Arts & Photography Book

Art in Theory 1900 - 2000: An Anthology of Changing Ideas (Paperback)

noreply@blogger.com (totti) — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 10:11:00 -0800

Art in Theory 1900 - 2000: An Anthology of Changing Ideas (Paperback)
By Paul Wood

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Excess in the Techno-Mediacratic Society (Paperback)

noreply@blogger.com (totti) — Wed, 7 Dec 2011 10:11:00 -0800

Excess in the Techno-Mediacratic Society (Paperback)
By Joseph et al Nechvatal

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Joseph Nechvatal. 2 Volumes. Vol. 1: Selecetd Works. Vol. 2: Essays. (Paperback)

noreply@blogger.com (totti) — Wed, 7 Dec 2011 06:11:00 -0800

Joseph Nechvatal. 2 Volumes. Vol. 1: Selecetd Works. Vol. 2: Essays. (Paperback)
By Joseph Nechvatal

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Joseph Nechvatal. (Paperback)

noreply@blogger.com (totti) — Wed, 7 Dec 2011 02:11:00 -0800

Joseph Nechvatal. (Paperback)
By Joseph . Nechvatal

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Electronic Intersections - New Collaborations (Perfect Paperback)

noreply@blogger.com (totti) — Tue, 6 Dec 2011 22:11:00 -0800

Electronic Intersections - New Collaborations (Perfect Paperback)
By Bjorn Melhus, Darin Martin, Steve Reinke, Peggy Ahwesh, Blackhawk, Song Dong, Zhang Peili, Joseph Nechvatal Woody Vasulka

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Real Life Magazine Number 11/12 Winter 1983 (Paperback)

noreply@blogger.com (totti) — Tue, 6 Dec 2011 18:10:00 -0800

Real Life Magazine Number 11/12 Winter 1983 (Paperback)
By Mundy McLaughlin, Julie Ault, Tim Rollins, Coosje van Bruggen, Joseph Nechvatal, Lawrence Weiner et al. Thomas Lawson (Editor) Group Material

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Joseph Nechvatal An Ecstasy of Excess (Paperback)

noreply@blogger.com (totti) — Tue, 6 Dec 2011 14:10:00 -0800

Joseph Nechvatal An Ecstasy of Excess (Paperback)
By Joseph Nechvatal

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Joseph Nechvatal: Selected Works (Paperback)

noreply@blogger.com (totti) — Tue, 6 Dec 2011 10:11:00 -0800

Joseph Nechvatal: Selected Works (Paperback)
By Joseph (Collins & Milazzo, Robert C. Morgan, essays) Nechvatal

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Joseph Nechvatal: Computer Virus Project (Hardcover)

noreply@blogger.com (totti) — Tue, 6 Dec 2011 06:11:00 -0800

Joseph Nechvatal: Computer Virus Project (Hardcover)
By Joseph Nechvatal

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Immersion Into Noise (Paperback)

noreply@blogger.com (totti) — Tue, 6 Dec 2011 02:11:00 -0800

Immersion Into Noise (Paperback)
By Joseph Nechvatal

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The Disasters of War (Dover Fine Art, History of Art) (Paperback)

noreply@blogger.com (totti) — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 02:11:00 -0700

The Disasters of War (Dover Fine Art, History of Art) (Paperback)
By Francisco Goya

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Visual indictment of war's horrors, modeled after Spanish insurrection (1808), the resultant Peninsular War and following famine. Miseries of war graphically demonstrated in 83 prints; includes veiled attacks on various people, the Church and the State. Captions reprinted with English translations.
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Ukraine: Its History and Its Arts (Hardcover)

noreply@blogger.com (totti) — Sat, 16 Jul 2011 06:39:00 -0700

Ukraine: Its History and Its Arts (Hardcover)
By Peter Kardash

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Kiev in Autumn Colours (Ukrainian and English Edition) (Hardcover)

noreply@blogger.com (totti) — Sat, 16 Jul 2011 06:29:00 -0700

Kiev in Autumn Colours (Ukrainian and English Edition) (Hardcover)
By Vitalii Fedorovych Kuzovkov

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Y Svit Shyrokyi (Ukraine Worldwide) (Ukrainian and English Edition) (Hardcover)

noreply@blogger.com (totti) — Sat, 16 Jul 2011 06:19:00 -0700

Y Svit Shyrokyi (Ukraine Worldwide) (Ukrainian and English Edition) (Hardcover)
By V. Pylyp'iuk

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Ukrainians of the Delaware Valley (Images of America) (Images of America (Arcadia Publishing)) (Paperback)

noreply@blogger.com (totti) — Sat, 16 Jul 2011 06:09:00 -0700

Ukrainians of the Delaware Valley (Images of America) (Images of America (Arcadia Publishing)) (Paperback)
By Alexander Lushnycky

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Review & Description

At the dawn of the 20th century, the industrializing world provided Ukrainians an opportunity to immigrate to America to lead free and honorable lives. Ukrainians of the Delaware Valley illustrates the UkrainiansÂ’ ongoing saga, commencing with the late 19th century when they disembarked in the Delaware Valley and continuing to the present, as they gradually integrated into their American communities. The UkrainiansÂ’ common purpose was to preserve their unique eastern culture, cherished daily customs, and elaborate traditions embalmed in the mysteries of their eastern religion in new surroundings. Ukrainians of the Delaware Valley documents how each new generation of immigrants added to the kaleidoscope of Ukrainian communities in 17 of the boroughs of the Delaware Valley. Read more

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Photography and the Performing Arts (Paperback)

noreply@blogger.com (totti) — Thu, 23 Dec 2010 06:09:00 -0800

Photography and the Performing Arts (Paperback)
By Gerry Kopelow

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Written from over 25 years of experience, this book will provide technical and practical advice on photographing all aspects of the performing arts, including stage, rehearsal, posed and portrait shots. Extensive illustrations, real-life examples and
unique personal insights create for the reader a lively, pragmatic view of this specialized and potentially rewarding, branch of photography.

Numerous illustrations, anecdotes and insights from personal experience
Covers all bases in photographing the performing arts
Provides the aspiring photographer with tips on breaking into this field
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The Filmmaker's Eye: Learning (and Breaking) the Rules of Cinematic Composition (Paperback)

noreply@blogger.com (totti) — Wed, 8 Dec 2010 22:17:00 -0800

The Filmmaker's Eye: Learning (and Breaking) the Rules of Cinematic Composition (Paperback)
By Gustavo Mercado

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Review & Description

This is the only book that combines conceptual and practical instruction on creating polished and eloquent images for film and video with the technical know-how to achieve them.

Loaded with hundreds of full-color examples, The Filmmaker's Eye is a focused, easy-to-reference guide that shows you how to become a strong visual storyteller through smart, effective choices for your shots.

After a short introduction to basic principles, a variety of shots are deconstructed in the following format:

Why It Works: an introduction to a particular type of shot
How It Works: callouts point out exactly how the shot works the way it does--the visual rules and technical aspects in action
Technical Considerations: the equipment and techniques needed to get the shot.
Breaking the Rules: examples where the "rules" are brilliant subverted

This book:

Helps you make smart visual choices with this quick, focused, and visual guide to cinematic composition.
Shows you how to master the rules, then break them.
Includes examples and discussions from a range of international films.

Amazon Exclusive: A Letter from Gustavo Mercado on The Filmmaker’s Eye: Learning (and Breaking) the Rules of Cinematic Composition

Dear Amazon Readers,

Although there are other books out there that deal with the principles of visual composition, I always wanted to have a guide that specialized in the specific requirements that are inherent to the composition of shots intended for telling stories with moving images, also known as cinematic composition. The reason for the differentiation is simple: the composition of shots for movies has developed its own set of conventions, sometimes appropriating concepts from other art forms (like painting or still photography), but also creating its own aesthetic principles and visual language because of its unique characteristics (the fixed size of the frame, the movement of the subject and/or camera, the technology used to capture images, the way images are shown in conjunction with other images, etc.).

As you can probably guess, I never found such a guide, so I decided to write The Filmmaker’s Eye: Learning (and Breaking) the Rules of Cinematic Composition to fill the gap in this critical area of filmmaking. This book combines, for the first time, a specialized, focused guide to the most common and basic shots of the film vocabulary, from the extreme close up to the extreme long shot (also including chapters on the over the shoulder, macro, establishing, and moving camera shots). The Filmmaker’s Eye examines the main aspects that make these shots work: the rules of cinematic composition used in their creation, the techniques and equipment necessary to implement them, and their most common narrative function as shown in examples from mainstream, independent, and world cinema. This approach allows you to understand not only why a particular shot type is usually composed in a certain way, but also how it is used to convey meaning and how to shoot it whether you are working on film or HD video.

It is my sincerest wish that this book will help deepen your understanding of cinematic composition, whether you are on a film shoot setting up your next shot, or just enjoying one of your favorite movies. Have fun!

--Gustavo Mercado

Amazon Exclusive: Top Ten Tips from Gustavo Mercado to Improve Your Cinematic Compositions

Use a director’s viewfinder, a still camera, or any other instrument that allows you to create a frame to see the world around you. Good compositions work not only because of what is included in the frame, but also because of what is left out of it. Using any device (even your hands) to create a frame will allow you to train your eye and better understand the visual relationships of the elements contained within it.
Know what your lenses can and cannot do. The lens you choose can radically alter the visual relationships between elements in your frame; understanding how different lenses affect space, the look of your subjects, and the amount of light you can work with is fundamental if you want to have complete control over your images.
Use depth of field as a creative element of your composition. Choosing what is in and out of focus is one of the most powerful ways to control the information contained in your frame, and therefore shape what an audience gets out of your compositions.
Have a clear understanding behind the narrative function of your composition. A good storyteller knows how to emphasize certain moments in a story and details in a frame. It is imperative that you understand the dramatic purpose behind the moment you are capturing so that you can arrange the visual elements within the frame accordingly. Ask yourself: what do I want the audience to get out of this particular shot and how can I make it express that?
Know the basic rules of composition and why they work. While this might seem obvious at first, the key here is not only to be familiar with the rules, but also to understand how and why they function, in essence, why did they become rules in the first place? Only when you know the concept behind the rule can you apply it in an expressive way.
Learn how to break the rules. Every rule was created by individuals not following the rules; somebody decided to place a camera really close to a subject one day and gave birth to the close up. Of course, breaking the rules intelligently only works after you learn them (see previous tip)!
Be familiar with the limitations and advantages of all your equipment. Creating visually compelling compositions requires not only your artistic insight, but also your technical skills. You may have an amazing composition in your mind’s eye that gets completely undone by the time you shoot it because you were unaware your camera could not run at a particular frame rate, or you did not have enough lights to get the look you wanted.
Keep in mind how each individual composition will function when juxtaposed with the rest of the images in your film, and be aware of how their interaction adds meaning as a whole. Whether you intend to or not, your story will have an image system at work, so you should have a plan for how every composition you create fits within this framework.
Make it a habit to scan the entire frame before you roll camera. Even experienced directors of photography fall into the trap of getting so caught up by a single aspect of a composition that they forget to look at every visual element in the frame, often ruining what would have been beautiful shots.
Do your research. I find it extremely helpful to create a portfolio of images in preparation for a project. It can include pictures taken from magazines, examples from still photography books, paintings, other films, and any other image that you feel captures the tone, mood, and visual palette you want to implement for your film.

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Silver Threads (Paperback)

noreply@blogger.com (totti) — Mon, 20 Sep 2010 10:16:00 -0700

Silver Threads (Paperback)
By Marsha Forchuk Skrypuch

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Silver Threads is published by Fitzhenry and Whiteside.

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Ukraine: A History, 4th Edition (Paperback)

noreply@blogger.com (totti) — Mon, 20 Sep 2010 06:17:00 -0700

Ukraine: A History, 4th Edition (Paperback)
By Orest Subtelny

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Review & Description

In 1988, the first edition of Orest Subtelny's Ukraine was published to international acclaim, as the definitive history of what was at that time a republic in the USSR. In the years since, the world has seen the dismantling of the Soviet bloc and the restoration of Ukraine's independence - an event celebrated by Ukrainians around the world but which also heralded a time of tumultuous change for those in the homeland.

While previous updates brought readers up to the year 2000, this new fourth edition includes an overview of Ukraine's most recent history, focusing on the dramatic political, socio-economic, and cultural changes that occurred during the Kuchma and Yushchenko presidencies. It analyzes political developments - particularly the so-called Orange Revolution - and the institutional growth of the new state. Subtelny examines Ukraine's entry into the era of globalization, looking at social and economic transformations, regional, ideological, and linguistic tensions, and describes the myriad challenges currently facing Ukrainian state and society.

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Ukrainians of the Delaware Valley (Images of America) (Paperback)

noreply@blogger.com (totti) — Mon, 20 Sep 2010 02:17:00 -0700

Ukrainians of the Delaware Valley (Images of America) (Paperback)
By Alexander Lushnycky

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Ukraine: An Illustrated History (Hardcover)

noreply@blogger.com (totti) — Sun, 19 Sep 2010 22:17:00 -0700

Ukraine: An Illustrated History (Hardcover)
By Paul R. Magocsi

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Review & Description

Ukraine is Europe's second-largest state. Roughly the size of Germany and Great Britain or the states of Arizona and New Mexico combined, it shares borders with seven countries and in 2001 had a population of more than 48 million. This lavishly illustrated volume provides a concise and easy-to-read historical survey of the country from earliest times to the present. Each of the book's forty-six chapters is framed by a historical map, which graphically depicts the key elements of the chronological period or theme addressed within. In addition, over 300 historic photographs, line drawings, portraits, and reproductions of books and works of art bring the rich past of Ukraine to life.

Rather than limiting his study to an examination of the country's numerically largest population - ethnic Ukrainians - acclaimed scholar Paul Robert Magocsi emphasizes the multicultural nature of Ukraine throughout its history. While ethnic Ukrainians figure prominently, Magocsi also deals with all the other peoples who live or who have lived within the borders of present-day Ukraine: Russians, Poles, Jews, Crimean Tatars, Germans (including Mennonites), and Greeks, among others. This book is an indispensable resource for European area and Slavic studies specialists and is sure to appeal to people interested in having easy access to information about political, economic, and cultural developments in Ukraine. Read more

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Photographing San Francisco Digital Field Guide (Paperback)

noreply@blogger.com (totti) — Sun, 19 Sep 2010 18:16:00 -0700

Photographing San Francisco Digital Field Guide (Paperback)
By Bruce Sawle

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Review & Description

A compact, full-color companion guide to photographing San Francisco!

Whether using a full-featured compact camera or a high-end dSLR, this companion guide provides you with detailed information for taking stunning shots of beautiful San Francisco. Whether you aim to capture breathtaking photos of the majestic Golden Gate Bridge, crooked Lombard Street, infamous Alcatraz, or unique Victorian homes, this portable resource goes where you go and walks you through valuable tips and techniques for taking the best shot possible.

You'll discover suggested locations for taking photos, recommended equipment, what camera settings to use, best times of day to photograph specific attractions, how to handle weather challenges, and more. In addition, lovely images of San Francisco's most breathtaking attractions and recognizable landmarks serve to both inspire and assist you as you embark on an amazing photographic adventure!

Elevates your photography skills to a new level with photography secrets from professional photographer Bruce Sawle
Presents clear, understandable tips and techniques that span all skill levels, using all types of digital cameras, from compacts to high end DSLRs
Features San Fransisco's main attractions in alphabetical order as well as thumb tabs on the pages so you can quickly and easily access the information you are looking for
Shares detailed information and insight on critical topics, such as ideal locations to photograph from, the best time of day to shoot, camera equipment to have handy, weather conditions, and optimal camera settings to consider

Whether you're a local familiar with the territory or a visitor seeing San Francisco for the first time, this handy guide will help you capture fantastic photos!A compact, full-color companion guide to photographing San Francisco!

Elevates your photography skills to a new level with photography secrets from professional photographer Bruce Sawle
Presents clear, understandable tips and techniques that span all skill levels, using all types of digital cameras, from compacts to high end DSLRs
Features San Fransisco's main attractions in alphabetical order as well as thumb tabs on the pages so you can quickly and easily access the information you are looking for
Shares detailed information and insight on critical topics, such as ideal locations to photograph from, the best time of day to shoot, camera equipment to have handy, weather conditions, and optimal camera settings to consider

Whether you're a local familiar with the territory or a visitor seeing San Francisco for the first time, this handy guide will help you capture fantastic photos!

Top Five Must-Photograph Places in San Francisco
Amazon-exclusive content from author Bruce Sawle

1. Lombard Street
Lombard Street is best known for the one-way section on Russian Hill between Hyde and Leavenworth streets. This section of roadway has eight sharp turns that have earned the street the distinction of being “the crookedest in the world.” The switchback design was created out of necessity to reduce the hill’s natural 30-percent grade, which was too steep for vehicles and pedestrians to climb. The crooked sections are 1/4-mile long and are reserved for one-way traffic traveling downhill. Lombard Street’s curves and turns are world famous, and it has appeared in numerous movies, television shows, and printed materials. Despite all the publicity, you still must see it.

2. Cable Car
The San Francisco cable car system is the last functioning manually operated cable car system in the world. Operated by the San Francisco Municipal Railway, the cars are housed and maintained at the car barn located directly above the Cable Car Museum. The cable car is an icon of San Francisco and a form of transportation from cities past. And it was a San Franciscan, Andrew Smith Hallidie, who patented the first cable car and ultimately spared many horses the excruciating work of moving people over some of the steepest hills in the country. A cable car ride beats any other form of transportation I have ever taken. You are in the open air with the wind blowing on your face, and the movements are all authentic — bumpy and rickety. Aside from being a great transportation experience, the combination of the old-style cable cars, steep hills, and modern buildings make the cable car a wonderfully unique photo opportunity.

3. Golden Gate Bridge
The Golden Gate Bridge, a symbol of San Francisco, spans two of the most beautiful areas in the world: the city of San Francisco and the Sausalito-Marin Headlands. Built in 1937, the bridge is considered one of the most remarkable structures in the world, and the surrounding areas offer many vantage points to photograph. The Golden Gate Bridge’s 4,200-foot long span set a world record, which stood for

about 27 years. The bridge’s two towers rise 746 feet above the water making them 191 feet taller than the Washington Monument. The Golden Gate Bridge has an Art Deco style with wide, vertical ribbing on the horizontal towers that help catch the sun’s light at both sunrise and sunset. This feature alone makes it worth a photograph.

4. Rodeo Beach/Marin Headlands
The Marin Headlands are made up of ridges and valleys, each offering its own distinct character. Many charming beaches and vistas are scattered throughout. Spring is when you can see an explosion of golden poppies and pastel accents of yellow, white, and lavender wildflowers blanketing the hillsides that offer wonderful scents. The Marin Headlands is a photographer’s dream, offering unparalleled views of the Pacific Coast from an untamed Rodeo Beach, to the incredible manmade bunkers left over from the 1960s and the 150-year-old lighthouse that protects ships from the high cliffs, rough seas, and dense fog.

5. Downtown
San Francisco is a unique and breathtaking city, known for its exquisite landscape, steep hills, and bay views. The city takes pride in its many unrivaled attractions, famous museums, and its unique neighborhoods that are like small towns within the city. Each of these small neighborhoods has a variety of sites, shops, and restaurants that reflect the city’s great ethnic and cultural diversity. One of San Francisco’s greatest assets is the combination of old and new architecture. If you have the time, spend an hour or so walking around downtown. Take your time and enjoy what you see; look around take it all in. The city has so much to offer a photographer

Tips for Photographing San Francisco

Panning a Cable Car
Learning to pan is a great way to take your photography skills to the next level. Photographic pan is a technique that is used for objects that are traveling in a straight line. The camera moves from left to right or right to left as it follows the subject, which is moving at the same speed. Panning produces a very interesting effect that causes the subject to stay in focus while the background is blurred, creating a sense of motion that really makes a photo stand out. Your camera will need to be in continuous focus (Nikon) or AI servo (Canon). Each manufacture calls this something different so read your manual for the correct setting. This continuous focus allows you to do is track a moving subject. Your lens adjusts and keeps your subject in focus as long as you have the Shutter button half pressed. To focus on a moving object and use the panning technique, you must use a very slow shutter speed. For example, a good shutter speed for a cable car is 1/20 second. Adjust the shutter speed as necessary for objects that are moving faster or slower.

Leading Lines and Motion

I like to use leading lines to draw the viewer into the scene. A leading line can be almost anything: a road, path, sidewalk, fence, river, hedge, tree line, or shadow. You will not find a strong leading line around every subject, but you should look for them if they are there and take advantage of them. Leading lines in a picture should lead into, not out of, the picture, and they should lead your eye toward the main subject. Sometimes it is a matter of choosing the right angle or point of view to create this leading line effect. Not every composition will have leading lines, but when used correctly it will often improve composition. If you want to try something fun and creative and a bit crazy (okay, dangerous is more like it), this is the location for you. Located in the intersection of Columbus Street and Broadway is a pedestrian sidewalk just big enough for one person and a tripod. Shoot this image during the blue hour, which falls during rush hour in the winter months. A wide-angle lens and slow shutter speed gives you a compelling image complete with leading lines, implied motion, vibrant colors, and. . . danger. This is a must-frame, must-brag-about photo. Just ignore the constant car horns and explicit foul comments you hear while you stand in the middle of the intersection.

Photographing in the Fog
If you have the opportunity to photograph the Golden Gate Bridge in the fog take advantage of a chance to create a photo that is special. Photography is much to do about the perfect light so why would you want to photograph anything in the fog? Fog creates a wonderful mystical atmosphere that can't be replicated by software or filters. What makes this a special time to photograph the Golden Gate Bridge is the protruding towers jutting through the thick blanket of fog. The glowing lights from automobiles and street lights illuminating off the dense white fog. Not only can this be the most beautiful time to photograph the Golden Gate Bridge, it can result in the most dramatic image. When shooting into a thick blanket of fog, you need to apply a little + exposure compensation to account for the amount of underexposure your camera will do when exposing against the thick white fog. Cameras metering systems tend to underexpose when shooting at white and overexpose when shooting at black. If you shoot fog at night, you need to dial in a +2/3 of a stop of exposure compensation to get the correct exposure.

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The Disasters of War (Dover Books on Fine Art) (Paperback)

noreply@blogger.com (totti) — Sun, 19 Sep 2010 14:16:00 -0700

The Disasters of War (Dover Books on Fine Art) (Paperback)
By Francisco Goya

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Review & Description
Visual indictment of war’s horrors, modeled after Spanish insurrection (1808), the resultant Peninsular War and following famine. Miseries of war graphically demonstrated in 80 prints; includes veiled attacks on various people, the Church and the State. Captions reprinted with English translations.
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Sacred Mirrors: The Visionary Art of Alex Grey (Paperback)

noreply@blogger.com (totti) — Sun, 19 Sep 2010 10:17:00 -0700

Sacred Mirrors: The Visionary Art of Alex Grey (Paperback)
By Alex Grey

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This unique series of paintings takes the viewer on a graphic, visionary journey through the physical, metaphysical, and spiritual anatomy of the self. From anatomically correct rendering of the body systems, Grey moves to the spiritual/energetic systems with such images as "Universal Mind Lattice," envisioning the sacred and esoteric symbolism of the body and the forces that define its living field of energy.
Includes essays on the significance of Grey's work by Ken Wilber, the eminent transpersonal psychologist, and by the noted New York art critic, Carlo McCormick. Read more

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The Last Pharaoh: Mubarak and the Uncertain Future of Egypt in the Obama Age (Paperback)

noreply@blogger.com (totti) — Sun, 19 Sep 2010 06:16:00 -0700

The Last Pharaoh: Mubarak and the Uncertain Future of Egypt in the Obama Age (Paperback)
By Aladdin Elaasar

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Customer tags: arabic(4), travel(4), 9 11(4), history(3), arab(3), israel(3), america(2), afghanistan(2), health(2), bin laden(2), egypt after mubarak(2), arts photography

Review & Description
This book covers Egypt's modern history since 1952 with chronology of Ancient Egyptian history to the present day. It focuses on the Mubarak regime and predicts its downfall and what can unfold in the near future and how it can impact American and Western interests in the Middle East. The book is a good primer and textbook for students of social studies, political science and history at school and college levels. It also explains modern Arab politics and the dynamics of authoritarian rule in the whole region. It is written in a very simple style and narrative which makes it an easy reader, but a valuable academic reference book, as it is very well researched and documented by award-winning and bestselling author of Silent Victims, Professor Aladdin Elaasar. Read more

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