Photography Books

I hope the Sedona Chamber of Commerce is ready. "A Window on Sedona" just might spark a huge new influx of would-be Red Rock country residents, not to mention tourists. The photography alone in this book is worth the cover price. The information it contains is a wonderful bonus. A great gift for anyone who has ever visited this beautiful portion of Arizona, or who plans to visit in the future.

The Arizona Republic, Sunday, November 14th. Book Review Section: A Window on Sedona, written by two Sedona transplants with a penchant for the charm of smallish towns, slow living, and great interior design, bills itself as a glimpse into the heart of Sedona through the lives of its residents. This means a melange of Southwestern recipes, essays on light, and a series on impressive Sedona interiors. The photos are fabulous vignettes of unique Sedona scenes that are sometimes coordinated with the text, sometimes included to showcase local beauty. By the time you get to page 50, it will all be decided. You'll know you have to get to Sedona right now. The pictures will make you craxy to leave the city and go traipsing in the Oak Creek country until you've stumbled upon the scenes in the book and taken them in with your own eye.

Reading the book brought back fond memories of a family reunion held in Sedona. It's a fun book that brings the beauty and warmth of Sedona to the reader in any part of the country. The recipes are great! I recommend it to anyone who is interested in visiting Sedona or who just wants to relax and enjoy Sedona in daydreams.

My wife and I stumbled onto Sedona many years ago and we have had the pleasure of seeing it grow. "A Window on Sedona" allowed us to get a glimpse of Sedona through the people who live in this magical setting. Journeying to Sedona is worth the trip, but very rarely will you get to see this wonderful community from the homes of the people that inhabit this area. Truly a breathtaking look at the homes and landscapes that make up Sedona. If you have not had the opportunity to visit Sedona, then make sure to put it on your list of places to see in the United States. I highly recommend this book.

The authors reveal a unique understanding of living in the red rocks. With the book's exquisite photography of the panoramic views and intimate dwelliing places, coupled with the descriptions of the private lifesytles of locals, I found myself absorbed in both time and place - remembering and longing to return. It is truly a book that will remain on my coffee table.

I didn't know what to expect but this book is really full of real life pictures and also scenery. The text is also a nice support. It's very well done.

More than simply a work of art or collection of jewels, "Window to Vietnam" is an equisite experience. It combines visual delight with intangible imagery to render a deep understanding of a multi-dimensional country... its past, present and the marvelous confluence of both. This book is a "coffee table must!" But don't be surprised to find yourself taking it to bed.

Windows to Vietnam is truly a beautiful book. Scott Clarkson's photography and Veita Jo Hampton's poetry complement each other perfectly. Clarkson's photographs selectively, yet effectively, show us both a people and a nation that are positive-thinking, confident, optimistic, and ambitious. At the same time, the book pays homage to the character, the culture, the history, and the heritage of the Vietnamese people. Hampton, recently nominated for a Pulitzer Prize in Poetry, in this book goes well beyond her proposal to Clarkson to allow her to "write to these photos": Her poetry looks not only at but deeply into, even beyond, the photographs and brings out details that are not readily visible in the photos, except perhaps to a poet's imagination and ability to "see" that which may not be evident to others. The metaphoric "Windows" in the title is most aptly chosen, as evidenced in "Carved Frames of Hue" (p. 55; photos pp. 48-57 and back of cover), as well as in other photographs and poems showing or alluding to windows and views. Clarkson's cover photo, "Friend on the Mekong," captures in a single shutter's click the face and figure of a man that reflects the strength, character, and heritage of the people of Vietnam. The poetry and the photographs stand as testimony to Hampton's view, quoted on the inside/back of the book's jacket, that the most effective communication is achieved through the "deliberate blending of words and pictures."

Vietnam is surely one of the most photogenic places on earth and the images in this lovely coffee table gift book bring this vibrant country into your home. Delightful, large format color photographs celebrate the land and people of Vietnam - its vibrant colors, ancient way of life, and active lifestyle. These remarkable pictures are accompanied by poems which riff on the themes evoked by the images - an intriguing merger of past, present and future in Vietnam today. Anyone who loves Vietnam will enjoy this gorgeous gift book celebrating the country and its people. Allison Martin, Families with Children Adopted from Vietnam.

I spent one month in Viêt Nam last year and although I shot more than 1800 pictures, may I say this is a wonderful and marvelleous book which has remembered me all my journeys. I recommend it to everybody who wishes to visit this amazing country.
I fell in love with Viêt Nam and their people. This is a different book; you have beautiful photographs far away from the ones you usually see in any publication shot by Scott Charles Clarkson; you read poems with a very special sensitivity written by Veita Jo Hampton and the Foreword written by Mark A. Ashwill is a must, before you start looking and reading the book.

The strength of the black and white photography strongly captures the feel of the dramatic geography and history of Yellowstone. The intriguing story of the photographer written by Mark Bagne and the detailed restoration of the photographs create a book I will keep on my coffee table for years. This book is a grand tribute to our first National park and stands as a reminder that we must preserve Yellowstone for future generations.

A couple of good friends of mine recommended this book to me. I can't thank them enough for bringing the art of Jack Richard to my attention. The book is wonderfully put together - the selected photos included provide a great introduction to the art of Jack Richard while the text gives you an understanding of what the Yellowstone Country must have meant to the artist. I hope that the authors are hard at work on a second well deserved tribute to the art of Jack Richard!

As my Mom used to tell it, Jack Richard was a gentleman who happened to be a photographer! He did it all--from capturing the splendor of Yellowstone to making portraits of people who lived and worked around the Cody area. Many of the photos he took of my grandparents are lost, but the surviving images are amazing. In this book, Wyoming Journalist Bark Bagne takes us behind Richard's camera and allows us a glimpse into his life and love as a photographer. Bagne, who honed his skills at the Wyoming Tribune Eagle and Cody Enterprise during the past two decades, is a perfect match for the story. Anyone who has a love for photography or Wyoming will cherish this book.

The black and white photographs contained in this book -- some never-before-seen -- are absolutely stunning! Mark Bagne's text is as crisp and informative as the photos! Definitely a must-see-and-read book for all!

Many of the photographs in this book remind me of my own childhood growing up in Wyoming. Mark Bagne has done a great job of capturing the feel of the pictures with his writing. This will make a great gift for my mountain-loving friends.

Excellent book! I have purchased several for visiting friends and family.

Central Park is just a national treasure, and this book does a wonderful job of capturing the park. It's easy to say that it impossible to take a bad picture this breath taking oasis, but as this book shows it does take skill to really capture the essence of the park. I believe even a native New Yorker, who had spent their whole life in the park, could appreciate this book and could get a who new feel for the space. I recommend this book to anyone with a love for things beautiful.

As enjoyable and informative as "Central Park, An American Masterpiece: A Comprehensive History of the Nation's First Urban Park" by Sara Cedar Miller, this book reveals why the great park was known as the "lungs" of New York City. "212 Views of Central Park: Experiencing New York City's Jewel From Every Angle" by D. Sandee and Hartman Brawarsky is gorgeous book, and each of the 212 views are nothing less than breathtaking. It's not only a great coffee table book, but also has very informative text. It is a true glorification of Vaux's and Olmstead's vision and realization of what true civic engineering is capable of, when supported by a responsive government. Of course, there is no substitute for experiencing the park first-hand, but this sure conveys that sense of relief from the city's frenzied pace, and of the park's true beauty. I recommend this book highly.

There are several books of photographs of Central Park on the store shelves. This one stands out. The photos in 212 Views are stunning. You feel as if you are standing right there, you imagine you will feel the fresh air on your face as you turn the page! The text is like a well-informed friend who accompanies you, the reader, through Central Park, sharing select details about the history and design of the Park and adding layers of depth to your immediate sensory appreciation of the Park. Whether you are a frequent user of Central Park, an occasional visitor, or an arm chair stroller, experiencing the park only through the pages of the book, I highly recommend 212 Views. It's a great gift for the holidays, too. (I bought copies for my exercise partner who loves fast-walking in the Park and for my mother!)

New York residents and visitors will treasure these vivid photos and charming essays infused by a love of the city and its showcase park. "Views" will entertain and educate readers, and encourage their explorations. Enjoy!

I love this calendar. Every day that I look at my calendar by my desk, I long to be back in China again. The photos are gorgeous and the text is quite informative, especially because the calendar doesn't just focus on the most famous places in China. In fact, when I took the calendar down temporarily, I got complaints from my office mates that they missed the China calendar--and not one of them is a sinophile like me. Don't buy it if you don't want your wanderlust awakened. It will make you discontent sitting in your cubicle when you could be out exploring the Chinese countryside.

Reviewed by Barbara Strother, author of Moon Living Abroad in China (Living Abroad).

This is the second year I've bought this calendar. Likely, I will buy it every year. It's gorgeous with great tid-bits about China. As a mother with 2 children from China, it is a nice addition to the play area.

We got this calendar to get us excited for our trip to China next year to adopt our daughter. There are tons of beautiful pictures of all different regions. Very nice.

For anyone who has been in China or for anyone who wants to go, this calendar is a marvelous display of nature and daily life in China. Lisa See's texts are as lovely as the photographs by Keren Su.

I purchased this calendar last year and was pleased with the photos, and this years calendar is just as good if not better. Each month features a province in China and then each day has a smaller photo which would also be perfect for photos for your child's lifebook because the photos of temples, objects, countrysides and people. The provinces featured in this year's calendar are: Guangxi, Shaanxi, Hebei, Shanghai, Shanghai, Sichuan, Shandong & Shanxi, Zhejiang, Beijing which is for the month of August to celebate the 29th Olympic Games and it's slogan - One World One Dream. There is only 1 photo in this month that is of the Millennium Monument and is a small photo. Guizhiu, Anhui, Xinjiang,Yunnan finish out the year.

Lisa See write information on each province and there is also a small black outline of China that shows you where this province is located in China. Keren Su who is the photographer for all of the photos did a fantastic job! I am planning on using the photos of the calendar for photos for my daughter's lifebook. And if your child is from one of the provinces mentioned about you have a nice write up on that province.

Here is one more secret. This book is worth way more than its list price.

Anyone, from novice to seasoned pro, interested in earning money making pictures needs this book. I am a serious amateur photographer. I plan to turn my photography into a lucrative hobby when I retire in several years. Thanks to 88 Secrets I will not have to waste time testing what will work. Scott Bourne gives the reader of his book a proven track record to follow.

Buy this book. You will find it invaluable when you put Scott Bourne's recommendations into action.

Making money from photography is everyones dream but a tough goal in reality. This book has helped me define my goals for marketing my photography. As an amateur turning pro this book has been a life saver. Bourne clearly and concisely outlines a variety of methods to market your work. The beauty of the book lies in it's set up. You can pick and choose what you want to use and attack each new obstacle one step at a time. I highly recommend 88 Secrets to anyone interested in turning their dream into a profitable business.

This book does just one thing for a person hoping to derive income from the sale of photographs. It tells you how to sell photographs.

It doesn't tell you anything about equipment, or picture taking, or processing, or even how to run a photography business. It doesn't even take a comprehensive approach to marketing. Instead it provides useful tips on marketing photography, period. Moreover, Bourne doesn't just limit himself to one market, like stock photography. He covers all the markets and if one secret isn't applicable to you, the next one may be right up your alley.

Calling it "88 Secrets" is a misnomer, because many of the ideas contained are simple common sense that someone interested in selling pictures could figure out for him or herself. Secondly, there are far more than 88 secrets because many of sections called secrets contain more than one idea for marketing.

The reader will sometimes say, I knew that, sometimes say, I should have known that, and sometimes say, I never thought of that. But if you read the book and you follow some of the tips, you will increase sales of your pictures. Although the book is quite short, it's also inexpensive and the person willing to follow Bourne's advice will soon amortize the cost of the book. It probably won't put you in direct competition with Art Wolfe, but it will increase your photographic income if you have the will power to follow the tips.

For example, the author discusses a traditional subject, query letters to editors to whom one hopes to sell pictures. He tells you what has to go into a letter if you want to get the editor's attention. He even provides a sample letter.

In the very next paragraph, Bourne discusses something relatively new, e-books and how to go about publishing them. He even suggests software that will ease the work, and even how to structure an e-book. He says photography e-books are most popular if they take a how-to, travel, or adventure approach. "It will be easier to sell an e-book that features pictures of Yellowstone National Park if it is written as a travelogue rather than an attractive Yellowstone picture book."

I've read a few books on marketing pictures and sometimes find reasonable marketing advice buried in the verbiage. Often it's aimed at just one market. Here it's simple and effective. All one has to do is read a secret and follow it. And of course, take a reasonably good picture.

I was thinking this would be a book about places to sell your photography like post cards and bookmarkers or stuff like that. I guess I just didn't look it over enough. It is pretty much just basic stuff about how to run a business in photography. Some I thought were a little simple, like it says you should have a seperate phone for your business. Also, you should tell family members to not use that phone for anything other than business. That would be true of any business be it photography or selling comic books. Some of it is good business practices that many would not think of but I think you could get a book on operating a home business or small business from the library and learn most of this stuff. It is not an expensive book so I'm not going to complain much. I would suggest though that a person that is going to do photography work might think of staying with one or two areas and get books on those. For example, wedding photography and stock photography and learn how to make it in those areas. Go ahead and buy it, if you don't like it you are not out much.

Scott Bourne is an outstanding teacher and successful marketer. The book exemplifies this by being well organized, very readable and packed with valuable information for any photographer wanting to market and sell photographs.

The three divisions of the book are well thought out. As I considered marketing my photos the section on "general secrets" was very helpful. The last two sections provide valuable information on who to contact for sales and all the issues that need to be considered to complete a successful business transaction.

If you're a photography enthusiast aspiring to visit the beautiful places in this world, this is a wonderful book. I'm a big fan of Tim Fitzharris books and this is another example of his excellent contribution to the field. After reading this book (and referencing it numerous times), I find myself wanting to go to every one of these national parks.

This book is so beautiful and so inspiring that, after reading it, I made a plan to visit 24 national parks over the next four years. (So far I have been to Yosemite... but I still have hope to get to the other 23).

Bottom line, Tim is a truly amazing nature and wildlife photographer. His images alone will inspire and motivate you to make a travel plan like I did. What's more, his ability to write far outshines the competition. The book contains useful instruction on general technique, as well as specific advice on when and where to go in each park. His text is filled with practical, helpful tips - the kind of information you would really use. I found myself jotting down notes again and again as I read through his advice and instructions.

If you are a nature lover and photography enthusiast... if you find yourself at your greatest place of peace and tranquility when you visit our national parks, you'll love this book. It's a true gem.

I was prepared not to like this book. I mean, what could an automobile club teach me about photography? Then I saw that the author was Tom Fitzharris, a noted nature photographer, so I decided to give it a try. I was pleasantly surprised.

The book starts out with a chapter on photographic equipment and technique , and then proceeds with separate chapters on 22 of the major national parks. The book claims that it is aimed at both beginners and experts, but I'm always skeptical of such claims. Once again, I was wrong.

Consider the first chapter on Photography Essentials. The techniques described are indeed essential if one expects to take better than average pictures in the national parks. The beginner may indeed be a little awed by what the author considers essential, but he will learn where there are holes in his knowledge. I would recommend reading John Shaw's "Nature Photography Field Guide" if you want to get a better understanding of technique. More advanced photographers will use the first chapter as a checklist.

The author recognizes that many of the shots are classic shots that appear on calendars and postcards but says that the individual photographer's variations will make the pictures worth taking. He also suggests that the reader study the author's photographs for ideas on how to handle different subjects and I think that's good advice.

I was very interested in the chapters on parks where I had photographed. I found that not only was Fitzharris quite comprehensive, but he even suggested some places to go to that I had not visited, and some approaches I had not tried, even in parks I thought I knew well. I wish I had had this book before visiting some of those parks. I also know I may visit a few parks because they are in Fitzharris' book.

I have a few minor quibbles. Fitzharris suggested visiting Yosemite before June and shooting early in the morning and late in the afternoon to avoid crowds. It's good advice but the last time I was there in May at 6:30 PM at Tunnel View, there were fourteen tripods set up with crossed legs by photographers making an homage to Ansel Adams. I suppose that's better than it would be at 3:00 PM on a July day, but some of the hot spots suggested by the author will always be crowded.

The author makes no reference to digital photography, but I don't consider that much of a problem. The book is aimed at getting you to the best spots in the major national parks, and creating the best composition. That doesn't change very much with digital photography.

My biggest complaint about this book was that it only covers 22 of the national parks. I wanted more coverage.

This is not a book to learn about photography. If you already know the basic of nature photography and plan to take photograph in national parks, this is what you need. It covers most of the more popular national parks. It shows you what to expect and what to photograph in each national park listed in the book, including best tripod locations and best time. Very organized and clear. The pictures and print quality are superb.

I bought this book for the beautiful photos and was overwhelmed by the great photography advice and information about where to go to take these pictures. I'm traveling out west next month and look forward to taking this book along so that I can go to these beautiful parks.

I absolutely love coffee-table books that are nude-male themed, and this offering by Adam Raphael is worthy of any, and perhaps all coffee-tables. The photos are lyrical, the men magnificent.

Few photographers have the ability to capture the playful innocence of young men; Adam Raphael is one of these few. His artful photographic style brilliantly showcases the beauty, eroticism, and perfection of the sculpted male form. His ability to seize this is a testimony to his talent. Every photo has a spontaneous quality, and those in black and white (ie, the majority) also convey timelessness. From the first photo to the last, I was absolutely enthralled by the natural mesmerising qualities of the models' sheer good looks. This is a photobook full of youthful Adonises. It is indoubtedly one of the best photobooks I have that celebrates the adolescent male form.

For those connoisseurs of fine photography who happened upon the refreshing work of Adam Raphael in his successful debut monograph FRIENDS, this new collection appropriately entitled FRIENDS & BROTHERS will come as no surprise. Raphael's vision of the male form differs from those of better-known photographers: he is more concerned with the vitality and natural beauty of his models than he is in creating dramatic, titillating portraits. And as a result his images capture more of the essence of youth, of the radiance of the young males at their most fit moment in life, that elusive but eloquent Walt Whitman Presence.

Working with primarily non- (or pre-!) professional models, Raphael avoids the practiced pose, opting for the transient moment of interaction both between groups of beautiful young men and between individuals and the photographer. At times he captures technical virtuosity as in #83 Sven Florida where the whiteness of the undershirt appears almost otherworldly against the more natural tonality of flesh and leather ball. In the opening portfolio #2 - 5 Brian & Gerard Florida, two men are at play on the beach in a captivating progressive motion of game that echoes Muybridge pioneering studies that have influenced artists for the past century. In #21 - 26 Justin, Sven & Curtis Florida and in # 61 - 63 Buddy & Paul Florida the joys and tenderness of male bonding is fresh and robust and never cloyingly sentimental. And as for sensual celebration of masculinity the closing portfolio of John New York is about as fine as it gets.

Adam Raphael grows as an artist with each book and each exhibition: FRIENDS & BROTHERS is satisfying on every level for the ever-growing wide audience for appreciation of the fleeting joys of the male form at its zenith.

Grady Harp

I absolutely adored this book. The beauty of the men and how Adam Raphael captures them is brilliant. I had a hard time getting past the cover! SVEN is the EPITOME of the well sculpted and beautiful specimens that Raphael is able to photograph. I will always treasure this book.

Touching and tender, and beautifully designed, what a dedicated display of youth this book is. It is a world of good-looking, sensual, yet innocent young men that Adam Raphael seems to capture in all of his photography. Where does he find all of these hot looking young guys? I am really impressed. It is a tribute to these young men that he immortalized them at the peak of their beauty and fleeting youth, a time that will not last forever. Ask any former model for the proof. It is also to these young guys's credit that they worked with a talented professional photographer like Adam Raphael to frame their beauty forever.


Following Adam's first book, "Friends", this is a welcome addition and new collection that includes more "Friends" and now "Brothers too." The sepia toned, color, and black and white images are printed on sepia colored backgrounds and are beautifully photographed displaying these handsome young men wrestling, playing ball, enjoying a day the beach, and just having a good time. Adam has accomplished what he set out to do (be sure to read his foreword) capturing the innocence and beauty of these masculine & handsome young men at the peak of their athletic ability. What is intriguing about these photos is the playfulness of these young guys, who are naturally photogenic as they peel off their shirts to expose all the hard work they done in staying in shape, and improving their bodies.


Adam is a gifted photographer and each book he publishes seems to get better and bigger. This book belongs in every serious collector's library, and in the hands of everyone who appreciates excellent photography and youthful beauty. A stunning achievement!

What a wonderful idea for a book!
The brothers Jodha have excelled themselves...this is a thoughtfully conceived, well-shot, well-written and nicely presented books.
It makes one think...

After visiting South India (Dec. 03 - Feb. 04) and buying a lot of books about country, politics, demographics and landscapes, I looked for something that represents India as a whole. "Ageless Mind" is an excellent in-depth mirror of the Indian society in all its dimensions. Not so much the photos but the texts-interviews of the people are unveiling Indias magnitude and tragedy.
Highly recommended for some who would like to understand the dynamics and roots of "future coming world power".

I have recently picked up this book and read it only in bits and pieces but I must say that I am enjoying it immensely. I am not much of an expert on photography and can't speak about the technical aspects of this book but I must say that the photos with matching oral histories make this one a really absorbing affair. Some of the stories are quite hilarious, such as a patriarch who is bit of a tyrant as well an expert on time pieces, having written many books on the subject including a dictionary! He has got his own wife, his sons and their wives, and the grandchildren into this subject and so you have this extended family living with an unbelievable collection of watches and clocks. There are clock fashioned inside a banjo and a guitar, and there are these five-foot high, giant alarm clocks. It is also a very fascinating insight into the whole extended family system that you find less and less in neighborhoods today. The old patriarch says that nobody grudges the watches and clocks taking away all the space in their small flat because this was the condition "I put before my own marriage and then before the marriage of my two sons." So you have this photo of this eight-member family living in this one room tenement with these 2000 watches and clocks.

Photography on serious themes like homelessness, HIV, old age homes are always being done in that grabbing shots/reportage style which work very well in a newspaper context but don't have the same effect when put out in the form of a book. This book however goes in the other direction, taking the large format environmental portrait route more common to celebrity portraiture. More importantly, both in terms of the pictures and the narrations accompanying them, it addresses its theme with a lot of thought and patience. Just as well, since the book deals with the theme of ageing. Although, it has its share of celebrities, I could recognize only one - Pandit Ravi Shankar the famous sitar player, what makes it more interesting and valuable is its focus on the unknown, the forgotten or those who are simply down and out.

In another important change from the work done with such people and such environments, this one lets the people do the talking for a change, even when they don't seem to take very kindly to the book's writer or photographer. In the process this book highlights a world that even when far removed from ours, has human connections and concerns that are universal. The optimism, as one lady in this book puts it, "the years are like sugar in your tea cup. The last sip is sweetest," or the pessimism, as a traditional toy maker puts it, "what is a long life worth for those with limited means?" Then there are characters with their own peculiarities, a 100-year old soldier who thinks his teeth are coming back or a Chinese newspaper publisher, (that India also has a Chinese population was a revelation), who feels that the motto of the young is, "go for the cupboard keys first, then just say bye-bye."

The most inspiring person I came across among the 130 in this book was an eye surgeon who has been going around to really far removed places that have no hospitals and treating people for free. He has done more surgeries than anybody else in the world and has been at it for last 50 odd years. To me he seemed to be like Dr. Sheiwitzer who spent all those years in Africa and was immortalized in Eugene Smith's photo essays for LIFE magazine. But unlike the missionary-doctor this one wears his achievements lightly and says, "I am just an ordinary man and will serve as God wants me to. My instruments are my prayer and the operating room is my temple. My work has therefore been my pilgrimage."

Photography on serious themes like homelessness, HIV, old age homes are always being done in that grabbing shots/reportage style which work very well in a newspaper context but don't have the same effect when put out in the form of a book. This book however goes in the other direction, taking the large format environmental portrait route more common to celebrity portraiture. More importantly, both in terms of the pictures and the narrations accompanying them, it addresses its theme with a lot of thought and patience. Just as well, since the book deals with the theme of ageing. Although, it has its share of celebrities, I could recognize only one - Pandit Ravi Shankar the famous sitar player, what makes it more interesting and valuable is its focus on the unknown, the forgotten or those who are simply down and out.

In another important change from the work done with such people and such environments, this one lets the people do the talking for a change, even when they don't seem to take very kindly to the book's writer or photographer. In the process this book highlights a world that even when far removed from ours, has human connections and concerns that are universal. The optimism, as one lady in this book puts it, "the years are like sugar in your tea cup. The last sip is sweetest," or the pessimism, as a traditional toy maker puts it, "what is a long life worth for those with limited means?" Then there are characters with their own peculiarities, a 100-year old soldier who thinks his teeth are coming back or a Chinese newspaper publisher, (that India also has a Chinese population was a revelation), who feels that the motto of the young is, "go for the cupboard keys first, then just say bye-bye."

The most inspiring person I came across the 130 in this book was an eye surgeon who has been going around to really far removed places that have no hospitals and treating people for free. He has done more surgeries than anybody else in the world and has been at it for last 50 odd years. To me he seemed to be like Dr. Sheiwitzer who spent all those years in Africa and was immortalized in Eugene Smith's photo essays for LIFE magazine. But unlike the missionary-doctor this one wears his achievements lightly and says, "I am just an ordinary man and will serve as God wants me to. My instruments are my prayer and the operating room is my temple. My work has therefore been my pilgrimage."

This is a wonderful book not only for photographers, but also for those interested in timeless pictures of Americana. I found the subjects to be most interesting, as they are indeed captured moments in our history.

The book is also of special interest to those interested in Cirkut cameras; I own one and was very glad to be able to obtain such a specialized book that demonstrates what the cameras were capable of in skilled hands.

The book is very impressive, with multiple fold-out pages that do justice to the ultra-wide format photographs that are reproduced. The printing is first rate and everyone that I have shown the book to has been pleased with it.

The above headline pretty much sums it up. Sorry for ending with a preposition ( I should have said "an" to be silly).

I've never seen a photo book quite like this. This is an oversized book and when many of the prints are folded out, they really are a yard long. While many of these picture are not artistic masterpieces, they are masterpieces of documentary phototgraphy. The level of detail these photos contain is something to see and you get a very good feel for the time and place of the picture.

The author obviously has a deep respect for the history of photography. The images, reproductions, and explanations are excellent. This is a beautiful book that every panoramic photographer could relish for many years to come.

I have an interest in panoramic photography, currently own a Widelux camera (can take a 120 degree pano on 35mm film), and am looking to buy a Kodak Panoram which performs similarly but on 120 format film. If I could afford a Cirkut camera, and the film and chemistry costs, I'd have one.

I'm also a history buff.

"America by the Yard" combines history and panoramic photography in a series of stunning images that seem to draw the viewer in. Consider it a series of graphic, high-resolution photos showing America growing up from circa 1900 to almost 1950.

The photos have so much detail, and so much width, that the photos continue to reveal new details each time I "read" it.

When showing the book to friends and co-workers, it has the same effect on them: lots of "oooohs" and "aaaaahhhhs" and exclamations.

An amazing book. I can't reccomend it highly enough.