MBR: The Photography Shelf
Midwest Book Review
Picture Taker
Ken Elkins
University of Alabama Press
Box 870380, Tuscaloosa, AL 35487-0380
0817314784 $35.00 www.uapress.ua.edu
Photojournalists abound, but Ken Elkins stands out from the crowd: he
retired in 2000 and is still taking pictures, as chief photographer for
the Anniston Star. PICTURE TAKER gathers photos celebrating his 42-year
career, presenting a hundred black and white photos from his many
images. Many of the rural scenes he's captured are gone, so PICTURE
TAKER celebrates more than Elkins: it captures a bygone world and
provides many portraits of rural folk and regions which have changed.
Elkins focused on his native Alabama, capturing mostly the poor:
PICTURE TAKER: PHOTOGRAPHS BY KEN ELKINS pays tribute to these people
as much as to Elkins' talents.
Wood, Wind and Water
Anne T. Converse & Carolyn M. Ford
Anne Converse Photography
Box 209, Marion, MA 02738
0971403007 $55.00 www.annetconverse.com
One of the most beautiful photography books covering sailing and
boating remains a unique classic deserving of ongoing mention and
recommendation even several years after its publication. The Opera
House Cup Race is one of the best classic yacht regattas, and Anne T.
Converse's lovely photos capture the highlights in WOOD, WIND AND
WATER: A STORY OF THE OPERA HOUSE CUP RACE OF NANTUCKET. Full-page
color photos in an oversized presentation provide the dramatic action
of the race in full swing, while Carolyn M. Ford synthesizes the peak
moments of several years into a single tribute. An outstanding
presentation deserves ongoing recommendation for both art and nautical
collections.
Amphoto
Watson Guptill Publications
770 Broadway, New York NY 10003
www.watsonguptill.com
Two lovely photographic collections are recommended picks for any
collection gathering photos of nudes. Pascal Baetens' HEAVENLY BEAUTIES
(0917439838, $40.00) presents the Belgian photographer's nudes: though
Baeten also produces in portrait and fashion photography, the narrowed
focus on his black and white nudes provides a focus on techniques and
subtleties of both indoor and outdoor nude portraits. Petter Hegre's
100 NAKED GIRLS (0817452974, $40.00) provides his sixth book of photos
and continues to develop the photographer's 'new nudes' style: real
people captured in color in authentic situations. In avoiding the usual
Hollywood image in favor of authenticity, these nudes stand out for
strikingly different approaches and poses. Very highly recommended: an
exceptional production and a 'must' for any serious college-level
photography or art school collection.
Walking the Bible: A Photographic Journey
Bruce Feiler
William Morrow
10 E. 53rd St., New York NY 10022
0060799048 $32.50 www.harpercollins.com
WALKING THE BIBLE: A PHOTOGRAPHIC JOURNEY could also have been featured
in our Spirituality section: it's reviewed here for its striking photo
impact so that artists don't miss the value of its presentation. It's a
companion volume to the new PBS series on its way: in 2004 Feiler
reprised the 10,000 mile walk through the Middle East deserts which led
to his WALKING THE BIBLE. This photographic odyssey blends stunning
photos - many taken by Feiler - with a survey of Biblical places
and landscapes. A striking visual panorama, not to be missed.
Sybex
1151 Marina Village Parkway, Alameda, CA 94501
www.sybex.com
Two excellent Photoshop guides are reviewed here rather than in our
'Computer' section for their exceptionally strong links between
photography and computer manipulation. Start with Ellen Anon and Tim
Grey's PHOTOSHOP FOR NATURE PHOTOGRAPHERS (0782144276, $49.99): it
provides a workbook approach for photographers which tell how to
optimize an image in camera, then how to use Photoshop to tweak and
refine that image. The narrowed emphasis on nature photographer allows
for customization of light, patterns, special effects and explores
which are usual nature photo challenges. Tim Grey's PHOTOSHOP CS2
WORKFLOW: THE DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHER'S GUIDE (0782143962, $39.99) helps
photographers establish a workflow complimentary to using Photoshop in
efforts. For many the process of image manipulation on the computer
overshadows the actual photographic capture itself: PHOTOSHOP CS2
WORKFLOW tells how to prioritize image optimization processes, how to
organize and sort digital images, and how to use Photoshop's advanced
features quickly and efficiently. Both are highly recommended
photography tools any Photoshop owner should have at hand.
Amherst Media
Box 586, Buffalo, NY 14226
www.AmherstMedia.com
Professionals needing tips to enhance photographic efforts as well as
those entering the world of professional production will find these
excellent new Amherst Media titles provide important tips from
real-life situations. Kevin Kubota's DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY BOOT CAMP: A
STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE FOR PROFESSIONALS (1584281693, $34.95) comes packed
with instructions on everything from working with digital images and
maximizing camera settings based on a camera's unique attributes to
retouching, image enhancements, and presenting images to maximum
professional advantage for sales. Packed with not only color photo
examples but color screen shots, DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY BOOT CAMP covers
all the basics - and streamlines them. Bill Hurter's BEST OF
PHOTOGRAPHIC LIGHTING (1584281685, $34.95) covers all the basics of
light and how it affects photography. From selecting artificial lights
and modifiers to working with natural light and window light, both
indoor and outdoor lights and setups for adding color and dimension are
covered, with examples in full color from a wide range of
photographers. Diagrams of light projection blend with color image
examples - some full-page - and many specific tips. Supplement this
with Bill Hurter's GROUP PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHY HANDBOOK (1584281596,
$34.95), which narrows the focus to the special demands a group
portrait requires. Images from over forty top portrait photographers
also enhance this presentation of techniques that digital and film
photographers alike can use. From using levels to pose large groups to
coordinating apparel and posing special groups, there are plenty of
insights. Speaking of posing, two guides cover this topic exclusively.
Norman Phillips' PROFESSIONAL POSING TECHNIQUES FOR WEDDING AND
PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHERS (1584281707, $34.95) shows how to pose men,
women and children alike, focusing on the shared goals of a good pose
and discussing what sets a good pose apart from a bad one. From
standing, seated and floor poses to resolving common posing problems,
it's packed with plenty of color photo examples. Bill Hurter's PORTRAIT
PHOTOGRAPHER'S GUIDE TO POSING (158428126X, $29.95) talks about
'cutting edge' posing, reviewing the basics and then going on to tell
how to choose a pose which will best flatter the client. Well over a
hundred color images demonstrate these 'beyond the ordinary' pose
choices in action, featuring techniques for all types of portraiture
and including details n corrective posing. All are very basic
references any professional photographer or aspiring pro needs to have.
Pose them then sell 'em with the aid of Jeff and Kathleen Hawkins'
PROFESSIONAL MARKETING & SELLING TECHNIQUES FOR DIGITAL WEDDING
PHOTOGRAPHERS (1584281804, $34.95), which appears in its second updated
edition to cover all the basics of selling wedding photos, from
identifying a target market and a specific demographic within that
market to using bridal shows, networking, and internet marketing
techniques to best advantage. Wedding photographers can not only gain
but can increase sales and even pros will find many income-producing
tips here. Photoshop owners will find very useful Maurice Hamilton's
BLACK AND WHITE PHOTOGRAPHY TECHNIQUES WITH ADOBE PHOTOSHOP
(1584281731, $34.95), a fine guide to producing black and white photos
through digital manipulation. From taking black and white shots and
editing them for professional results to optimizing the conversion to
black and white and using Photoshop's special features to aid in the
finishing process, black and white photographers now have a guide to
how those polished results are produced. Bill Hurter's THE BEST OF
FAMILY PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHY: PROFESSIONAL TECHNIQUES AND IMAGES
(1584281685, $34.95) shows how to pose and shoot to produce a to-notch
family portrait, whether using indoor or outdoor settings. From
understanding the basics of equipment selection to posing techniques so
everyone looks good, group arrangements for appealing compositions, and
working with children, chapters cover everything from subject dress and
things to avoid to the importance of the 'rule of third' in image
composition. If you're regularly shooting at night or under low-light
conditions you must have Peter Cope's NIGHT AND LOW-LIGHT TECHNIQUES
FOR DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY (158428174X, $34.95) close at hand: it
discusses how color is changed by low light, how sunsets and sunrises
photography differently, and how to capture lightning, moons,
cityscapes, fireworks and more. Both camera and software techniques are
covered in an excellent primer with plenty of color photo examples. Lou
Jacobs Jr.'s HOW TO START AND OPERATE A DIGITAL PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHY
STUDIO (1584281715, $39.95) covers everything the photographer needs to
put together a profitable studio, from purchasing studio equipment and
determining the best strategy for proofing and presenting images to
establishing food marketing plans. With fundamentals of business savvy
blending into the specifics of operating a photography studio, complete
with color photos and notes on successful images, this is a real
winner. Jeff Smith's CORRECTIVE LIGHTING, POSING & RETOUCHING FOR
DIGITAL PORTRAIT PHOTOGAPHERS, 2ND EDITION (158428157X, $34.95)
provides photographers with a step-by-step guide for adjusting photos,
from posing in studio or on location to conducting digital repairs.
Common problems include weight, glasses glare, large noses and thinning
hair: there can also be blemishes, stray hairs and even braces - all
of which can be remedied both in studio and using digital adjustments.
Jack and Sue Drafahl's MASTER GUIDE FOR UNDERWATER DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY
(1584281669, $34.95) provides all the basics to master underwater
photography; from buying an underwater digital camera and preparing for
the first dive to handling common image problems in underwater shots.
Color examples throughout discuss settings, options, and alternatives
and teach all the basics of underwater photography. Bill Hurter's BEST
OF WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY: TECHNIQUES AND IMAGES FROM THE PROS, 2ND
EDITION (1584281545, $34.95) provides a wealth of techniques and images
culled from over thirty professional photographers and pairs these
images with very specific tips for both digital and film photographers.
Some of the best images on the market receive in-depth analysis and
technical coverage on what elements make them great.
Eva: Elonge de ma Fille
Irina Ionesco
Alice Press
097270731X $85.00 www.alicepress.com
In 1935 Irina Inoesco was born to Romanian parents: separated from them
at the age of four, she wound up in Paris as a dancer and painter
before she became a photographer of the strange, beautiful and erotic.
Thirty years later, in Paris, she began photographing her young
daughter Eva, documenting her maturity through the years in both
clothed and nude portraits which weave sensuality, innocence, and art.
EVA is the result of these years of documentation, culling over a
hundred of what may be thousands of images of Eva produced since the
1970s for a catalog like no other. EVA has been condemned and even
banned for its sometimes blatantly erotic portraits of a child - but
eventually has been accepted in art circles as a stunning collection of
unique black and white shots. They may shock and amaze, but rarely will
they bring casual acceptance - they are unique images and any
college-level art library should be proud - and daring enough - to
include EVA in its exhibition of outstanding photographic compilations:
it's that rare and good.
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