Photo Book
Reviews
Alphabetized by Title
| A-Ad | Ad-An | Ar-Au | B | C-
| A-Ad |
Ad-An | Ar-Au |
B | C- Co |
Co-Cr | D-Di
| Di- Dy | E
| F | G |
H-Hi |
| Hi-Ho | I-J
| K-L | L(2) M |
N | O |
P-Ph | Ph
| Ph(2) |
Ph(3) | Ph(4)- Pr |
Q-R |
|S-Sp | Sp-Su
| T | UV |
W | XYZ |
Apogee Photo Home Page
All Reviews are by Paul W Faust unless otherwise noted as Michael Fulks (MF)
and Elizabeth Powis (EP).
To purchase any book or to find out pricing information, click
on any of the book images.
Click on the above image to find out current pricing or
to purchase this book from Amazon.com |
Photos with IMPACT
by Tom Mackie
This is another one of
those books from “across the pond,” as they say. One thing that means is that
you do not get all of the “shot a million times” locations from in the USA.
Photos with Impact would make another great coffee table book even though it is
a soft cover, and 9.5 x 10 inches in size. It has over 200 stunning color
photos, including some side-by-side comparisons of what different camera angles,
and lens choices will give you. Each image is accompanied with the tech info on
the camera, lens, and film used, and how and why it was shot the way it was.
This is one more book that is going on my coffee table. It is distributed in the
US
by F&W Publications,
http://www.fwpublications.com/ and retails for $24.99-US.
I rate it: A++
(Reviewed Oct. 2004)
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Pinhole Photography, Rediscovering a
Historic Technique, by Eric Renner
Pinhole Photography is a super
new book for anyone wanting to learn, or better use this age- old
technique. This book is both a how-to that will teach newcomers how
to create their first pinhole images, and a history lesson on how it
was created and first used as far back as 1583. Pinhole photography
is a whole art form in itself, and involves a lot more than just
punching a hole in a box. The book is filled with charts, and lists
of what you will need, and info on how to use them. This is by far
the best book I have seen on this technique and it will probably be
worn out real fast once you see what you can learn from it. It is
a soft cover, with 272 pages, 8.5x11, retails for US$39.95 and
published by Focal Press. Check it out at
www.focalpress.com
I Rate it: A+ (Reviewed June 2005) |
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Plastic Cameras, Toying with
Creativity
by Michelle BatesSpeaking of
Holgas, here is a book all about using "toy" cameras such as the
Holga, Diana and others. These cameras give photographers an
opportunity experiment, create and innovate without the use of
expensive and technical equipment. In short, as the author says in
her introduction, they "give photographers permission to immerse
themselves in the joy of photography without the stress of having to
have the latest and most complex, expensive equipment."
The book is full of instructions on how to
optimize your camera for the best results. It also gives the reader
a glimpse, through many illustrations, of what can be done with
these wonderful, inexpensive medium-format cameras. Approximately 30
contributors are included representing the worlds of fine art,
commercial, fashion, documentary, photojournalism, and portraiture.
This softcover book is 7.2 x 8.4inches and
240 pages. It retails for $29.95 and is distributed by Focal Press.
www.focalpress.com
I rate it: A++ (MF)
(Reviewed November, 2006)
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Plateau Province, A High Desert
Portfolio,
by Tom TillI don’t know of a
single photographer who has not shot a good amount of landscape
images, and I’d also say that most of them would find it a dream
come true to have their work published in a magnificent picture book
- the kind that anyone would want to have laying out on their coffee
table. Picture books come a dime a dozen, but truly beautiful coffee
table photography books are very hard to come by. I said all of
that to tell you about Plateau Province, A High Desert
Portfolio, by Tom Till. This new book is a collection of 135
color images, an essay on desert photography, techniques, equipment,
and how the images were made. This hardback book is 10x13 inches,
with every full-page image a huge beautiful picture. Some of them,
like the one on the cover, are also two-page spreads. If you would
like to see the true beauty of the American southwest at its best,
this is the book to get. It is one of the very best picture books I
have ever reviewed.
Plateau Province retails for US$49.95, has 176 pages, and can be
ordered from Tom Till’s web site at;
http://www.tomtill.com/
I Rate it: A++++ (Reviewed Feb. 2005)
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Playboy 50 Years - The Photographs with
text by James R. Petersen
This is the story of Playboy and its photo
history for the first 50 years. This is not just playmate images,
but just about every major lifestyle subject the magazine covered,
including fashion, and art. The print quality and writing is as
would be expected from this classic publication, and it will make a
great addition to your photo library.
This hardback book is about 9x12 inch, with
240 pages and retails for only US$50.00. Distributed by Chronicle
Books at:
www.chroniclebooks.com
I Rate it: A (Reviewed Oct. 2005) |
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Playboy – Helmut Newton
This
collection of 160 pictorial images created by Newton for Playboy
magazine over the 30 years period that he photographed the magazine
is a great addition to the library of those who collect nude
photography books. The images are the typical Newton style that both
shocked and inspired many a reader, and all are printed at the best
quality you will find in a printed book.
This hardback book is about 9x12 inches, with 176 pages, retails for
US$40.00 – and is distributed by Chronicle Books at
www.chroniclebooks.com
I Rate it: A
(Reviewed Jan. 2006)
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Portraits of America
by William Albert Allard
The only way I can think of to describe this great documentary book
is to say that if you got in your car and went out looking for the
“real” America, the images in this book are what you would find.
From cowboys riding the range in a snow storm, to a young boy
preparing to fish off of a pier, from a pre-game (baseball) wedding
shot, to a prison cotton farm, this book shows America in all of its
forms and styles. The book is divided into 9 sections that cover the
years from 1964 until 1998, starting with the life of the Amish, and
ending with the life lived in the rodeo. Each section begins with
several pages of descriptive text and ends with a gallery of images
from that area of life. An excellent book of true Americana!
This hardback book is over 9x12 inches, with 216 pages and retails
for US$35.
I rate it: A+ (Reviewed May 2006) |
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Practical
Color Management
by Eddie Tapp
Even before you start to make all of the needed corrections to your
image files, you have to make sure that the colors of your result
come out the way you intended. That is done by first setting up the
color management tools that came with your software and/or operating
system. This book covers how color works in the digital world, what
it takes to manage it correctly (with all of its options), and how
to do it all correctly. It is all covered in easy to understand,
step-by-step, and fully illustrated lessons, and it is a subject
that digital users cannot afford to ignore if they want to end up
with any kind of presentable images. Here is the book that will take
care of all of those matters.
This soft cover book is about 8x10 inches, with 150 pages, retails
for US$29.99 - and is published by O’Reilly Media and can be checked
out at
www.oreilly.com
I Rate it: A+ (PF)
(Reviewed April 2007) |
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The Practical Zone System
for Film and Digital Photographers
by Chris Johnson
I have found this new book on the zone system to be one of the best
I have seen so far, and as an added bonus, it is even easy to
understand. It will teach you how to pre-visualize an image to get
the results you want on film or digitally, so that you can get the
kind of prints you want from each. I have usually tried to stay away
from the complicacies of the zone system even though it is the best
way to get the best images, but from what I have seen in this new
book, I will be starting to use its techniques a lot more often
until it is all I work with.
This soft cover book is about 7x10 inches, with 284 pages, retails
for US$29.95 and is distributed by Focal Press at
www.focalpress.com
I Rate it: A+(PWF)
(Reviewed November, 2006) |
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Preventive Photoshop
Take the Best Digital Photographs Now for Better Images Later
by Douglas Ford Rea
This new Photoshop book is all about setting up and managing your
Photoshop workstation and how to do it to get the best results
later, instead of how to use Photoshop. Although it is nice and
concise, and leads you through from start to finish, I do not find
much of anything in it that you can not find in many other such
books on digital workflow, and I also find the price to be a bit
much for such a small book. To me it just doesn’t really live up to
it’s title.
This soft cover book is about 8x9 inches, with 160 pages,
retails for US$39.99 – and is distributed by Peach Pit Press at
www.peachpit.com
I Rate it: B (Reviewed Feb. 2007) |
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Primal Images: 100 Lumen
Prints of Amazonia Flora
by Jerry Burchfield
This entire book is a collection of photograms from the Amazon, but
they are probably not like any photograms that you have ever seen
before. To create these, Burchfield placed plant cuttings directly
onto aged black-and-white photographic paper that he secured to the
deck of his Amazon boat. He then let sunlight, rain, temperature,
and each plant’s inherent moisture and chemistry, among other
factors, play out freely in prolonged exposures. The results are
unlike any other you will find in any book. This book will be of
interest to conservationists and art photographers alike.
This hardback book is about 9x11 inches, with 144 pages, retails
for US$50.00 – and is published in association with Laguna
Wilderness Press Distributed for the Center for American Places, and
distributed by University of Chicago Press at:
www.press.uchicago.edu
I Rate it: A
(Reviewed Sept. 2006)
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Click on the above image to find out current pricing or
to purchase this book from Amazon.com |
Print Making in the Sun
by Dan Welden & Pauline Muir
This is a great guide book for any photographer who would like
to try new ways to present their work, and it can all be done without a darkroom.
Its 144 pages cover all sorts of printing methods including photogravure,
etchings, as well as many others, and it shows how they can be done with simple to use items. You can even make
your solarplates right in your own back yard with sunlight to expose them. You
can use your own photo images, hand drawn designs, or physical items, like you
would with photograms. Every technique is fully covered, including supply
lists. Combine techniques and you will never be without images to create. These
processes will also be great for the whole family to work on, and for making
Christmas, and other gift items. This 8.5 x 10.5 inch soft cover book is also
from http://www.watsonguptill.com/
and retails for $29.95-US .
I rate it: A+++
(Reviewed Oct. 2004)
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Professional Photography/Photographing
Buildings
by David Wilson
This collection of images and
advice from leading architectural photographers includes tips on
composition and lighting, creative angles for interiors, and even
marketing your images. It is full of great B&W and color
illustrations from full room shots to details of interior decor
items. This is one of the better books I have seen on architectural
photography, especially for anyone interesting in this kind of work.
You will get and learn a lot for your money. The book is 9x10
inches, with 144 soft cover pages, and retails for US$35.00.
I rate it: A (Reviewed April 2005)
Both of these books are available
from RockPort at:
www.rockpub.com
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Professional Secrets of Nature Photography,
by Judy Holmes
Professional Secrets is another
Amherst Media book that gives you the essential techniques for
photographing outdoors. Learn all of the techniques used by
professional photographers to capture those great outdoor images
from bugs to mountains. Learn how to handle difficult lighting
situations, manipulate exposure for special subjects, combining sun
and flash, and much more. This book is richly illustrated with full
color images that also include before and after shots. It is a
8.5x11 inch soft cover book with 123 pages and retails for
US$29.95 Published by Amherst Books, it can be ordered from
www.amherstmedia.com
I rate it: A (Reviewed July 2005)
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Profitable Photography In
The Digital
Age: Strategies for Success
by Dan Heller
If you are planning to start, or are starting a new photo business,
here is a book you should read first. It is a great packet of
information on what to expect, and look out for, when starting a new
photo business, and it could save you a lot of time and money in the
future of that business. Beginners and existing business owners will
learn a lot from this new book, and it can even help you build that
business with useful sales and marketing information. This is one of
those books that you can use now to learn business facts ahead of
time, instead of after it is too late.
This soft cover book is about 6x9 inches, with 230 pages,
retails for US$24.95 – and is published by Allworth Press at
www.allworth.com
I Rate it: A (Reviewed Feb.
2007) |
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