The Art of Photographing Nature is probably not for the beginning photographer, but once you have learned how to manipulate the camera well enough to consistently make good, properly focused exposures, you ought to look at this book if you are interested in nature photography. This is a book about photographic composition, which is something a photographer must know well to make pictures that are more than snapshots.

Although Hill claims the writing credits and Wolfe the photography credits, this is somewhat misleading. The form the book takes is to show a picture taken by Wolfe, or more often two, and then have both comment on the compositional choices. Since Wolfe is one of the greatest living nature photographers and since Hill is the former picture editor of Audubon Magazine, their commentary is illuminating. Read the rest of this entry »

In recent years as the field of photography has exploded, many photographers consider selling their work to make a profit and to help defray the high costs of equipment. But, many photographers don’t have the business and marketing knowledge required to successfully sell fine art photographs; and many of those who have tried have been met with disappointment. Until now, little information of value has been available.

In Marketing Fine Art Photography, Alain Briot offers practical, up-to-date and field-tested marketing techniques from the viewpoint of a fine art landscape photographer who earns a living from the sale of his fine art prints.

Briot teaches that by taking control of the selling process, you can increase your profits and, ultimately, direct your own destiny. Briot’s approach is based on offering quality not quantity; and offering something unique, rather than something that is mass-produced. Though directed toward selling fine art, this method can be applied to other products. Read the rest of this entry »

Black-and-white photography poses unique challenges; without color to guide the eye, contrast, lighting and composition take on even more importance.

Renowned photographer Harold Davis explains these elements and demonstrates the basic rules of black and white photography as well as when and how to break them. He breaks through the complexity of this photographic medium, explores opportunities for black-and-white imagery, and shows how to capitalize on every one.

Richly illustrated with the author’s own images, this beautiful guide presents the skills needed for great black-and-white photos while encouraging your confidence and creativity. Read the rest of this entry »

Digital cameras are the hot new tech toy-but many of the millions of people who are buying the cameras aren’t getting the most out of their new purchase. Mysterious icons, strange jargon, a dizzying array of imaging software and hardware…stumbling blocks quickly become tools to create great pictures with The BetterPhoto Guide to Digital Photography.

This practical, lesson-based workbook gives readers a step-by-step tutorial in getting bright, crisp, beautiful pictures from their digital cameras every time. Learn about exposure, file formats and quality settings, low-light photography, digital filters and white balance, composition and lens choice, manipulating images, printing, and much more, all in a handy, bring-along format. Read the rest of this entry »

Although there are many different books on portrait photography, most of them are organized in a similar format. For example, explanations of lighting ratios are immediately preceded by descriptions of the roles of main lights, fill lights, hair lights and so forth. “Faces: Photography and the Art of Portraiture” takes a different approach.

The book opens with a short portfolio of modern-day portrait photographers, including Joyce Tenneson and Dan Winters, and is followed by a portfolio of historic portraits. The main part of the book consists of a number of two-page spreads each of which includes a portrait, a lighting diagram for most, and a narrative that points out something about the technique and content of each image. Read the rest of this entry »

Contemporary photographs that cleverly capture a child’s mood or personality—whether that’s a big, toothy grin or a teary tantrum—are easily created with the tips and techniques explored in this in-depth handbook.

Often called “lifestyle photography”, modern techniques such as tightly cropped close-ups, vignettes, wide angles, and shallow depths produce images that are markedly less stiff and more expressive than traditional portraitures.

From capturing great expressions and body language to integrating meaningful locations into the shoot to further express the subject’s personality, this guide thoroughly explains how photographers can develop their image-storytelling skills to develop stunning portraits. Read the rest of this entry »

Will Grayson, Will Grayson is about a couple of kids figuring out how to be themselves. Two of those kids happen to have the same name, and not much in common outside of that, but their serendipitous friendship sets the stage for a much larger, braver, and more candid story than the simplicity of the plot might suggest.

The relevance for teens here is clear–high school is the only time in your life when you have the undivided opportunity to obsess over your every move, sentence, and outfit change–but the part about understanding who you are doesn’t stop when you graduate. That’s what makes Will Grayson, Will Grayson as interesting a pick for adults as it is for teens: the questions don’t get simpler, but looking at them through the eyes of a 16-year-old brings a welcome sense of honesty and humor to this thing called life. No one’s ever too old to enjoy that. Read the rest of this entry »

In her second book, comedy legend Burnett looks back fondly on her long and successful career in short, easily digestible chapters that part the curtain on her private life. Told in a chatty, intimate way, the stories encompass the star’s childhood; early days as an actress doing bit parts in New York City, appearing on game shows and various variety shows; her 11 years hosting The Carol Burnett Show; and life after the show ended its run.

Readers will enjoy the comical reminiscences included, such as how she once used her famous Tarzan yell to disarm a mugger, funny interactions with fans who recognize her on the street, and the origin of famous scenes from the show, such as Scarlett O’Hara in a curtain-rod dress. Burnett doesn’t shy away from sad subjects and occasionally touches on personal losses. She also dishes about her famous costars and friends, including Jimmy Stewart, Lucille Ball, Cary Grant, Julie Andrews, and, of course, Carol Burnett Show regulars Harvey Korman, Tim Conway, Vicki Lawrence, and Lyle Waggoner. Fans of both the show and the actress will enjoy this mostly lighthearted though sometimes poignant look back at Burnett’s career. Read the rest of this entry »

The novel Sense and Sensibiliy and Sea Monsters, horror and fantasy-oriented version of Sense and Sensibility, one of the most important books of English novelist Jane Austen. Technically, the task of rewriting is called mashup , a term borrowed from the world of techno music which shows the mixing of two different songs to create an entirely new piece.  In the publishing field Quirk Books has interpreted the operation taking a famous novel and rewrite it, introducing themes and situations from the horror genre.While the rewriting of Austen’s first novel had touched the American Seth Grahame-Smith, the new edition of Sense and Sensibility Sea Monster mashup was the work of Ben H. Winters, author who had never before climbed the headlines. The publishing house said that in the first novel, about 85 percent was composed by the work of Austen, in this second novel, only 60 percent will be original. The rest is the rewriting of Winters, which has included giant lobsters, octopus disgusting, sea snakes with two heads, ruthless pirates and more.
In pride and prejudice and zombies, as in Austen’s original version, everything revolves around the five daughters of the Bennet. The heroine Elizabeth Bennet lived with her four sisters and their parents on a country estate and from her father to respected and feared fighters trained against the zombie hordes. Her mother, however, sees her mission in life is to marry off their daughters as a respectable, well-off games.
When the rich alone, and acquires, Mr. Bingley a country house in the neighborhood, Mrs. Bennet sees her chance and sends therefore come their daughters to the ball, will appear on the prospective groom. After the five Bennet sisters to fend off a zombie attack on the ball company, Mrs. Bennet seems to be absorbed into account. Jane, the eldest of the sisters, attracts the attention of Bingley in itself, although her sister Elizabeth “Lizzy” with Bingley’s friend, the zombie hunter Fizwilliam Darcy comes together.
The following are known Austen’schen confusions and pitfalls of the main characters Lizzy and Darcy, Jane and Bingley, which this time, however, are not only the annoying habits, “Pride,” “prejudice” and “English prudery ‘for trouble, but also numerous Undead. To languish, unnoticed by most, Lizzy’s best friend from the “plague” infects gone. In addition, they must be against hordes of ninjas (from the dojo of Darcy’s aunt, Lady Catherine Zombie Hunters Legend) to defend, it must be disposed of many living dead, beaten and bloody battles are finally uncovered the plot of the false friend Wickham, finally able to overcome pride and Darcy and Lizz, prejudices and zombies and find together.

Megastar Michael Jackson’s singularly brilliant career and intensely private lifestyle have become a magnificent obsession for millions of rock fans and celebrity watchers throughout the world. His double-platinum singles rocket to the top of the music charts with a velocity equaled only by the inevitable accompaniment of wild rumors about his eccentric personal life. Now for the first time, Michael Jackson breaks the fiercely guarded barrier of silence that has surrounded him in a remarkably candid and courageous book.

This book Moonwalk is a a wonderful book giving Michael’s point of view of his rise to fame, his family, and his relationships. This book was written in 1988, several years prior to the madness that surrounded him.
In this intimate and often moving personal account of Michael Jackson’s public and private life, he recalls a childhood that was both harsh and joyful but always formidable. Michael and his brothers played amateur music shows and seamy Chicago strip joints until Motown’s corporate image makers turned the Jackson 5 into worldwide superstars. Read the rest of this entry »