TV, hating girls, engaging in games which destroy the family home and engaging in wonderful fantasies make many of the high points of the series, which are darkly funny and often have a deeper satirical message about our world to the adult reader. To the younger reader, they no doubt will be delighted when Calvin makes his own time machine, goes back to the dinosaur age or becomes 'Spaceman Spiff' who fights evil aliens, or the 'Get Rid of Slimy Girls' Club Calvin forms with Hobbes.

This is a delightful comic to own and enjoy, for adults and children alike.

Probably one of my favorite Calvin and Hobbes stories is about Calvin's Duplicator/Transmorgrifier/Transmorgrifier Ray. The kid's imagination is completely limitless. And, Mr. Watterson, if you're reading this review, you should make a story where Calvin has his birthday party. Five stars to ALL Calvin and Hobbes books!!!

When you get right down to it, is there anything better than Calvin & Hobbes? In this compilation or any of the others, you get lessons in quantum physics, nostalgic looks at the agony of grade school, observations in human nature, and a bit of the "thing under the bed" style horror. All this and you'll laugh yourself to the point of wetting your pants.
The Calvin & Hobbes strips are hysterical. But beyond that, they are poignant and often bittersweet, reminding us of the children we once were and of the rich fantasies that come with childhood.
Behold Calvin, utterly impish and wise-beyond-his years. His snowmen displays, at times morbid at times downright surreal, could fill a collection of its own.
Calvin fancies himself the smartest boy in the world. And who can argue with him, other than his long-suffering parents and his faithful friend Hobbes, a tiger who may or may not be real.
Hobbes is the pentultimate friend. He is Calvin's confidante and his patient ear, but he is also the first to pounce on the boy or to challenge his sordid views of the world. Together, the pair ponder the meaning of life, question the adult world, or sneak off to explore the fascinating landscapes of childhood found under dead logs or under rocks.
If I were banished to a small island with only scant supplies to get me through my days, this book would be among the items in my trunk. I have had this collection for ten years or more and I've gone through it a dozen times. I'll go through it a dozen more before it's battered to the point of unreadable.
Watterson is an absolute genius. But as you fall into the world of Calvin & Hobbes, you'll forget that they were created by a mere man at all.

I grew up on the south side of Chicago during the 80s and had many friends who were "taggers" and got up every chance they got. They had spray-cans, hollowed-out deodorant sticks somehow replaced with ink, fat markers, Griffin, and who knows what else. Though I myself wasnt a graffiti artist or writer or tagger, this book is a great ride down memory lane for those of us who grew up on the streets. For those of us of a certain age, this book, "Subway Art", along with movies like Breakin' I AND II, Beat Street, original hip-hop and old school house music were all of a specific time and place. This book will make you want to break out the Pumas with the fat laces, bring out the tile and start back-spinnin', but it is also one of the the earliest, most definitive and detailed books on graffiti ever.

Wow, this book just took me back to my days in the Bronx and the 2 line.
All the greats are in this one..Doing those T and B's and hitting the yards, and dodging the DT's Now those were the great days of the BRONX.
Long live
MIKE170..TAV 1..ALE..AJAX..SUPER SEX..BLADE..COMET..FUZZ..POPEYE..
MIKE 170....

I started doing graff back in the late 90's; I was 14 at the time and to be honest with you; like all great writers we were all toy's at one time but has time went by and we got better with our skills, we all have read this book at one time or another. On with the book review.
This book is just simply AMAZING...you have old school pieces from the Godfather of Graffiti: SEEN, BLADE (which he has painted 5,000 trains during the golden age of the MTA in NYC; since I saw the graffiti scene on the trains at the tender age of six and seven in NYC, I was simply amazed at that age on how people could sneak in at night and do this with spray-paint but I digress), LADY PINK, and the list goes on. If your just starting out in graffit, this is a great book on to connect letters, bubble letter's, block's, and some old school color schemes, though I would not call it the Bible of Graffiti, it is pretty darn close to it. Check it out.

This classic book, along with "Broken Windows: Graffiti NYC" is all you need to know about NYC graff. Anyone up needs both of these books. Knowledge is king!

Subway Art. What can I say? This, Style Wars, Beat Street, Break Dance... they all had their influence on me (& a whole generation) back in the day.

Hip Hop isn't what it used to be, though. Most of what we hear these days is mixed up with R'n'B, commercialised, repackaged and shipped for your dissatisfaction. If you ask me... when it comes to Hip Hop, stick with the old school.

I was brought up in Melbourne, Australia, and did quite a bit of graffiti there during the 1980s. Melbourne had plenty of weird & wonderful characters who were into graff back then. The vast majority have gone their separate ways. But there's always the rare psycho who's still bombing (I'm not referring to the younger generation - but to old school dudes who are still around). There's also those who got into graphic art and made a career for themselves out of graff.

I recommend checking out some of the original Vaughn Bode cartoons for yourself through a simple Google search.

Additional to this, I recommend Getting Up: Subway Graffitti in New York" by Craig Castleman. It has some pictures of trains and so on, but it is more for the reader. A copy was stolen from a local library near me - go figure.

And if you're ever in NYC... Check out the Hall of Fame. It's located on the corner of 106th Street and Park Avenue.

"Turning Heads" is a book that seems to provoke different emotions in all its readers. To me, it is a reminder that life goes on whatever is thrown your way. Their baldness is reminder of what the women in Hunsicker's book are dealing with, still they find ways to continue living their normal, or not so normal, lives.

I am so thrilled to be able to have this book in my home. The people it represents are so strong and couragious. I was glad to see that so many wonderful photographers took place in this cause. A nice coffee table book. My friends come over and they always are a bit sceptical in looking at the book, but once the first page is turned...they are intralled. I'm not sure why the picture was chosen for the cover page...I didn't enjoy this picture as much as many inside. Enjoy this book and all it stands for.

I LOVE this book! I stumbled upon it during my chemotherapy for breast cancer and I was inspired by the beauty and courage of the women photographed, in fact, I scheduled a photo session with an artist I know to take photos of me without hair....it was empowering to stand bare and beautiful before the camera. I heartily recommend this book.

The beautiful and powerful messages the photos exuded from the pages of this book triggered a life altering change in me. I am a bald woman afflicted with Central Centrifugal Cicatricial Alopecia (Scarring Alopecia). Although, I acquired my bald crown for a different reason than the beautiful and courageous women in this book, it helped me to realize that I was not the only woman who understood the day in the life a bald women in our society. In and of itself, that's a pretty heavy crown to carry each day. More importantly, the images and stories about these women, who were afflicted with cancer, and were bald, taught me a huge lesson. I was amazed with how beautiful these women looked in the photos despite the fact that they were diagnosed with a disease such as cancer. The images in these photos portrayed beautiful visions of hope, strength, intelligence, grace and inspiration. The purchase of this book changed how I viewed myself as a bald woman. There was the "Me" before the purchase of this book and the "Me" after this book. The book can give anyone afflicted with a life altering change the encouragement and inspiration they are searching for. Thank you for this book.

I highly recommend this inspirational book for anyone going through Chemotherapy. It is a book of women showing their bald heads and describing their experiences in short summaries. If you know anyone going through Chemo, buy it.

I bought this book for my dad for Christmas. He is a history nut and thought he would enjoy it. The pictures were phenomonial and eerie. He has not put it down yet. It was definately the best present he received this year. Amazon was half of what the bookstore in the mall wanted. Would definately purchase from them again.

Aftermath: World Trade Center Archive
Book received in perfect sealed condition,would use this seller again in a heartbeat

Meyerowitz his taken a step out of his usual repetoire in making these remarkable photographs. He has provided us with a devastating and incredibly imporant record of all that transpired in the Aftermath of the 9/11 tragedy. We have been staurated with images of the event itself; what we see here is the heroic and painstaking recovery work that followed.

Aftermath represents the efforts of Joel Meyerowitz to document the destruction and cleanup of the World Trade Center following 9/11. This is a beefy coffee table book that is large enough to give his photos some real impact. Unlike most photo essays, however, you won't find hundreds of beautiful images. After a couple of pages show what New York's skyline once looked like, you are confronted by image after image of the horrific destruction of these huge landmarks. There are also many instances where we see the people who worked the cleanup site. Many of these are the most moving images as you can imagine the emotions that sometimes overcame these men and women who were there every day for months on end.

In addition to the photos, Mr. Meyerowitz also shares some anecdotes about what he went through to get these photos. He also talks about some of the people he met. I found these stories at least as powerful as his words. Most Americans were obviously distraught by the events of that day, but most of us were also able to start moving on with our lives and slowly put it behind us. But these people were there on the ground confronting the effects for months. Recovering bodies and personal objects, as well as being asked by survivors to put mementos on the pile of rubble as little memorials to their lost loved ones.

This is not the happiest book you can buy. It doesn't have the prettiest photos or the most elegant prose. But it may be the most worthwhile book I've ever purchased. I would urge everyone to buy a copy and read it cover to cover.

I first saw photographs from this collection at the Museum of Modern Art in Salzburg, Austria. Anyone who entered the gallery was immediately struck by a panorama of ground zero on one wall, each emitting an audible gasp, then standing before it for several minutes in silence. Meyerowitz is an extremely gifted photgrapher, and I recommend other of his collections for viewing. Cape Light: Color Photographs by Joel Meyerowitz, Tuscany: Inside the Light: Inside the Light (Photography). The "Aftermath" collection is the only archive of the activities following 9/11 at ground zero, and it is quite moving. Meyerowitz had access to many vantage points to capture for posterity the many facets of ground zero and this tragic event in our history. Viewing these photos takes time and thought, as Meyerowitz has also included brief descriptions and stories about each photograph. You will be struck by many emotions, sadness, anger, shock, and awe. But, there is an eeriness and a beauty, as well as hope in these photographs, inspired by the photographer's exquisite eye for detail, composition, lines, faces, and light. Photographers, professional and amateur alike, will deeply appreciate and learn from these aspects. Anyone to whom I have shown this book has been as immensely moved as I, from the UPS driver who delivered the package, to my father, a refugee of WWII, who still cannot speak easily of the events of 9/11. This book is highly recommended as an addition for one's library.

I've been a fan of the Cat Page-a-Day Calender for years now. It makes every morning worth waking up for! Even my own cat approves.

This collection of photos is beautiful and inspiring. I have it on my desk at work and get many compliments on the quality of the pictures. I love the quotes and sayings as well. If you love cats you will love this calendar!

We buy this calendar every year to give as Christmas presents for our cat-loving friends and family. We don't have to buy our own because my sister always give us one. We look forward to "Cat of the Day Time" when we turn to the new page. The photos are terrific.

This is a beautifully-made and beautifully-photographed calendar. I had the 2007 version and tried for some time to find a vendor who carried the 2008 version. It is cleverly constructed to show the first 6 months on one side of the pages and the other 6 months by flipping the pages over and putting them back in the plexiglass frame. I was very glad that Amazon carried the item, and at more than $5.00 off the retail suggested price. I hope they carry the future versions as well.

Love this calendar. I get one for my desk in my classroom every year.

This is an outstanding book. That is not surprising because the authors are legendary. Jeff Schewe has continued the high standards established by the late Bruce Fraser and expanded on it.

The first half of the book offers you the basics of the technical issues and explanations of how Camera Raw works. The second half takes you through the actual process of using these controls.

Since studying this book recently, I am now using Camera Raw to perform most of the major changes I make to my files and very little subsequent work is needed in Photoshop.

This book has helped me understand Camera Raw a lot better, and helped with my work flow of both images that were shot digitally as well as analog images that I scanned via my Epson scanner. It is a bit technical at times, and I think that it could have benefitted from more samples/examples in it's explanations, but overall it does contain quite a bit of material to digest and incorporate into one's use of photoshop. Nice book and recommended.

I am a new user of Adobe PhotoShop CS3 and Camera Raw. I read the book and then read some parts again. The book is filled with examples and leads you through each step in the process. I am sure that I will be returning to the book as a reference tool. I highly recommend it.

This book is one amazing guide on the inner workings of rendering an image from raw camera files. If you capture raw files AND you use Photoshop CS3 for your image processing, then this book is a must have. Not only will it help you render better images from your raw files, it will help you do so in less time. While always practical in intent, the book gives the reader the opportunity to understand the camera raw plug-in, tab-by-tab and preference-by-preference.

Since I've been working my way through the book, I've also found less need for tweaking much on the file after I have my initial render. The camera raw plug-in has so much capability - it is one of the wonders of the software world. This book helps one tap into all that is available. It's always best to get it right in the camera and this resource allows you to make the most of what you've captured.

Fine book .... very informative and written in a clear style.
Great for a beginner as well.

Beautiful pictures, we are actally going to use this book as our guest book at our wedding.

great gift for ocean lovers. amazing photography. an enjoyable book for those that love the water, but don't want to get wet.

David Doubilet's photographs are simply beautiful...this book really blew me away. I could literally stare at the images for hours as they are that captivating. It's almost as if you're diving with Mr. Doubilet and seeing these creatures up close. The way he uses two separate views (i.e. shooting the ray underwater while also shooting the sky above the water) is amazing. While exhibiting his photography prowess, Mr. Doubilet also shows the viewer the strong connection of all the earth's elements. He also seems to have a strong relationship with the ocean life- the stunning photo of the seal peeping over the bed of kelp truly captures the seal's beauty without compromising its playful nature.

This book is a treasure!

I couldn't imagine a more beautiful photography book! If you are fascinated with the underwater world, this is for you! The quality of the photographs are unmatched. Looking through the book is a magical experience.

Not only the pictures are artistically and beautifully photographed, but one cannot not wonder how Mr. Doubilet could be right there at the moment, with the right lights and the right angles to capture such incredible photos. If you appreciate nature's beauty and photography, this book is a must.

Looking at this again after many years ( I first came across it about 25 years ago) the images are as poignant as ever. This is truly a great book of photographs and is perhaps the best photojournalist's collection ever published. The new edition has all the gravity and attention to detail that the work deserves.

In this new edition of THE AMERICANS, the publisher, Steidl seems to have taken every step necessary to maintain artistic integrity of Franks vision. Even going as far as having Frank supervise the new printing of the photographs used in the book. The paper used in the book is very high quality, perhaps even 'archival' grade. Of course, there is the Kerouac introduction that both rambles, amuses and enlightens. There is a small pamphlet included in the book briefly telling the background story of how this new edition came to life. While this pamphlet is basically an advertisement, it also provides the passing fan of Robert Frank with a greater knowledge of what Frank has done over the course of his life by listing other books and movies that Stiedl will be publishing in the future. Thoughtfully, museum dates are also given for those interested enough to travel to D.C., SF or, NYC for the 50th anniversary celebration and exhibition of the book. From Steidl, this is a fine book; from Frank, a work of art; and a labor of love from all involved.

This is one of the classic photographic books. I suggest that anyone with a hobby or serious interest in photography read this book.

I purchased this much heralded photo collection book after reading the review in Newsweek. Maybe I'm not artsy-sophisticated enough to understand the supposed power and humanness or whatever behind these photos. I just don't get them. For a much better look at people in general, look at the book The Life of Man, or even a book of Norman Rockwell paintings. Those books will give you a better idea of life from the 1920's to the 1970's, and the people. The only photo that did stand out to me was the cover photo of the bus. It's painful.

We're lucky to have this edition. Robert Frank is an old man with health issues now. That he is healthy enough to oversee this work is wonderful. Everything about this edition - especially in comparison to the 2007 Delpine edition I purchased earlier this year - is first-rate. I wish I had known this was coming out!

The book is a little smaller than the Delpine, but that's the only real negative (if it is one) I can think of. The main thing to me is that the photos themselves are how Frank intended them to look. Gone are the overly-lightened faces that plague the Delpine book. This is a pet peeve of mine that kills many photos in this Photoshop age. This is very obvious in the New Orleans trolley photo. In the Delpine work, the faces of the white passengers are totally washed out, and the black faces are awkwardly lightened (someone apparently thought they were helping Frank's work). That's all corrected here. In this Steidl edition things are shown as they were intended. One can even see details in the face of the man at far left, even though it is partially obscured by a window reflection.

Also, on several photos more of the frame is visible. This was most noticeable to me in the Butte, Montana photo of the woman looking out the car window, with several children in the back seat. A good portion of the left side of the photo is now visible, along with more shown on the top and bottom. The new crop just seems more "right." Not too mention that the face of the child in the middle of the photo is too light in the older edition.

Simply put, comparing the two editions is an eye opener. I first saw these photos years ago in a much earlier edition (I believe it was the 1969 Aperture work) and I still marvel at the depth of the images in that printing. I don't have that edition in hand, so I can't do a direct comparison, but I believe the Steidl images are much closer to that ideal. Franks prefers his images a little on the flat, low-key side. Another difference is that the photos are now printed on a non-glossy paper. I was surprised at this at first, but now I believe it works much better for this book.

In short, if you want an accurate, lovingly-printed edition of The Americans at a reasonable price, this is the one. Highly recommended.