Book Description
An amazing (and some would say magical) resource on photographic lighting that has been talked about in the community and recommended for years. This highly respected guide has been thoroughly updated and revised for content and design - it is now produced in full color! It introduces a logical theory of photographic lighting so if you are starting out in photography you will learn how to predict results before setting up lights. This is not primarily a how-to book with only set examples for you to copy. Rather, Light: Science and Magic provides you with a comprehensive theory of the nature and principles of light to allow you to use lighting to express your own creativity.
Numerous photographs and illustrations provide clear examples of the theories, while sidebars highlight special lighting questions. Expanded chapters on available light in portraiture, as well as new information on digital equipment and terminology make this a must have update!
*New four color art package with contemporary lighting examples
*Based on the behaviour of light
*Theory book for serious photographers
Customer Reviews:
Learn What You Already Know, but Don't Know!.......2007-10-02
I sort of learned nothing from this book, but also learned EVERYTHING.
This book takes what I see everyday, but don't think about, then turns it into thought. I've always known that light reflects from things in three different ways, but that knowledge has sat unconsciously in my lower brain. My higher brain, which does shutter speed, depth of field, and f/stops, was oblivious. The book brings your two brains together!
Best Lighting Book I've Read.......2007-09-30
As a professional photographer and instructor, I've perused many books on photographic lighting, portrait lighting, etc. I say "perused" because most are complicated in the way they present their information, or, present examples that -while technically sound- are totally impractical for everyday use. So much so that I rarely buy them. This is understandable, as professional lighting is the single most difficult aspect of photography to grasp, let alone master. So explaining it isn't always easy, either.
This book -while it does use a bit of technical language- approaches each example in a very straightforward way, explaining when and where each technique is useful, how to perform each technique and even the troubles you're likely to encounter when you first attempt them. In short it's like someone is sitting there with you leading you through the logic of how the lighting works, and helping you to look out for the pitfalls. And while it's not that thick of a book, it is *dense* with information. There is much to absorb and learn, and frankly I've seen no other book that comes close in terms of making it a pleasure to learn.
This book will be a required text for any university classes I teach in the future.
The distiction between humans and apes.......2007-09-29
On the first day of his Physics 45 (i.e., photography) class, Ross Scroggs put a "rock" on his lecture table and told his students that this was an ax, one of the first human tools. He also told them that art, demonstrated in cave paintings, evolved simultaneously with tools. "I do not need to teach you art," he said, "because, if you are human, you will produce art as soon as you have the tools. I intend to give you the tools. I will not mind wasting my time with the overwhelming majority of apes in this class, because the handful of humans here will certainly listen to me and that makes it worth my time."
This book was originally developed by two students from the University where Scroggs taught, and he's the prominent dedicatee of the book. It's not my place to say they have delivered his promise, but read the other reviews of this book, written almost entirely by people who never knew Ross Scroggs, and look at the similarity between their descriptions of the book and Scroggs' promises.
Excellent title for learning lighting.......2007-09-27
This is a book that will teach you about light and how to apply it. It isn't meant for you to copy a setup to get similar results. It is an outstanding book that tells you why you put the lights in a particular position and why it works in one instance, but not another.
IMHO this is a easy to follow fun to read college course on lighting. If you are looking to improve your craft this is a must read. This is also a book in the reference library of the Certified Professional Photographers association and helps in preparing for their exam.
Totally theoretical and completely practical!.......2007-09-23
Everything in this book is so obviously true! But I can't believe I never saw it before!
I think this book achieves true mysticism in what it does to your brain, and I guess that's what the "magic" part of the title is about. Still, everything here is presented as solid technology: here's how light works, here's how it reflects off of different objects, now, go out and do something with this knowledge!
The fact that a metal object has the same brightness, regardless of the distance of the light, while everything else gets brighter or dimmer as the light gets closer or further away is hugely empowering. Think about that for a minute, folks: I can't move the sun, but I can change the lighting ratio by moving this camera I have in my hands.
This is the one and only classic book on this subject.
Book Description
This easy-to-use, inexpensive book introduces beginning picture takers and makers to the fundamentals of photography and suggests ways in which they might create photographs that have meaning.
Oriented toward traditional black and white photography, the book also explores digital techniques and web photography resources, equipment, cameras and camera accessories, the exposure and development of film, and the making and finishing of prints. All aspects of the process are explained and illustrated clearly in two-page spreads, each of which addresses a self-contained topic.
For people who don't know anything about photography and would like to learn, and for those who want to make better pictures than they already do.
Customer Reviews:
Good book, could use more focus.......2007-07-27
A fine intro primer on photographer, but I felt always on the edges of getting good information. Much better at technical stuff, skimps on the art of photography.
Very well done.......2007-06-02
I've found this book to be the most helpful both for novices and learning to take the more professional shots.
Detailed information, definitions and technical terms are not so overwhelming that it would dissuade the average novice, but at the same time, they are explained well enough to carry on a conversation at your local camera store.
Now I just have to sit down and read the whole thing and I will be truly enlightened, or at least exposed at the proper F-stop.
Book Description
"
Criticizing Photographs: An Introduction to Understanding Images is now in its third edition and it has become the standard in photo criticism and theory courses throughout the United States. The book contains an elegant pedagogical apparatus founded on the four critical activities that Terry Barrett so ably illuminates -- describing, interpreting, evaluating, and theorizing.
Moreover, Barrett's analytical categorization of photographs into ideal types including the aesthetically evaluative and the interpretive (to cite two examples) has provided readers with a highly original and useful way to think about how photographs are made to function in the world." Louis Kaplan, Southern Illinois University
Customer Reviews:
Goes on and on.......2006-04-30
Includes miles of intellectual blather. Fits well into sexually charged point of view of photography. Uses most horrific and grotesk as examples. On page 33 in third edition author mentions head decapitation as one photographer's "external" influences. Uses sexual pictures as examples. Generally a politically correct lightly negative type discourse on photography. I feel sorry for the students subjected to this pulp.
Excellent introduction........2004-10-15
Having never taken a course in art appreciation, I found this book to be an excellent introduction to interpreting photographic images. The comment above about this book serving as a framework is a good one. Essentially any photograph will fall into one of the categories, giving the viewer a frame of reference within which to interpret and appreciate the meaning of the work. It forces you to slow down and think about each photograph you encounter, ultimately enriching the viewing experience. I highly recommend it for photography aficionados and photographers alike.
Criticisng Criticism.......2002-06-11
A look at the subtitle to this book, "An Introduction to Understanding Images", might lead one to believe that it is about photographs and what makes them good or bad (or if there are such things as "good" and "bad" photographs). But instead it is about photographic criticism, primarily written. And even then it really doesn't tell you very much about how to write criticism yourself, or how to interpret what you read, or how to develop patterns of thought that would enable you to criticize in a useful fashion. Instead most of the book is concerned with the pigeon holes into which different kinds of photographic criticism can be put.
An unstated thesis of this book seems to be that the criticism of photographs is an art form itself. Certainly anyone who has read something like Walter Benjamin's "the Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction" might agree. But if it is an art, then it has both form and content, and any book claiming to teach one about the art (I almost said craft) had better address those points. To know that there are theoretical schools like Postmodernism or Feminist Theory is useful to those trying to organize photographic criticism and may be helpful to the photographic critic who is trying to decide what his own approach is, but knowing that these schools exist does not help a critic as much as a knowledge of how to look at a picture and organize a written commentary.
Fortunately, the book has a number of examples of written criticism, including several examples of different critics addressing the same picture. Unfortunately most of the criticism addresses the content of the photograph without considering how the form relates to the content or how, as Mark Schorer has said, technique leads to discovery. For example, Ansel Adams' photographs rely upon the range of light from the whitest whites to the blackest blacks to make their statements about the grandeur of the American wilderness. Unfortunately, nothing in this book considers photographic technique for the critic, although there are plenty of opportunities. For example, there is an ambiguous picture by Robert Doisneau taken in a Paris Café showing a younger women and an older man. The picture is grainy and the depth of field shows the women more sharply then the man. Both of these techniques should contribute to the possible interpretation of this photograph, and yet they are not mentioned.
I think the photo critic who wants to improve his art would be far better served by learning something about photography, and then reading actual criticism, like John Szarkowski's "Looking at Photographs". "Criticizing Photographs" should only be considered as a supplement to such studies.
useful and excellent book for students of photography.......2000-12-26
I have read Persian (Farsi) translation of the 2nd. edition of this book. Thanks to Mr. Barrett and the translators of the book. It helped me to understand how to criticize photographs and I found it a unique book in this field. After searching in Internet I found out that Mr. Barrett Has revised the book in ashort periodof time. I suggest, as a student of photography in university, to all studentd in the world to read the book. Again thanks to Mr. Barrett.
"It takes more time to make a picture than to appreciate it".......2000-11-21
This is an excellent book.
These are some questions the book deals about: How a photograph is made? What are its purposes? How should its context be considered? Was that photograph made or taken?
In this book several criteria (even opposite ones) about photographs are also analyzed and compared, leaving to the reader the decision about the one(s) to take. The process of understanding a photograph is not simple, but this book is a nice guide to follow.
At the end of the book, examples of reviews are included, as a reference not only for students, but also for the person who simply would want to talk about a photograph. Moreover, advice concerning the redaction is also given.
Book Description
If you are just starting to work with digital images and want great results fast, this complete, easy-to-follow guide is the one for you. As you take your first steps into the magical world of digital imaging, you'll rapidly gain mastery. Everything you need to make your once-in-a-lifetime photos look like a pro shot them is herewith real-life examples and hands-on projects from author and professional photographer Philip Andrews. Become skilled at how to capture superb images from the start as Philip guides you in plain-English through real-life examples.
Then get the most out of your digital camera with this thoroughly updated book on Elements 5.0. Its a snap to prepare your photos for email, your website, or top-quality printoutswhether your shots are from a digital or traditional camera. Packed with tips, hints, hundreds of visual examples, and step-by-step tutorials, this book shows you exactly how to:
Color-correct skin tones, isolate foreground subjects, extract people and objects from their backgrounds, create slide shows, fix red-eye, share images online, and more
* Create Album pages quickly and easily with new Elements 5.0 only features
* Create, customise and upload your own professionally produce web gallery in under 5 minutes
Create stunning effects with easy, step-by-step techniques to get results fast
Compose amazing panoramas, create slide shows, or design fun greeting cards
Print, back up, and organize your pictures for best results.
Achieve proficiency with techniques like selections and layers, text, and painting and drawing tools
Demystify all the new features in Elements 5.0 to fine-tune your photography, including Photo Creations and the Artwork and Effects palette, with essential new information on using Raw files
And much, much more.
If youre looking for a book written by a computer pro from a computer book company, this book isnt it. Written by a photographer for photographers, this book is for those who want to know the techniques that get results and can be put into practice immediately.
Full color, step-by-step projects walk you through how to transform your shots into professional images for everything from your family photo album, scrapbook pages to CD slide shows to business presentations and literature, restaurant menus, and more. You can even create posters for holidays and birthday parties.
Avid amateurs, family photographers, and small to medium-sized businesses or organizations that need to customize a message in collateral or websites rely on this essential book to learn how to transform photos into breathtaking results.
Hone your skills for professional-quality images with the associated website (www.guide2elements.com) that allows you to put each technique into practice with free images to edit and enhance as you follow step-by-step book projects. And theres more. printable lesson plans, useful links, video tutorials, and updates give you everything at your fingertips to get the best out of your digital camera and Elements 5.0. No more searching for an accompanying CD, as long as you are web connected, the resources and video tutorials are always available via the website no matter where you are.
* Save valuable time with this successful introduction to digital imaging written in Philips trademark no-nonsense style
* Fully updated to cover all the new Elements 5.0 features
* See how to put each technique into practice with real-life examples
* Be inspired with hundreds of full color, high-quality illustrations
Praise for previous editions of this title:
"With Philip providing you with such a good street index to our Photoshop Elements 3.0 software you will be creating fantastic digital images in next to no time at all."
Judith Salonga, Adobe Systems
"If you need to manipulate digital images this is the book that will not only show you what can be achieved but inspire you to develop your skills even further."
Computer Arts Special
"Whether you are into manipulating photographs, wishing to build better websites or produce better looking prints, this book will help you to master all the necessary tools contained in the program. The learning curve just got shallower!"
Martin Evening
"Philip Andrews' knowledge and enthusiasm shines through."
Royal Photographic Society Journal
* Save valuable time with this successful introduction to digital imaging written in Philip's trademark no-nonsense style
* Fully updated to cover all the new Elements 5.0 features
* See how to put each technique into practice with real-life examples
* Be inspired with hundreds of full color, high-quality illustrations
Customer Reviews:
dont waste your time..........2007-09-19
I am new to elements and I needed a guide to learn all the ins and outs of the software. This book is not it. I cant tell you who the target audience is but it is not the novice user. There are NO clear instructions in this book, just a lot of verbage from a guy who wanted to fill pages.
Adobe Photoshop Elements 5.0: A visual introduction to digital photography.......2007-07-07
This is the latest of Philip Andrew's series of books covering Photoshop Elements, now at Version 5, and fully updated, is aimed at those who are new to digital imaging and the software. One of the many strengths of the book is its "backward compatibility"; that is to say, you can use this book, even if you have a previous version of the software. This is achieved by stating clearly at the start of each section what the commands are for versions 1 through to 5. The book is divided into15 Chapters, covering everything from an overview of digital imaging and the software to creating a web photo gallery. In between each of the following topics and more is covered: Getting your pictures into Elements, tonal control, retouching techniques, making and using selections, organising your photos with tags, understanding and using layers, working with text, using painting tools, creating panoramas, preparing images for the web and printing, making creations. A further Chapter contains 12 "real world" projects that can be followed step-by-step to further hone your skills. There is also a useful companion website where there are further downloadable resources and all the photos used in the book are available to download and practice on. In summary, this is an excellent book that I commend to anyone interested in getting the most from the software. Philip Andrews has a clear, concise and easy style, and manages to explain complex terms in an easy to understand way. This, combined with great full colour screen shots and clear step-by-step instructions makes this a must for any Photoshop Elements user.
Photo-Shop Elements.......2007-04-12
I started wioth Photoshop Element version onme and have updated ever since tom the newest version.
I have found Photoshop CS too expensive and too much info for what I need as a photograopher.
Therefore Photoshop Elements is just the right product for me.
Definitely NOT a tutorial.......2007-01-27
If you learn by doing, this book is not for you. I have recently gone from PSE 2.0 to PSE 5.0 and really needed to learn the new features. When I bought PSE 2.0, I also bought "50 Fast Digital Photo Techniques". It was a wonderful book. It included a CD of photos used by the book, so the reader could start with the original photo and follow the book step-by-step to end up with the final image. The book showed the "before" and "after" and all of the steps in between. That is what I had in mind when I purchased this book. What a letdown. Some of the sample pictures that this book uses are available at their website, but the book does not indicate when to use their picture and specifically which sliders to manipulate and to what value to obtain the final result. So it does little more than explain what each of the features do. You can sit on your couch and read it. No `real-world' applications. Don't waste your money on this one.
My first Elements Book.......2007-01-20
Having jumped directly from Elememts 2.0 to Elements 5, I decided to seek professional help on getting maximum usage from the program. My purpose is scanning 35mm slides and enhancing them along with digital images. I shopped and read many portions of various Elements 5 books and decided that Philip Andrews was talking to me so I bought this edition from Amazon.com. I now have better results and a better workflow for digital capture and editing. Mr. Andrew's explanations and particularly the advise on 16 bit vs 8 bit images has helped the quality of my images and my hobby enjoyment as well.
Book Description
Photography: A Critical Introduction retains its position as the first introductory textbook to examine the key debates in photographic theory and place them in their social and political contexts. It thus uniquely integrates photographic theory with photographic history and critically engages with debates about the nature of photographic seeing. This completely revised and updated third edition retains the thematic structure and text features of previous editions but also expands coverage on photojournalism and digital imaging. It will be essential reading for those interested in photography, graphics, fine art, art and design history, journalism, media studies, communication and cultural studies.
Especially designed to be accessible and user-friendly, it includes:
· Key concepts, short biographies of major thinkers and seminal references
· Updated international and contemporary case studies and examples
· A full glossary of terms and a comprehensive bibliography
· Resource information, including guides to public archives and useful websites
Lavishly illustrated with 100 black and white photographs and 16 pages of color plates, it includes images from Bill Brandt, Susan Derges, Rineke Dijkstra, Lee Friedlander, Fran Herbello, Hannah Höch, Dorothea Lange, Lee Miller, Martin Parr, Ingrid Pollard, Jacob Riis, Alexander Rodchenko, Sebastiao Salgado, Andres Serrano.
Customer Reviews:
An absolute MUST for photographers and artists working in photography.......2007-08-30
This book should be required for all photo students and art history and criticism students. I found the writing incredibly reader-friendly, though it helps to have an art or photo background already - this book does read like a textbook (because it is one!) but this is to its credit as it is incredibly organized, clear, and informative as an overview of photo criticism. One of the best features is that it includes detailed bibliographies at the end of each chapter, faithfully cites sources, and has side notes in the margins citing sources for further reading and adding more information, explanations, or qualifiers to the general discussion (the margins are great for writing your own notes, too). It does NOT have extensive illustrations - so do not buy this book for the images. However, the author explains in the introduction that she did not include so many except to clearly illustrate the text where needed in order to keep the cost of the book affordable. I feel that she made good choices in imagery and that there are plenty to support the text. I am starting a graduate program in visual and critical studies and work in photography, and I am sure I will use this critical introduction as a reference again and again, especially to find sources for research. I plan on buying the Photography Reader by Liz Wells as soon as I am able to.
Boring, but Useful for a Photographer.......2007-07-26
This review is aimed at photographers and not social scientists or philosophers.
Photographers are often like the allegorical blind men, each of whom examined a different part of an elephant with his hands and then concluded that the elephant was a snake, or a leaf, or a tree. Photographers tend to see the world of photography through their own viewfinders without stepping back and looking at all of photography, even though doing so might provide new insights in handling what they see in their viewfinder.
This book is a textbook that examines photography not from the point of technique, or learning how to read a photograph, but from the point of view of the social sciences and philosophy. It is primarily aimed at British society, but its lessons are applicable anywhere pictures are made. Many photographers will recognize the discussion of the truth of digital photography as opposed to film photography, but I wonder how many have considered how family photographs may actually shape family dynamics.
The book is divided into several chapters that are neither all inclusive nor exclusive. There is a general discussion of photography debates over time (e.g., "Is it Art"?), and then the book focuses on particular areas, including documentary, popular, body, advertising and fine art photography. It finishes with a chapter on electronic imaging.
The authors often describe movements historically, with a general recap of the main points of each issue (is photography by its use or nature demeaning to women?) but seldom go to the point of showing enough pictures and explaining them to prove either side of an argument. Instead they provide references and footnotes in the margins and leave it up to the reader to further explore the question. At the same time, some of the ideas, even though self-evident upon deep consideration, are provocative. For instance, the authors suggest that the fact that "private photography has become family photography is itself an indication of the domestication of everyday life...." What implications does this have for photography in today's multi-married, multi-divorced society? Often the discussions reverse on themselves, repeat ideas and jump backwards and forwards in time. Some readers may find the jargon of semiotics and deconstruction off-putting. The book is boring.
And yet a photographer cannot escape being humbled by realizing that the photography that he deals with is just one little corner of a wider universe, and humility may be good for a photographer. This volume may contain more intellectualizing then some photographers may be willing to tolerate, but even at the risk of being bored, a photographer may benefit from understanding the larger context of his or her work.
Excellent choice for Visual Artists contemplating photography as a medium of expression.......2006-01-15
As a Visual Arts student coming to terms with the whole conceptual ideology in contemporary art, I found this book an excellent choice for delving into the theoretical side of contemporary photgraphy. This book is definitely not bedtime reading. Trust me, I tried it and kept myself awake! There is also an excellent reference to archives, journals and other books to peruse. I found the book easy to understand and has helped me immensely in my quest to understand what constitutes Visual Art in current times. An excellent choice for all those contemplating a Visual Arts career using photographic images
A highly academic book.......2004-10-11
The other reviewers have hit the high points. This book is dry, lacks illustration, is academic and difficult to read. The writing style is highly academic with major points all but hidden in convoluted sentences. To complicate matters the chapters are written by different authors so the writing styles vary. There is much to be learned from this book but as the other reviewers have pointed out, it will be a painful process.
More academic than practical.......2002-03-11
"Photography: A Critical Introduction" offers decent insight into some ideas and theories surrounding the new instrument of art, the camera. It should be noted that very few photos or examples are used in the book, and this absence definitely accounts for the book's partly dry flavor. "Photography" is probably less appropriate for hobbyists and more so for academics, but none the less remains a worthwhile read for those ready to sit down and study.
Book Description
Unique in approach, this is the first introduction to digital photography written specifically for beginning photographers. Using a photographer's perspective, it shows users how digital photography relates to traditional photography, how it can improve traditional picture-making, and how it diverges from traditional photography to open up new avenues for creative growth.
The volume covers digital imaging, image capture and storage, basic and more advanced editing, digital printing and electronic publishing and more.
For amateur and professional photographers.
Customer Reviews:
Digital Photography.......2005-10-05
The book, Introduction to Digital Photography (2nd edition) by Joseph Ciaglia, is very helpful to those who are just begining to enter the digital world. If one already knows alot about digital photography, than this book is a great referrence to look up any questions.
This is great book as a reference tool........2005-01-06
I found this in the Library at the college. After taking a photoshop 1 & 2, this book helped solidify the things I learned and then some. I liked his writing style, he communicates very well. I think he did a better job of explaining things than my professor. Good book.
Book Description
Photographs are an integral part of our daily lives from sensationalist images in tabloid papers and snapshots, to art photograpy displayed in galleries and sold through international art markets. In this thought-provoking exploration of the subject, Edwards combines a sense of the historical development of photography with an analysis of its purpose and meaning within a wider cultural context. He interrogates the way we look and think about photographs, and considers such issues as truth and recording, objectivity and fine art, identity and memory.
Average customer rating:
- Truely an excellent introduction to lighting.
- Puts principles of photographic studio lighting into focus.
- This book pulled together what I knew and filled the gaps
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Light: Science & Magic : An Introduction to Photographic Lighting
Fil Hunter , and
Paul Fuqua
Manufacturer: Focal Pr
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Master Lighting Guide for Portrait Photographers
ASIN: 0240517962 |
Customer Reviews:
Truely an excellent introduction to lighting........1999-08-22
Light Science & Magic is an excellent introduction to photograpic lighting. The book covers the use of light, shadow, and exposure to aid the photographer in developing images that convey his or her vision of the subject. It also provides a good discription of lighting equipment.
Puts principles of photographic studio lighting into focus........1997-11-23
Studio lighting 101 might best describe a book which explains principles and properties of light as well as its actual applications in studio situations. Do you wonder how to get rid of reflections or shadows in photos? Once you understand the science of why those shadows exist, you have the mental tools needed to become the creator of your photo images instead of a flash slave.
This book pulled together what I knew and filled the gaps.......1996-07-04
I've been photographing informally, or at least without training,
for about 30 years now. In that time I've done a lot of portrait
work, and learned a thing or two about lighting. A friend gave
me this book, and it's been EXTREMELY useful in pulling together
all the things I knew and showing me how they relate to each other,
and filling in the gaps.
I hadn't really thought about *textbooks*
for photography before -- as I said, I haven't had any formal training
in the field. The books I see in bookstores are too elementary and
too unfocused for me; and I don't see tham as good for a beginner
starting out, either. But finding some real textbooks that go into
depth about particular parts of the field is an eye-opener for me.
My photos are better for it -- especially studio portraits and
the still-lifes I did for a wine book last year (Terry Garey, _The Joy
of Home Winemaking_, AVON). See other photos at http://www.ddb.com/photo.
Average customer rating:
- The Circle of Life
- Misguided text
- Stunning photography, great depth of feeling.
|
The Circle of Life: Rituals from the Human Family Album (Introduction By Gabriel Garcia Marquez)
Manufacturer: HarperOne
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Binding: Hardcover
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Customer Reviews:
The Circle of Life.......2005-10-04
I shopped a long time to locate this publication. It is worth the cost and the wait. For anyone wishing for a glimpse of different cultural rituals of family, this is a must have for your collection.
Misguided text.......2005-08-19
Sure, the photographs look nice on big glossy oversized spreads... But I have to consider the message of the book, as loosely given in the text that introduces, accompanies, and then summarizes this collection of photos. Although the book will likely impress and inform readers about cultural diversity, unfortunately the text tries to claim how amazingly similar all these patterns are. It tries at every turn to introduce mystical elements and bases this whole approach on an interpretation of psychologist Carl Jung's conception of archetypes and the "collective unconscious." It is really too bad that the editor and commenters were so limited in their approach - tending toward the poetic rather than the analytic - for this book could have served as an introduction to the principles of cultural diffusion, history, culture areas, and other anthropological and sociological concepts and principles. Instead of looking at how the people of Madagascar had travelled from Southeast Asia, or (sometimes forceful) patterns in the spread of the "world religions" caused replacement or hybridization with traditional religions, or how the similarities in indiginous religions are rooted in the similar levels of technology and societal size/type (foragers, horticulturalists, agriculturalists, etc.); this book instead would suggest that similarities between its hand-picked photographs are supposed to show the existence of either God or a collective unconscious. It would have helped for the book to provide a clear definition of the "collective unconscious" that can actually fit in with modern understandings of cultural diffusion, memetics, social systems and cultural evolution. But it didn't; and so there was a large opportunity missed to reveal one of the truly remarkable cultural advances of modern times; that of rational and cumulative scientific endeavors. This book will instead only impress with the proneness of humanity to cling to the irrational. Instead of just a couple of quotes from Jung and Joseph Campbell, this book desperately needs quotations from Freud and Durkheim! Instead, this large tome addresses things at the same level as your average travelogue tv show. It whets the appetite and even feeds you a bit, but the "food" turns out to be candy rather than meat.
Stunning photography, great depth of feeling........1999-08-11
This book deals with "the big picture". I got a sense of viewing customs through time. The many cultures shown are contrasted in an exciting way. Stunning photographs showing rituals surrounding birth, death, marriage, etc. are accompanied by intelligent, inspiring copy. A beautiful and thought provoking book.
Book Description
This complete and easy-to-follow introduction to Adobe Photoshop Elements has been updated throughout to show all the new features of version 3.0 including Photo Browser, Quick Fix Editor, Photo Creations Projects, the integrated RAW file editor and 16 bit editing support.
Philip Andrews in his clear, no-nonsense style sets the package in the broader context of digital imaging. Far more than just an introduction to the software package, 'Adobe Photoshop Elements' gives you all you need to know to achieve professional looking results. Fine tune your skills with the associated website: www.guide2elements which includes many images featured in the book for download; printable lesson plans for teachers as well as useful links and updates.
* Save valuable time with this successful, jargon-free introduction to digital imaging
* Put technique into practice using real life examples, all fully updated to cover the new Elements 3.0 features
* Full color, inspirational illustrations show what can be achieved
Customer Reviews:
Gurus and other Species.......2005-11-30
Since there are a myriad of how to books on Adobe's Photoshop and its less intimitating sibling Elements 3.0, its no easy feat to pick the book that does the job for you, without ending up buying a whole library on just the one subject.
This book by Philip Andrews is a very thorough introduction to the workings and mastery of Photoshop Elements. I, for one wanted a book on the subject written by a photographer, not some techie or selfproclaimed Photoshop guru. That said, this book is aimed at photographers at all levels, but doesn't deal with the fundamentals of photography. So it is not an introduction to digital photograpy, but to editing, tweaking and enhancing your photographs once they are on your hard disk drive.
The appeal of this book is based on its attractive layout and visualizations, printed on a nice stock of paper. I am very happy with this book, but I would not have expected anything less from such a prestigious publisher in the fields of photography and cinematography. So by now, I can rightly proclaim myself a Photoshop guru, even though only in Elements (but I don't have to mention that).
Not much about Layers.......2005-11-27
I bought this book with hope of help with creating layers.....not much help. The book is in a good format and has lots of info....just not what I was looking for.
not for the ignorant!.......2005-08-13
This is a typical book written by experts for other experts. I'm sure many readers will be like me: amateurs who need help in some of the basic techniques for digital imaging. This book does not provide that.
I bought it basically to help with the use of layers to produce multiple images. In spite of reading and re-reading the relevant sections, I still have not managed to do just that. Perhaps it's me, but the fact that I have not succeeded suggests that the book fails in its primary object - to help the reader.
Not enough info on photo browser and related info.......2005-07-07
The author does a good job teaching Elements 3.0 using text and graphics.
In all, this book appears to be a good read for the first time Elements user. I have used Elements 1 and 2.
As a long time photographer, I have >8,000 digicam photos that I need to preserve, catalog, and search. From my casual reading here and there, the PSE3 seemed to fit my needs well. However, the book did not spend much time elaborating how a photographer would maintain his library, including backups, etc.
In short, if you are interested in learning how to touch up photos, this book is good. If you are more interested in maintaining your larger image collection, this book was light on the topic.
Best book out there will sound cliche but it is..........2005-05-23
First, I am surprised nobody wrote a review for this book up to now. I know there are so many books like this but anyone, who is looking for an easy to read book with a large coverage and printed not in the boring black and white but in full color, would not possibly miss this book.
I own Adobe Photoshop Elements 2.0 and How to Do Everything with Adobe Photoshop Elements 2.0. When I bought Elements 3.0, I wanted to buy a good book to tell me how to do things with this version and I wanted something colored and easy to understand. I hate long and tiring b/w books that "tell" you all those complicated instructions instead of just showing them with a couple of well designed illustrations. I own by the way two digital cameras, Sony DSC-W1 and Canon D-SLR 20, both are the best cameras I ever owned.
When I went to the local Barnes and Noble, I probably reviewed 15 books on Elements 3.0 for hours and this book beat all the others by a landslide. I bought it on the spot without thinking twice.
I like it so much that I started reading the book from cover to cover, something I never did with a book like this. The instructions are clear; there are pictures and diagrams on every single page that make it so easy to understand what is being explained.
If you are looking for a book that will give you almost anything you will need to use Elements 3.0, buy this book and look no further. I am 100 per cent sure you will be satisfied with this purchase.
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