Arts & Photography Books - Page 10

Master Lighting Guide for Portrait Photographers

Christopher Grey

Amazon Price: $19.77 List Price: $29.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Amherst Media, Inc. Amazon Marketplace: 47 new & used starting at $18.48

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 71 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Not good for beginners 3 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

This book jumps straight into the different techniques and does not explain simple lighting concepts much at all. I also thought that the styles blurred together and he didn't separate them out enough and explain the differences between each one.

great intermediate lighting guide 4 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

I bought this book thinking I would be able to easily set up a studio from it.
I found this book extremely informative BUT on a medium to high-end level.
It is not really a practical guide for the beginning photographer however, I am sure I will be refereing it to in the future.
Chris Grey explains how he set up his lighting in order to get the shots he shows in this book.
My problem was that most of his sets are based on the photographer buying many many different types of reflectors, lights and flags etc.
He does not really explain the simple, beginners studio.
He does not explain for low ceilings etc.
He shows his shots and explains how he got them so if you have the same set up, the same size room etc, you too can reproduce these shots.
While it is a well written book, I found it to be on a high level.
If someone is already at this level of lighting equipment, then he already knows all the info on ratios Chris writes about.
Great reference guide and enjoyable to read.
Not for the beginner who wishes to use it as a guide to setting up his first studio.

Editorial Review:

Time-tested lighting strategies that will improve the quality of a portrait are detailed in this book for beginning photographers. Terminology used by industry pros is explained, the equipment needed to create professional results is outlined, and the unique role that each element of the lighting setup plays in the studio is explored. Photographers learn how color, direction, form, and contrast affect the final portrait. The concise text, photo examples, and lighting diagrams enable photographers to easily achieve traditional lighting styles that have been the basis of good portraiture since the advent of the art.

Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood

Marjane Satrapi

Amazon Price: $10.36 List Price: $12.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Pantheon Amazon Marketplace: 189 new & used starting at $5.49

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 172 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

A New York Times Notable Book
A Time Magazine “Best Comix of the Year”
A San Francisco Chronicle and Los Angeles Times Best-seller

Wise, funny, and heartbreaking, Persepolis is Marjane Satrapi’s memoir of growing up in Iran during the Islamic Revolution. In powerful black-and-white comic strip images, Satrapi tells the story of her life in Tehran from ages six to fourteen, years that saw the overthrow of the Shah’s regime, the triumph of the Islamic Revolution, and the devastating effects of war with Iraq. The intelligent and outspoken only child of committed Marxists and the great-granddaughter of one of Iran’s last emperors, Marjane bears witness to a childhood uniquely entwined with the history of her country.

Persepolis paints an unforgettable portrait of daily life in Iran and of the bewildering contradictions between home life and public life. Marjane’s child’s-eye view of dethroned emperors, state-sanctioned whippings, and heroes of the revolution allows us to learn as she does the history of this fascinating country and of her own extraordinary family. Intensely personal, profoundly political, and wholly original, Persepolis is at once a story of growing up and a reminder of the human cost of war and political repression. It shows how we carry on, with laughter and tears, in the face of absurdity. And, finally, it introduces us to an irresistible little girl with whom we cannot help but fall in love.

The Adventures of Johnny Bunko: The Last Career Guide You'll Ever Need

Daniel H. Pink

Amazon Price: $10.20 List Price: $15.00 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Riverhead Trade Amazon Marketplace: 58 new & used starting at $6.69

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 65 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Fantastic 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

I was a little skeptical believing a 50 some year old could get anything out of a `comic' book but I bought it anyway based on the reviews of others.
Although a quick and easy read, I got some life lessons which I will use forever.
Even if you have no plans to change where you are in your life / career, I highly recommend this book.

Editorial Review:

"From a New York Times, BusinessWeek, and Washington Post bestselling author comes a first-of-its- kind career guide for a new generation of job seekers.There's never been a career guide like it.the fully illustrated story (ingeniously told in Manga form) of a young Everyman just out of college who lands his first job. Johnny Bunko is new to parachute company Boggs Corp., and he stumbles through his early days as a working stiff until a crisis prompts him to find a new job. Step by step he builds a career, illustrating as he does the six core lessons of finding, keeping, and flourishing in satisfying work: There is no plan ,Forget about your weaknesses, Persistence trumps talent, It's not about you ,Make excellent mistakes, Leave an imprintSmart, engaging, and insightful, The Adventures of Johnny Bunko offers practical advice for anyone looking to start a rewarding career."

Mixed-Media Self-Portraits: Inspiration & Techniques

Cate Coulacos Prato

Amazon Price: $15.61 List Price: $22.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Interweave Press Amazon Marketplace: 35 new & used starting at $14.24

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 5 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

I Love This Book! 5 out of 5 stars.
9 of 9 people found this review helpful.

I pre-ordered Mixed-Media Self-Portraits and was thrilled when it finally arrived. It was worth waiting for and everything I hoped it would be. I'm a mixed-media artist and have been wanting to do some self-portraits for a long while but didn't know where or how to start. The title says exactly what the book is about: inspiration and techniques. Just thumbing through the pages makes you want to jump right in and create your own self-portrait. There is a whole chapter just on drawing eyes! But first you are shown amazing self-portraits other artists have done. Next are warm up exercises to get you in the mood. Finally, hands on instructions for creating your own self-portraits. If you need inspiration to get you started, this is the book for you.

Editorial Review:

Featuring artwork from a wide range of contributors, this resource explores creative self-portraits through fun and easy exercises and essays that instruct and inspire artists working in all media. Examples of collage, fiber arts, and mixed-media artwork offer visual inspiration while essays throughout the book act as a guide to personal and artistic self-discovery. Step-by-step techniques and creative prompts are used to direct artists through different approaches to creating self-portraits while exercises utilizing collage, drawing, photography, and stitching will jump-start the creative process and get ideas flowing on paper and fabric, encouraging artists to express themselves in new ways.

Four Weddings and a Funeral: The Screenplay for the Smash Hit Comedy

Richard Curtis

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 115 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

You have got to be kidding me... 2 out of 5 stars.
4 of 4 people found this review helpful.

I've finally seen what people have said is the "best modern romantic comedy" around. They're joking? There might be that movie in this mess somewhere, but the script and editing kill it.
Charles (Hugh Grant) is a very attractive character and nicely written in his strengths (friendship, openness to the possibility of true love) and flaws (perpetually late, a complete lack of discretion). Carrie (Andie MacDowell) is less engaging. For someone supposedly so "experienced" (she lists 33 lovers), she apparently has no idea what she's doing in her relationships. She's attracted to Charles from the beginning but does absolutely nothing to encourage him other than invite him to have sex with her. (If Charles is a "serial monogamist" then she's a "serial monogamist" who cheats.) It makes one wonder how much is really there, how long before she's explaining to Charles that it just isn't working out, and there's this new guy who's now the one. After all, according to the script as shown, they've barely talked to each other.
The script is much too obvious. There are real clunkers of forced scenes including one where it feels like someone said "oh wait, we haven't made this person awful enough for what's about to happen to her so let's give her one really bitchy line." Charles's friends are a fascinating group, but only good acting prevents them from being cardboard stereotypes.
The film has no idea whether it's making meaningful statements about relationships or being a screwball farce. It could have been cut either way. As it is, it feels as deeply real and as cheaply funny as the unmoving waves in one backdrop.

Editorial Review:

The hilarious, Academy Award-nominated screenplay that features six old friends, three disastrous receptions, a tongue-tied priest, and the role that made Hugh Grant the world's favorite bumbling bachelor.Toasted by romantics and cynics, critics and fans, Four Weddings and a Funeral grossed more than $250 million worldwide, garnered Academy Award nominations for Best Picture and Best Original Screenplay, and was unanimously pronounced the romantic comedy of the 90s.Richard Curtis's smart, irreverent, and brilliantly crafted screenplay will delight fans of the movie, as well as screenwriters and film students. From the first spoken line to the last ("I do"), it's a jubilant celebration of friendship, romance, and good humor.

Details Men's Style Manual: The Ultimate Guide for Making Your Clothes Work for You

Daniel Peres, the editors of Details magazine

Amazon Price: $19.80 List Price: $30.00 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Gotham Amazon Marketplace: 55 new & used starting at $9.25

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 22 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

At last—a sophisticated wardrobe guide for men from a respected authority, Details magazine, offering head-to-toe advice for choosing the right look, the right fit, and the right style for every situation, from boardroom pitches to casual Saturday nights.

Each month, Details magazine keeps hundreds of thousands of men up-to-date on the most current trends and tips for looking sharp. Now the editors of these award-winning pages give every man the wardrobe wisdom he needs in order to reach both his professional and personal goals. Making sense out of the shifting protocols in menswear, Details Men’s Style Manual offers a sleek lifeline, including:
• How to dress an item up or down
• Full-color illustrations of dozens of outfits, with complete explanations of what works and why
• A piece-by-piece evaluation of everything from button-down shirts and every type of jacket to shoes, suits, ties, and more
• Commentary from icons of contemporary male style
• How to choose the best clothes for your shape

A man’s wardrobe is one of his single most valuable assets, conveying the image he presents to the world. Infusing style with eye-catching design, this refreshing guide blows the dust off staid rulebooks and delivers a thoroughly contemporary, individual look for each reader. Produced by the same team as the smash success The Lucky Shopping Manual, Details Men’s Style Manual will be on the wish list of every man who’s ready for a confident new sense of style.

Blue Highways: A Journey Into America

William Least Heat-Moon

List Price: $14.00 By: Mariner Books Amazon Marketplace: 96 new & used starting at $0.01

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 114 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Small-town America twenty-five years ago....a classic 4 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

A little over twenty-five years ago William Trogden, who took the name of his Native American ancestors and called himself William Least Heat Moon, set out on a journey across America in what was basically the ancestor of the modern SUV, a small truck which he named Ghost Dancing.

Initially he did this because he had lost his job and his wife in the space of a month, but his journey turned into much more than just an attempt to forget. It became a classic search for and journey into the heart of the country.

This is not a trip into the weirdness of America, although Least Heat Moon encounters plenty of strange sites and people on his journey. It is more of a trip into the heart and soul of the country - figuratively as well as literally. There have been many books written over the years about people leaving home to find America, but even after twenty-five years this is still one of the best such books ever written.

My only complaint is that he quotes Walt Whitman a little too much. I can understand his references to Black Elk, given his background and ancestry, but his overuse of Whitman is a bit jarring at times. But if you work around the Whitman quotes you will love your journey across America's blue highways with William Least Heat Moon.

Editorial Review:

A book that describes Heat-Moon's 13,000 mile journey exploring the backroads of the United States.

Mary Engelbreit's Mary Days: 2009 Day-to-Day Calendar

Mary Engelbreit

Amazon Price: $11.19 List Price: $13.99 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Andrews McMeel Publishing Amazon Marketplace: 9 new & used starting at $8.78

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 2 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

A Sweet Day Brightener 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

My best friend and I buy this for each other every year, we kind of race to this and then tell the other "don't buy the M.E. calendar this year, I already did!" Last year we didn't and I missed it.

Understand we're not the hokey sentimentals (I don't think) but it's just nice to have a nicely detailed print with a quotation.

OUTSTANDING 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

The Mary Engelbreit products are outstanding and very up lifting in spirit. Mary is a true Christian. :) THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU DO FOR YOUR CUSTOMERS.

Editorial Review:

People magazine has dubbed Mary Engelbreit a Norman Rockwell for our times. For 2009, let Mary Engelbreit's calendar brighten your day, every day.

Make your days the "Maryest" they can be with Mary Engelbreit's calendar, Mary Days. This warm and engaging calendar invites you to share in the magic of Mary's captivating artwork and to reflect on what makes your days blissful. Whether it's picking flowers, playing at the beach, or giving someone you love a special hug, the images and quotes in this calendar help make each day one to cherish.

V for Vendetta

Alan Moore

List Price: $35.10 By: Titan Books Ltd Amazon Marketplace: 10 new & used starting at $20.00

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 219 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Good Story, Poor Printing 3 out of 5 stars.
0 of 1 people found this review helpful.

It's been mentioned before, but the quality of the printing for this book is pretty poor. Honestly, I wouldn't have even minded the poor paper quality if the book side had simply been increased by about 2 inches on either side, but as is, things are pretty cramped and a lot of the detail is lost. So if you're picky, be warned.

If you've seen the movie, then you know what to expect here. There are some small changes, but for the most part, the book and the movie are pretty much parallel. I'm sure you've heard that Moore whined about the movie, and I was expecting to see a lot more differences, but no. The tone is really the same, the plot is the same, Moore was being silly.

I'd say this is take or leave if you've seen the movie. But if you liked the movie and want to get a slightly different take on the V story, or you haven't seen the film at all, check this one out.

Editorial Review:

Originally published in 1990 V for Vendetta is a frightening and powerful story about the loss of freedom in a totalitarian England. Written against a background of third term Thatcherism and tabloid rants against minorites this is a work of startling clarity and intelligence. Everything that comics weren't supposed to be. Returning to print after a long absence fans of Alan Moore, old and new can now enjoy this remarkable piece of storytelling - a true classic of comic literature.

Modoc: The True Story of the Greatest Elephant That Ever Lived

Ralph Helfer

Amazon Price: $11.16 List Price: $13.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Harper Paperbacks Amazon Marketplace: 87 new & used starting at $4.00

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 135 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

padded with meaningless dialogue, reads like fiction 1 out of 5 stars.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful.

Much of the book is imagined dialogue between the elephant trainer and various characters. The relationships with parents, girlfriend and elephant are unrealistically idealized. The theme is pantheism and the trainer even assumes he was also an elephant in another life. I was not even able to finish this book.

Incredible! 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

This is a fantastic book and stands as the only book outside of Murakami's Hard-Boiled Wonderland and McCarthy's The Road that I've actually felt compelled to buy and give to others. I read the book solely because it too was pushed my way by someone urging me to read it despite it not being my typical cup of tea. The story was fantastic and every bit the tear-jerker you've read about elsewhere. A triumph of spirit and the bond that can be built between man and animal. I cried like a blubbering baby in my backyard while turning the pages of this book - and have enjoyed inflicting the same upon others. It's really, really good - and not just for animal lovers. Beats the heck out of stinker Life Of Pi too.

Editorial Review:

Spanning several decades and three continents, Modoc is one of the most amazing true animal stories ever told. Raised together in a small German circus town, a boy and an elephant formed a bond that would last their entire lives, and would be tested time and again; through a near-fatal shipwreck in the Indian Ocean, an apprenticeship with the legendary Mahout elephant trainers in the Indian teak forests, and their eventual rise to circus stardom in 1940s New York City.

Modoc is a captivating true story of loyalty, friendship, and high adventure, to be treasured by animal lovers everywhere.