Book Review: Understanding Exposure (How to shoot great photographs with any camera) by Brian Peterson, 4th edition

Having been a photographer for over 35 years, I am pretty familiar with the Exposure Triangle, and how to use it, but it is always good to have a nice reference book at hand to inspire and encourage me to use my knowledge more effectively.
I enjoy all the varied photographs showing the same subject at different exposures, and how this can greatly effect the outcome.
I very much enjoyed the section on Light.  It included:  the best light, frontlight, overcast frontlight, sidelight, and backlight.  Again, giving good examples of each.  
Also, the section on shutter speed, giving good examples and techniques for freezing motion, and implying motion.
I have never been one for using filters, but recently acquired some polarizing and neutral density filters, so the Special Techniques section, outlining these exact filters, was quite welcome.
Despite my many years of photography, I have never quite mastered the art of using electronic flash.  There's a very comprehensive section on this, and I will no doubt refer to it many times in my quest for understanding it.
This is a good photography reference tool for beginners and advanced photographers as well.
For more information, click on these links:  

• More Info
• Author Bio

I received this book from Blogging for Books in return for publishing an honest review.

Book Review: Wonderland; a coloring book inspired by Alice's adventures

Wonderland is a beautifully illustrated coloring book.  Definitely inspiring.

Filled with your favorite characters from Alice in Wonderland, you'll find the Cheshire Cat, The Mad Hatter, and many others within.  All are beautifully designed, and lots of fun to color.

The pages are thick, preventing bleeding if you're using colored markers.

The cover comes off to reveal additional drawings for coloring, and there's even drawings on the other side of the cover.

There are also a few puzzles for you to solve, involving the playing cards.  Answer key is in the back of the book.

Some of the illustrations leave space for you to add a few of your own drawings.  Not something I'm so interested in doing, but a cute idea, nonetheless.

I'd say that this is one of the nicer coloring books available on the market today, and you will not be disappointed.

For further info, follow this link:  More Info
I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review.

Book Review: Clear Your Clutter with Feng Shui

This book will explain how clutter in your life and home can affect your general well-being, and how you can clear a path to a better life.
There are different types of clutter... not only the physical kind you can see in a messy house.  There's also emotional, mental, and spiritual clutter...  as well as physical, body clutter.
Each of these things can cause a definite stagnation of well-being.
When things flow smoothly, there's is greater balance in one's life.  Clutter can disturb the natural flow, and result in a detrimental effect, causing even disease.
Author, Karen Kingston, offers tips and techniques on clearing the many different types of clutter that can be affecting your well-being.
She identifies the many different types of clutter, and how you can rid yourself of each.
With perseverance and determination, you can gradually clear the path for greater clarity and enjoyment.

For further info, follow these links:  More Info

Author Bio

I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review.

Book Review: Paris Street Style, a coloring book

Here I am, trying yet another coloring book.  With this one, Paris Street Style, I believe I hit the jackpot!

This book is so lovely.

Firstly, it has a chocolatey-brown semi-hard cover, lightly embossed in gold.  There is a satin ribbon to keep your place, and an elastic band to keep the book closed.  Smaller than most coloring books, it is a handy square, about 8"x 8" or so.  Handy enough to throw into your handbag, and perhaps use while waiting in the doctor's office.  I love the size of it.

The drawings are such fun.  Many different looks of dress attire,  pages filled with fanciful shoes and sneakers, underwear and bras.  hats and socks, myriad hair coifs,  and so much more.

This is a coloring book that you can spend hours enjoying... I know I will.

For more info, visit these links:

More Info

Author Bio

I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review.

Book review: Cats in Paris, a magical coloring book

The idea of this book is a good one, but  the execution of it leaves a lot to be desired.
The drawings are often over detailed, and can even be called scribbly.  This makes coloring an effort, rather than an enjoyment.
Also, several of the pages have repetitive images, something I do not enjoy at all.
This will certainly not be one of my go-to coloring books when I want to de-stress.
Very disappointing.

For more information, follow these links:More Info

Author Bio

I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review.

Book Review: Eleanor

Jason Gurley has crafted a wonderful book which takes you through the tragedies surrounding Eleanor's life.  The main character shifts between the worlds of the ordinary and the fantastical, as she walks through doors which suddenly bring her into another dimension altogether.  This happens to her repeatedly. 
Ultimately this story show how salvation can be attained through the love of family.
It is a sweeping saga that takes us across generations.... dealing with loss and tragedy, and heartbreak.  It breaks you down, and then builds you up again.
A mysterious and magical work of fiction.

For more information, see the following links:
 

• More Info
• Author Bio

I received this book from Blogging for Books in exchange for posting an honest review.

Book Review: Whatever is Lovely

Whatever is Lovely is an adult coloring book for reflection and worship.

I am not a particularly religious person, but I do appreciate the sentiments contained within this book.

Several artists contributed to this book, so the drawings are nicely varied.  They are very pretty, and inviting.  I know I will enjoy playing with this coloring book.

The drawings are on the right side of book.  On the left side are passages from the bible, and spirited poetry.  You can choose to pick up the book and start coloring, or just sit and read the inspiring passages.

I look forward to getting new coloring pencils and pens so I can fully enjoy this book.  I'm sure it will be rewarding for many days to come.

update: here are a couple of colorings so far  (click on any pic to enlarge)

For further information, visit these links:

• More Info
• Author Bio

 I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review.

Book review: Life-Changing Magic, a journal

Well, the author of this book chose an intriguing title, but failed to follow up with intriguing content.

This is a small book, designed not like a journal, but like a diary, as it goes from January 1st to December 31st.  There is "space" in which to write, for 3 years.  It allows you a measly five lines of writing space... all three years squeezed into one page.   Diaries utilize daily, dated entries.  Journals should be more free-wheeling.

There are mostly uninspiring quotes every two weeks or so.  Cliched at best.  Some examples:
Only you can know what kind of environment makes you feel happy.

Things that are cherished shine.

Being surrounded by things that spark joy makes you happy.

Apparently, the author, Marie Kondo, has also written a best-selling book, called The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up.  If this journal is supposed to be a companion book of some sort, I fail to see the relation. 

 If you enjoy journaling, do yourself a favor and go buy a nice blank book in which to write.  Not only will you save some money, but you'll also have some room to write.

Nothing life-changing here!

If you want more information, see:

• More Info
• Author Bio

 I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review.

book review: every little thing

Every Little Thing, by Payton Cosell Turner, is a "flat vernacular coloring book", whatever that means!
The cover comes off to reveal a page that you can also color.  This is good, because the cover doesn't even fit the book properly, but sort of buckles it.
It's filled with all sorts of drawing, birds, animals, butterflies, bears, leaves, squirrels, etc.  Each page is just a repetitive drawing... over and over again.  If you're going to color one butterfly, you're going to have to color 20 of them on the same page.
It's pretty boring, and not at all inviting.  These are definitely not any of my favorite little things!

For further info, see:

• More Info
• Author Bio

 I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review.

Book Review: Super Genes

Book Review: Super Genes, by Deepak Chopra, M.D., and Rudolph E. Tanzi, Ph.D.

Many years ago, when Deepak Chopra came onto the New Age scene, I was most impressed by his theory that each individual cell in our bodies is directly influenced by our thoughts, emotions, what we eat, etc.  In that way, they can be transformed, for good or bad. This book seems to take off on that point, going further to say that our very genes can in fact change when influenced by these things.

So, if you were born with less than positive gene structure, it is within your power to change them radically, through diet, adaptation to stressors, exercise, meditation, sleep, and emotions.  Part 2 of the book goes into each of these in detail, teaching you how to live a richer and more meaningful life.

This book suggests that self-transformation (and ultimately, universal transformation) is within your power.

For more information, follow these links:

• More Info
• Author Bio

 I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review.

Book Review: apartment therapy complete + happy home

As a New Yorker, when I think of "apartments," I think cramped spaces, not enough rooms, the need to "appear" more spacious.  So, when I saw the book, Apartment Therapy complete and Happy Home, I thought, this would be good for me, as I live in a New York apartment.

As soon as I opened the book, I saw it had nothing to do with apartments, rather it centered around homes.  The colonial home, the Tudor home, the modern high-rise, the split-level, etc., and so forth.  This was immediately something I couldn't relate to.

Despite my disappointment, I must say that the book is quite lovely.  It includes everything from setting up your home (walls, painting, floors, windows, etc.), to living in your home (the various living spaces), to maintaining your home (repairs, cleaning, organization).
Some of this can be geared towards the apartment dweller, but generally we do not do upgrades of any great extent due to the fact that the dwelling does not belong to us (renters).

The monthly cleaning suggestions are good, if you can keep up with such stuff.

There are tons of colorful photographs (by Melanie Acevedo) showing many different designing ideas.

For further information, visit these links:

More Info

Author Bio

I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review.

Book Review: Q&A a day, 4-year journal for creatives

This is a fun and unique book, set up to be completed over a four year period.

Each page (starting with January 1st, ending on December 31st) has a small prompt which you are supposed to explore, by adding a small doodle/sketch/painting to the page.  There are four rather small (about 3"x3") squares in which to add your sketch each year.

The prompts are sometimes silly, sometimes thoughtful.
Here are some examples from the journal:
What does boiling water look like?
Try to draw darkness.
Draw a sculpture or statue.
Create your to-do list as graffiti art.

Though there is not much space in which to draw, these prompts may also just get your creative juices flowing, so that you can
go from the book's pages to maybe a greater, more elaborate project.

Covering the span of 4 years, this is quite a commitment, but as I said, it doesn't really ask for a whole lot from you, so it would probably be pretty easy to accomplish.

The paper is not really suitable for heavy markers or watercolor, both of which would bleed through the page. It's more suitable for crayons, and colored pencils.

I think I will have fun with this book over the years.

I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review.

For further info, visit the following links:

More Info

Author Bio

Book Review: You First; Journal Your Way to Your Best Life

This book, You First; Journal Your Way to Your Best Life, by Lea Michele, is presented in four sections:  You, Ambition, Relationships, and Happiness.  Each section has three parts, set up with open ended questions designed to let you explore the sections.  There are lots of blank pages (with lines) for you to write in.
Perhaps if I was younger this book would have more impact for me. But, I am 61 years old, and much of this stuff is just unrelatable for me.
I found the first part, with emphasis on fitness, diet/nutrition, rather boring, as I'm just not into listing all the foods I eat over a couple of weeks time.  Nor am I interested in journaling my exercise routine for weeks. Being on a fixed income, I am unable to really purchase the best of foods for myself.  Being disabled, I am unable to exercise to any great degree.  So, the first part of the book was left essentially blank.
It may be a worthwhile book for people in their 20's and 30's, but if you're senior, I would say don't waste your time.
The questions asked did not really inspire me to write a whole page of answers.
I think a blank journal is more worthwhile, for me, at least.
There is a half dust-jacket on the book...  taking it off reveals a nicely designed front cover sans the author's face-shot, making it seem more like a personal journal.
If you feel a need to map out your life and its possibilities, then this book may benefit you.
I received this book from Blogging for Books, in exchange for an honest review.
For more information, click on the following links:

More Info

Author Bio

Book Review: Learning To See Creatively; Design, Color, and Composition in Photography

This is the 3rd edition of Bryan Peterson's book, Learning to See Creatively.  Filled with all new images, and focusing on the new world of digital photography.
The book is designed to help you view the images in front of you in a new manner.  It deals with the elements of design: line, shape, form, texture, pattern, and color.  Concentrating on these elements will force the eye in new directions, thus making for new and exciting images.
In the Composition section, it teaches about the important "rule of thirds", teaching you how to compose a striking picture.  More importantly, maybe, is the idea of breaking all these rules and being a maverick when composing your own shot.
There's a section on "the magic of light", suggesting the same picture be taken at different times of day, producing different results.
Also, at the end, there is a small section which deals with Photoshop, and some how-tos associated with that.
I can't say that everything in this book is new and exciting to me.  As a photographer for the past 40 years, I have explored many of these things along the way.  It is a nice book to share with your photo group, if you have one, giving suggestions that would be appropriate for a photowalk where you concentrate on a particular subject, like textures, or color.
The photoshop tips at the end seem a bit cheesy to me, and the subsequent photos are a bit overdone.
It is a good book to refresh old ideas you may have had.  If you are a novice, it steers you in the right direction for creative photography.
For more information about the book and author, please click on the following links.

More Info

Author Bio
I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review.

Book review: instant Happy journal

When I first saw this book, I was instantly attracted to its compact size, and cheerful design.  As I held it in my hands, I enjoyed the not quite hard-, yet not quite soft-cover.

At 365 pages, instant Happy journal (365 days of inspiration, gratitude, and joy, by Karen Salmansohn, has the potential to be a wonderful little book.

What will make it wonderful, you ask?  Well, the answer is:  You.

At the top of each page is a space for the date.  Beneath it is an inspirational quote, an affirmative suggestion, or a thought-provoking passage.  This is followed by about a dozen short, blank lines to be filled up by you.  It doesn't ask a tremendous amount from you, just a few lines to start the day (or maybe end the day) with a focus on joy and gratitude.

It is an easy book to carry around with you, if you want to wait for just the right moment to write your passage.  Take it to the park with you, or to your favorite little coffee shop.  Writing a new paragraph, or reading over previous ones, will surely bring a smile to your face.

At the end of a year (maybe more, maybe less.  How you utilize the book is up to you) you will have a little treasure of your own personal Happy.

I received this book from Blogging for Books , for this review.  For more information, see the following links:

More Info

Author Bio