Wednesday, October 20, 2010

How to Photograph Your Baby: Revised Edition







How to Photograph Your Baby: Revised Edition Overview


Everyone who loves children—from new parents to excited grandparents—wants to take beautiful photographs of the babies in their lives, but they are often disappointed with the amateurish results. Renowned portrait photographer Nick Kelsh shows would-be shutterbugs how to successfully capture images of their kids in this accessible, easy-to-follow guide.
 
In this revised tenth-anniversary edition of STC’s original book, Kelsh discusses digital photography for the first time, and through nine fold-out lessons, gives foolproof methods for mastering baby portraiture. Kelsh’s three main concepts—get closer to your baby, find the right light, and take lots of photos—are illuminated by clear examples and clever sidebars. Also featured are creative ways to display your work and suggestions for unique photography projects. Parents and baby lovers everywhere will benefit from using these professional tips to create priceless photographs that will last a lifetime.



Customer Reviews


I love this book. I originally purchased one for myself several years ago (the first edition). When the revised edition was released, I bought another copy. Most of the information is the same, except the revised edition deals with digital photos rather than film. Nick Kelsh does a fabulous job of showing you how to take awesome photos of your baby. He shows examples of the typical photos most people take and then shows you how to "get closer with your camera and your heart." I have since purchased about 10 of these books because they make great baby shower gifts. I also include a nice photo frame along with the book. I have had several wonderful, heartfelt compliments when I have given this book to new parents/parents-to-be. Some have told me it was the "coolest" gift they received. Obviously, I highly recommend this fantastic book.


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Sunday, October 17, 2010

The Photoshop Book for Digital Photographers







The Photoshop Book for Digital Photographers Overview


Finally, a Photoshop book that is written expressly for professional photographers and hi-end serious amateurs that doesn't talk about F-stops, exposures, and how to frame a shot (you know all that stuff already--if you don't¿I hate to say it, but this isn't for you).

This new book, from Photoshop User magazine editor and bestselling author Scott Kelby, starts at the moment your digital camera photos come into Photoshop, and he shows you the Photoshop pros techniques for managing, correcting, retouching and outputting your photos to knock your client's socks off, and turn you into a Photoshop production wizard. This book is absolutely ideal for traditional photographers who are making the jump to digital photography, and Scott's casual, step-by-step, plain-English style makes even the most complex Photoshop techniques seem so easy and accessible. It's the type of book that makes you smile and think "Ahhhh, so that's how they do it" and then immediately you realize "Hey, I can do this!"

The entire book is graphically rich, in full color cover-to-cover, and best of all it's packed with real-world project-based tutorials that will take you through the process of sizing your images with the proper resolution (and the secret to doing so without losing image quality), how to deal with High ISO noise, blue channel noise, and other common plagues introduced by digital cameras; you'll learn how the pros color correct their photos for output on everything from inkjet printers to printing presses, and the secrets to getting perfect fleshtones no matter where it¿s output. You'll learn the sharpening techniques today's top digital photographers use, and how the leading retoucher's perform "digital plastic surgery" in Photoshop, plus professional facial retouching techniques using Photoshop 7.0's amazing new tools.

Plus, you'll also learn how to manage your photos, "digital dodging and burning" tricks, dealing with common problems, making client presentations within Photoshop and on the Web, and the inside tips on how to work faster and more efficiently than you ever thought possible. If you're serious about digital photography and Photoshop, this is book you've been waiting for.



The Photoshop Book for Digital Photographers Specifications


Some people make their living with a camera, and for these people the maturation of digital photo technology means a significant shift in their trade. The Photoshop Book for Digital Photographers is for people who are already adept with a camera, and pretty much up to speed on the peculiarities of digital photography, too. The book teaches these people how to use Adobe Photoshop, the standard photo-editing software package. More accurately, the book explains how to use Photoshop for the kinds of work professional photographers do.

Case in point: The removal from photographs of what are politely called skin blemishes. Author Scott Kelby (the editor of Photoshop User offers two strategies: One you can use to remove all traces of a mark but which requires a fair amount of time, and another procedure that delivers "pretty good" results and which can be done on many pictures (such as a set of class portraits) rapidly. Kelby teaches by means of heavily illustrated procedures, each between five and 20 steps long and spanning several pages. A good way to use this book is by scanning the table of contents for a procedure that interests you (say, "Fixing Underexposed Photos," or "Pro Wrinkle Removal"). This will enable you to spot Photoshop techniques you hadn't considered. --David Wall

Topics covered: How to use Adobe Photoshop if, for you, the program is one tool out of many in a photographic kit. Tricks teach you how to recolor hair, whiten teeth and eyes, modify unflattering body contours, dodge and burn, apply filters for effect, assemble panoramas, and do a score of other slick photo jobs.

Customer Reviews


Reading this book is like having a magician take you back stage and showing you how all the tricks work.

I'm an advanced beginner, thoroughly enjoying photography again. I used to do my own B/W developing and darkroom work but had to give it up. Now I have a digital camera and digital darkroom, and a great way to [re-]learn and update my skills. This book explains things in exact terms "use these settings" to accomplish task A rather than "this is what the xxx menu item does" followed by "this is what the yyy item does" etc.

It was perfect for me, thanks.

This book is an excellent product that meets its goals and audience needs perfectly.


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Saturday, October 16, 2010

Portrait Photographer's Handbook






Portrait Photographer's Handbook Feature


  • ISBN13: 9781584282075
  • Condition: USED - Good
  • Notes: BUY WITH CONFIDENCE, Over one million books sold! 98% Positive feedback. Compare our books, prices and service to the competition. 100% Satisfaction Guaranteed


Portrait Photographer's Handbook Overview


Combining time-tested practices with contemporary methods, this guidebook details the fine art of capturing formal and casual posed images. With advice and guidance from the finest and most decorated portrait and wedding photographers in the country, this instructional discusses subjects such as lighting in the studio and on location, improving improvisational shooting techniques, and how to retouch images in the post-production process to create truly flawless looks. A chapter addressing the common problems in taking portraitures—from working with subjects with glasses to subjects that vary in size, facial features, and skin tone—is also included.



Customer Reviews


This is an excellent book including both technical and creative information. What most impresses me about this book is that it is not "dumbed down". I also think it is geared toward the more intermediate level audience. Itt is not a beginner or primer book. You should already be doing some portraiture work to get the most out of this book. Lots of beautiful sample photos and their camera settings included.


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Tuesday, October 12, 2010

Way Beyond Monochrome 2e: Advanced Techniques for Traditional Black & White Photography including digital negatives and hybrid printing







Way Beyond Monochrome 2e: Advanced Techniques for Traditional Black & White Photography including digital negatives and hybrid printing Overview


Photo Techniques Magazine stated: "All our readers need to know about this very useful book." Indeed, there is no other compendium that is as in-depth as this for the beauty and magic of fine-art black-and-white photography. With 560 pages and over 1,000 illustrations, Way Beyond Monochrome starts with conceptual lessons of composition and takes you through image capture, exposure, controlling tonality, variable-contrast paper, archival printing, mounting, framing and presentation with simple concepts to an advanced level. This new edition has been completely revised and heavily expanded, adding over 250 pages to the original edition with new chapters on print mounting, spotting, framing, digital negatives, utilizing digital technologies for alternative processes, and fabulous do-it-yourself projects. Overall, the authors have created a thoroughly researched, technologically sound yet aesthetically pleasing, inspirational bible for monochrome photography.


New to this edition:




  • almost double the content



  • a new section discussing the path from visualization to print, illustrating the interaction between eye and brain, explaining the rules of composition and when to break them to produce photographs with impact



  • a new section on presentation including hands-on mounting, matting, spotting, and framing



  • image capture has a more in-depth focus, now covering pinhole photography and digital capture



  • now includes making and printing with digital negatives



  • a new section discussing the pros and cons of typical image-taking and image-making equipment



  • plus new do-it-yourself projects, including many darkroom tools and an electronic shutter tester



  • a useful collection of templates, to copy, cut-out and take with you in your camera bag or use in the darkroom



  • an appendix with all the recipes to make your own darkroom chemicals from scratch



  • all illustrations improved and updated



  • improved index with 1,400 references




  • Detailed explanations and lessons of everything monochrome related


  • Inspirational black and white photos packed into the book for visual inspiration



  • Tons of full-color illustrations and graphs to demonstrate visually to a visual audience


  • Now with a new glossary for quick reference



  • Customer Reviews


    Disclaimer: I am casually acquainted with one of the authors (R.L.) via a photography forum, and one of my images is included in this book. However, I feel that neither of these issues preclude me from offering an honest critique.

    I was at first struck by the size of this book: with 500+ pages, it is an encyclopedia! But the volume of this book is appropriate for its broad, technical scope. The book addresses the physiological aspects of seeing, and the refinement of print tonality... and everything in between. Consistent with the modern context, the reader will also find a thorough treatment of all the digital, hybrid, and traditional tools. With a strong emphasis on clarifying techniques, this book is *very* thoroughly illustrated. Hardly a page is without an example, an illustration or a graph. In addition, numerous tables and templates are found in an appendix. It's literally impossible for me to locate a technical topic that wasn't appropriately described. Yes, MTF, dry down, transmittance etc. are all given full schrift!

    The risk that the authors take with this book is to overwhelm the reader with the technical scope, with insufficient treatment of the creative aspects that must always drive the successful craft. Indeed the book contains ~90% technical content. There is a small section on visualization, and a larger "On Assignment" section with narrated examples, but the reader will not find much discussion of fundamental issues such as: what distinguishes black and white photography as an art form; why black and white is effective in some cases for which color photography is not; and the special role of certain abstract graphical elements in the black and white craft.

    For my own taste, there could and probably should be more weight given to these qualitative aspects, and for that reason my rating of this book is not perfect. That said, I realize that most readers expect and appreciate the technical guidance... and abstract statements about the unique effectiveness of black and white photography are probably best made with photographs rather than words!

    Overall, this book is a real achievement- an authoritative reference that will be widely cited for many years to come. I recommend it very highly, and note that the low price is a very pleasant surprise, given the volume of very useful information. I am certain that this book will be at least as successful as the first edition, which is also very highly regarded.


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    Sunday, October 10, 2010

    National Geographic Image Collection






    National Geographic Image Collection Feature


    • ISBN13: 9781426205033
    • Condition: New
    • Notes: BUY WITH CONFIDENCE, Over one million books sold! 98% Positive feedback. Compare our books, prices and service to the competition. 100% Satisfaction Guaranteed


    National Geographic Image Collection Overview


    Book Description
    Behind National Geographic’s worldwide reputation as a powerhouse of photography lies one of the finest, most extensive, and most unique graphic resources on Earth: the National Geographic Image Collection. For the first time ever, readers will plumb the fascinating depths of this immense archive from the earliest photographs collected in the late 19th century to the cutting-edge work of today. Both iconic and never-before-seen images from virtually every corner of the globe, every species of wildlife, and amazing human achievements in exploration, adventure, science, and more are showcased and placed in historic, artistic, technical, and journalistic context.

    Following this lavish visual journey, readers will be awed by a behind-the-scenes profile of the entire collection, its size, its richly diverse character, and its special collections, ranging from delicate and beautiful Autochromes to the famous Alexander Graham Bell collection to the amazing stratosphere collection. Fine artwork and imaginative illustrations are also featured.

    Finally, a listing of photographers whose work is represented stands as a fitting tribute to those without whose tireless and brilliant efforts the Collection would not exist.

    Look Inside National Geographic Image Collection

    Click on thumbnails for larger images

    Chinatown beauty.
    California, 1975. (William Albert Allard)
    A trio of triplet policemen.
    New Jersey, 1981. (Michael S.Yamashita)
    Portrait of a horse wrangler.
    Montana, 1984. (Sam Abell)
    Wodaabe men preening for the ladies.
    Niger, 2008. (Mike Hettwer)
    A leopard seal greets underwater cameraman Göran Ehlmé.
    Antarctica, Anvers Island. (Paul Nicklen)


    The golden touch of Jane Goodall.
    Republic of Congo,1990. (Michael Nichols)
    Italy, 1994. (William Albert Allard)
    A blue button jellyfish.
    Hawaiian Islands, 2007. (David Liittschwager)
    Floating above the sky.
    Earth Orbit, 1965. (NASA)
    Dusting the sheep diorama in a sporting goods shop.
    Nebraska, 1995. (Joel Sartore)






    Customer Reviews


    This is an excellent book for people who love photography, travel & nature. It's a treat to see what a talented photographer can capture in the natural world. Who know how the pictures might be manipulated or "enhanced" in photoshop, but it doesn't matter. There are often times I'll see a perfect sunset, wild animals or other scenic beauty and be amazed. But the moment is gone so quickly. This book captures those images perfectly. This was given to many people over the holidays.


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