Jewish Bestiary

Book Description

This guide for professional wedding photographers introduces and explains the many uses of Adobe Photoshop in correcting and enhancing wedding photos to improve client satisfaction and boost sales. Photographers learn how to correct image color; remove blemishes and wrinkles; change backgrounds to eliminate distractions or add special effects; create the look of sepia-toned images; selectively tint eyes, lips, and bouquets with digital hand-coloring techniques; and create watercolor images. Tips for using Photoshop for business promotion are also provided, including instructions for creating effective mailers and business cards and putting enhanced images on the web to attract new clients.

Customer Reviews:

Shallow coverage - Maybe okay for beginners.......2007-09-16

I have to agree with R. Chester's review. I found the book to be very shallow, almost like the authors were intentionally holding back information so as to not arm their competitors. For example, on page 92, under the heading of PHOTOSHOP TECHNIQUE, there is an interesting picture of a bride, groom and a young child standing on a bridge. Very nice, but no technique is supplied. The authors refer you to page 117 for more on this image but alas, no technique there either.

I bought the book to generate some ideas as I'm new to portrait post processing. I learned a little about vignettes, converting to black and white, selective coloring, all very basic stuff. I found better info by doing a search on the web and perusing tutorial sites.

read in 15 minutes.......2007-05-17

this publisher has a habbit of using the same pictures and tachniques in a number of books and then re packaging for a different audience. I read the book in no time and lernt nothing I'll probarlly never pick it up again

Excellent book for wedding photographers.......2006-02-18

Rick and Deborah Ferro have created a wonderful book showing how to best utilize Adobe Photoshop as a wedding photographer. Being practicing wedding photographers, they were able to highlight the important aspects of this complicated program and leave out some applications that you would never use.

As with all of their books, the images are first class and inspirational. It is well worth the money

Loved It.......2005-09-30

This book was so helpful to me as a begining photographer. I use Photoshop and had no idea how much of it I was not using to its fullest. This book is invaluable to me.

Best Buy.......2005-04-29

I just received this book, I am not a photographer, but a Bride to be and am interested in making my own wedding album. I have access to PHOTOSHOP through my work and that was one of the reasons why I bought this book. And I am NOT regretting it one bid. Detailed in every way, it shows one how to exactly apply what adjustments to what, as well as explains the befores, durings and afters. I highly recommend this book to anyone who would like to learn professional tricks for photoshop & of course photography and even for ppl that are getting married like myself, that have access to photoshop and would like to learn how to make a professional wedding album themselves.

Book Description

There are two worlds. The one we know, and the one below. Aspen Matthews has always been drawn to the sea, that is why she became a marine biologist. But when an underwater experiment goes horribly wrong, Aspen discovers her connection to life under the sea is far more than scientific. She Discovers that she is a water nymph - able to live and thrive beneath the sea.

Customer Reviews:

Great Start For A Brilliant Mythos.......2006-10-25

The Fathom saga begins with a brief flashback to ten years before the period in which the main story unfolds, to where a cruise ship called the Paradise is returning to port in San Diego after a decade's unexplained abscence, with an unaged crew and a memory-less little girl named Aspen. Ten years later, Aspen Matthews is a young oceanic scientist about to head off to a plum assignment at a secretive, joint US/Japan underwater research facility, where will begin pivotal events in the planet's history.

Or perhaps, to say 'where pivotal events will begin coming to light' would be more accurate. Fathom is the story of the meeting of worlds, of the human world and other races and civilizations here on Earth that mankind never had any idea existed. Except, perhaps, for certain individuals. Aspen is the central figure - both to the book and to a number of secrets within this new mythos introduced here - but a good-sized cast of other interesting characters are introduced and established in this volume, which reprints the first 9 issues of the original late-90s Fathom ongoing as well as the Fathom Preview Book (whose pages are presented in color for the first time).

The art by Michael Turner (also the book's writer) grows in quality over the course of the issues. From the very beginning, he excels at drawing creatures, technology and hardware, landscapes and seascapes, marine life (gorgeously rendered sea turtles, dolphins, fish, etc.) and just about everything else, but he does run into some trouble early on with humans - specifically facial features and proportions - in the first couple issues (page 10 of the first issue has a kind of glaring example). It's certainly not in every scene (and is absent from most key events and from the covers), but where it does happen it can be slightly distracting. Over the course of the 9 issues, though, these shortcomings largely disappear (and the rest of the art gets, if anything, even better). The problems in the first couple of issues certainly aren't nearly as bad as some instances I've seen where it's a major weakness for its comic, and in the last 5 or 6 issues the overall art is just astonishing. The color throughout the whole volume is outstanding. The concepts are great, the action spectacular and the writing is strong - the only hitch is that some of the scenes are way too short, almost soundbitish; the effect of the scene is sometimes hampered and the dialogue gets shortened, making it less engaging than in the great majority of the book. This material should have originally filled ten issues instead of nine, in my opinion - that would have solved this problem easily.

Despite a few chinks in this volume's armor though, I can't give it anything less than five stars. This book catapulted Fathom into the upper tiers of the comic book concepts I love the most, putting it roughly on par with some of the books I've loved for years and years.

In addition to the regular issue covers, the covers of the Collected Editions and almost all the variant covers are also reprinted here in all their sexy glory.

"Fathom" may be the best material Image Comics has ever published.

Aquaman meets Dune meets The Little Mermaid.......2005-05-31

First a confession: This was an impulse buy with the intent to get the needed $25 for my free shipping from Amazon. That being said, I was familiar with, and fond of, Michael Turner's work with Witchblade, having already spent a small fortune on those titles. The art in Fathom is just as terrific, though the story was a bit lacking. While I generally can't put a good graphic novel down, it took several sittings to make it through Fathom. If you are a fan of comics, and most importantly comics with hot chicks, then you'll likely enjoy Fathom. Just don't expect it to change your life in any meaningful way.

One of the BEST!.......2005-04-30

Michael Turner deserves all the credit for this book. Before this I only came across Turners work in his Superman/Batman series. I loved his renderings of the Batman and Supes!
So I thought I would check out what else he had to offer. I was a bit hesitant when I ordered this book but once I read finished it there was no doubt in my mind. Michael Turner is AMAZING!
Read this if you want a great story with exceptional art.

Sci-fi meets Mythology meets Top Cow!.......2003-10-25

Michael Turner struck gold with his earlier work on Witchblade. I was nuts over his work on that former book. Beautiful women and ultra-detailed backgrounds. Then when he left that book, I was very upset for a long while....

That was until my Fathom Hardcover Deluxe Collected Edition arrived in the mail! His work here is better than ever. Even more fluid than his work in Witchblade - although I have to say that there are pieces in Witchblade that will remain very special to me.

Top Cow puts in the highest production quality into their comic-books. This book is the perfect example of holding a summer-blockbuster movie in your hands. The effect is really THAT mind-blowing. Bill O'Neil's writing is overly wordy at times and there are many hanging plotlines left at the end of this volume. But after the whole experience of reading this book, well, I don't think you'll care about all its faults. Ultimately, the book is about Aspen Matthew's search for her true identity - human or water-being, warrior or pacifist, princess or destroyer.

If you like the movie, "The Abyss", you'll love this book. Or if you've ever wondered about the mysteries of the deep, the Bermuda Triangle, or the existence of pre-human intelligence, you'll love this book.

Nothing Else Compares.......2003-09-17

This is the best graphic novel/comic series period. I feel the creativity of Michael Turner is unmatched anywhere. If you only buy one graphic novel this year, this needs to be it.

Elementals #1 W/card (Birth of a Supernation 1 of 3) Vol. 3 December 1995

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Elementals #1 W/card (Birth of a Supernation 1 of 3) Vol. 3 December 1995
Jack Herman
Manufacturer: Comico
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Comic

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ASIN: B000R9H4XK

Product Description

Birth of a supernation 1 of 3

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Fathom Collected Editions - Vol. 1
Bill O'Neil Michael Turner
Manufacturer: Top Cow Productions
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: 1582400881

Twilight Zone Vol. 1-2: A Hundred Yards Over the Rim a Kind of Stopwatch the Man in the Bottle the Thirty-Fathom Grave (Twilight Zone (Genius))

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Twilight Zone Vol. 1-2: A Hundred Yards Over the Rim a Kind of Stopwatch the Man in the Bottle the Thirty-Fathom Grave (Twilight Zone (Genius))
Lou Diamond Phillips
Manufacturer: Genius Products
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: 1594440573

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FATHOM VOL. 1 (COMICS)

Manufacturer: Top cow/ Dynamic Forcesl
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000GLFE5Y

Book Description

Fifteen of the parables of Jesus, humorously retold in politically correct style. From the story of the geographically dislocated sheep to that of the generosity-gifted Samaritan, here are the parables of Jesus as you've never read them before, rephrased and reworked so as to fit the demands of political correctness. Of course, these demands have in places turned the whole parable around, and we discover that perhaps the pre-politically correct world wasn't so bad after all. At least you could tell a straight story! So this book is a great opportunity to laugh at some of our modern mores, as well as a challenge to think again about the directness and forthrightness of Jesus' original words.

Customer Reviews:

Funny, but possibly too irrevent.......1999-12-15

I wasn't sure about this book when I first picked it up. Was it going to be blasphemous about our Lord's life and works? I found the book to be a funny look at how silly, and stupid being "politically correct" is. It is somewhat irrevent about sacred things of God, but I think unless you are a extreme Christian Fundamentalist you will find the book well within the boundaries of not taking sacred things too lightly.

Truly Funny.......1997-12-22

Just the sort of book to give to someone who is annoyed with all things "politically correct" (whatever that means).

The "Mad" Methodist Minister strikes again!!.......1996-05-31

Parables is fun for old and young. Walker's incisive witmakes parables a quick read. I found it impossible toput down. The remake of historical parables in today'slanguage is apropos to the state of the world we live in.I heartily recommend this book to anyone looking to lighten the drudgery of daily existence

Book Description

This investigation of one of the greatest yet least understood repertories of Western keyboard music reveals the reasons why the 555 keyboard sonatas of Domenico Scarlatti have not been written about more often. The lack of documentary evidence and the composer's position between the so-called Baroque and the Classical periods are crucial factors. W. Dean Sutcliffe also examines each individual sonata in unprecedented detail.

Download Description

W. Dean Sutcliffe investigates one of the greatest yet least understood repertories of Western keyboard music: the 555 keyboard sonatas of Domenico Scarlatti. Scarlatti occupies a position of solitary splendour in musical history. The sources of his style are often obscure and his immediate influence is difficult to discern. Further, the lack of hard documentary evidence has hindered musicological activity. Dr Sutcliffe offers not just a thorough reconsideration of the historical factors that have contributed to Scarlatti's position, but also sustained engagement with the music, offering both individual readings and broader commentary of an unprecedented kind. A principal task of this book, the first in English on the sonatas for fifty years, is to remove the composer from his critical ghetto (however honourable) and redefine his image. In so doing it will reflect on the historiographical difficulties involved in understanding eighteenth-century musical style.

Customer Reviews:

Finally!.......2005-05-14

Everyone who takes western music history lite, aka "music appreciation," hears a sample sonata by Domenico Scarlatti--usually K 159, 1, 141--and, depending on the textbook, reads a few words about binary sonata, Spanish influence, keyboard virtuosity--and then moves on to the far better known works of two other great composers born in 1685: Bach and Handel. In comparison to their work, a single Scarlatti sonata seems lightweight.

But those who become interested enough to listen to the numerous recordings--say, Pogorelich on piano or Kipnis on harpsichord--will be impressed not only with the quality of the 16 or so sonatas per CD but also with how unlike each sonata is from the one before. It gets addictive, and by the time one reaches sonata #555, the conclusion is obvious: there is no "typical" Scarlatti sonata. So what and why and how questions lead listeners first to CD program notes--mostly useless--and to Ralph Kirkpatrick's 1953 _Domenico Scarlatti_ (seminal work, but dated) and Malcolm Boyd's 1986 _Domenico Scarlatti--Master of Music_ (quite readable, but only about 75 pages deal with keyboard sonatas). The only other substantial treatment in English is Joel Sheveloff's unpublished 1970 Ph.D. thesis.

Finally, W. Dean Sutcliffe has written the most interesting and best-informed book on Scarlatti's sonatas since Kirkpatrick. It's a scholarly book, beginning with a review of past works on Scarlatti's sonatas. This is also a lively review of how the historical perception of Scarlatti has changed. Sutcliffe provides the known biographical details of Scarlatti along with the wry admission that we will never know--perhaps by the composer's design?--anything about his personal life. Sutcliffe is an academic, but his writing is nonetheless interesting and suggests some of the passion that the sonatas express.

The heart of the book then follows, a consideration of Scarlatti's harmony, rhythm ("syntax"), form, and a review of the harpsichord/(Florentine) piano debate. All of this discussion is supported by numerous printed examples of the score, just barely large enough to play from.

What if you only play recordings? One of the strengths of this book is that it includes frequent references to recorded performances. Sutcliffe doesn't provide such refs to provide examples for those who can't read music, but rather because he regards performances as just more evidence for his points. For example, he cites the performance of Mikhail Pletnev, noting all his omissions and additions to P's recording of K 523. Sutcliffe doesn't do this in the spirit of "Aha, I caught you playing wrong notes" but as backup to his pointing out that the arrangements of Scarlatti's music by his contemporaries Charles Avison and G.F. Handel make clear how Scarlatti just did not fit the conventions of Baroque music. Everyone feels the compulsion to adjust it in some way.

In another instance, Sutcliffe offers an absolutely brilliant analysis of K 474 that explains the motivic web that unifies this disquieting (aren't they all?) sonata, and considers the decisions several performers make on whether or not to perform a critical trill in m 46. This sounds very techie, but because of Sutcliffe's lively yet exact writing, you don't need to read music to profit from his analysis.

I don't always agree with Sutcliffe--for example, he sees the opening of the second half of K 461 as contrast between the Alberti bass and the learned style right hand part as support for his thesis that Scarlatti was trying to hit on the galant/baroque contrast, while I play 4-part counterpoint here. He completely misses the similarity in melodic contour and thus the relationship between the sections in contrasting tempo in K 162 (think Brahms op 76, 5).

Regarding the physical book, I have a gripe: The font is small, 10-point or maybe even 9-point--so Cambridge UP's washed-out print is hard to read.

The Keyboard Sonatas of Domenico Scarlatti and Eighteenth-Century Musical Style.(Instruments and Instrumental Music)(Book Review): An article from: Notes

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The Keyboard Sonatas of Domenico Scarlatti and Eighteenth-Century Musical Style.(Instruments and Instrumental Music)(Book Review): An article from: Notes
Mark Kroll
Manufacturer: Music Library Association, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

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Book Description

This digital document is an article from Notes, published by Music Library Association, Inc. on September 1, 2004. The length of the article is 1573 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: The Keyboard Sonatas of Domenico Scarlatti and Eighteenth-Century Musical Style.(Instruments and Instrumental Music)(Book Review)
Author: Mark Kroll
Publication: Notes (Refereed)
Date: September 1, 2004
Publisher: Music Library Association, Inc.
Volume: 61 Issue: 1 Page: 145(3)

Article Type: Book Review

Distributed by Thomson Gale

Customer Reviews:

Great history with medium depth on the cigar review.......2006-05-31

I really appreciated this book for the photography and the explanation of the manufacturing process. Del Todesco does a great job of walking the reader through the myriad processes of creating a puro. The only thing about this book that left me a little disappointed was the review of cigars in the back. It seems a little difficult to review a cigar in one sentence, especially cigars that are as complex as a Montecristo #2 or a Hoyo de Monterrey...but time and again, he sums up an otherwise world famous cigar as "suitable for a beginner" or "mild, not much to recommend about this cigar". It just struck me as odd to have a compilation as deep as what is presented in this book and then give the cigars an extremely indifferent and passing glance en masse. The first 130 pages were interesting no matter what level of aficianado you are...the encyclopedia could use a good second edition enhancement.

Great work. One of the "must haves.".......2005-11-26

I agree with Van55. (What else is new?!) This is a fantastic book. I bought my copy used through Amazon over a year ago, and I am still making reference to it. If you are a fan of quality Cuban cigars, you need this volume along with Min Ron Nee's work. In contrast to Min Ron Nee's book, this one has much more on the history and production of the cigars. The photos, many full page, are colorful and moving.

While this book does have descriptions and evaluations of various vitolas, the ones in MRN's book are much more thorough and complete. That does not mean that the ones you will find in the book are not useful, but they are best treated as an overview. Don't look for detail here. But then again, this book is less than half the price of the MRN book, and it is much easier to find.

Again, you probably need both books, but buy this one first. You won'd be disappointed. Makes a great coffee table book too!

Excellent historical reference.......2005-06-13

I found this book at Amazon while searching for the second printing of "An Illustrated Encyclopaedia of Post-Revolution Havana Cigars" by Min Ron Nee, that I understand is soon to be released for sale within the United States.

Mr. del Todesco's book, though now nearly ten years old, remains a valuable addition to the library of anyone who has an interest in Cuban cigars. The first 130 or so pages contain a detailed history of Cuba's cigar-making as well as a seed-to-cigar description of the creation of Cuban cigars. Most of these pages consist of excellent photographs of Cuba and of the farmers, torcedors and others whose skill and knowledge contribute to the manufacture of, arguably, the best cigars on earth. The last half of the book consists of sepia photgraphs and brief descriptions and tasting notes of the brands (marcas) and sizes (vitolas) of Cuban cigars that were in commercial production in 1996. Comparing these notes to more recent reviews of examples of later productions of these cigars is fascinating.

I'm glad that I happened to have stumbled onto the existence of this beautiful volume.

Best havana reference available in the US.......2004-12-10

This is a great reference book for specific havana brands. Life sized images of most cigars from nearly all brands is included along with vitola information and author's tasting notes/suggestions. This is in addition to general cigar information like history of tobacco, tobacco cultivation and creating a cigar. The specific details are a bit dated (1997) but still the best I have seen published in the US. However, Min Ron Nee's text is superior if you can obtain it.

Unquestionably the finest book available on Cuban cigars.......1999-07-05

With the plethora of books currently available on cigars in general and on Habanos in particular, this is (still) the one item no cigar aficionado dare be without.

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Finally! A Great Source for All-- Starters to Seasoned Investors

Are You Dumb Enough to Be Rich? The Amazingly Simple Way to Make Millions in Real Estate

Are You Dumb Enough to be Rich by Barnett

Fantastic Book! A must read - no question!

Outstanding, common sense approach to investing in real esta

Are You Dumb Enough to Be Rich? The Amazingly Simple Way to Make Millions in Real Estate
G. William Barnett II
Manufacturer: AMACOM/American Management Association
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0814471773

Book Description

With a foreword by Robert G. Allen

No investment strategy has created more millionaires than real estate. Even in less-than-stellar economies, real estate offers a "safe harbor" to people wishing to make smart, low-risk investments. And now there's a foolproof, step-by-step system even financial novices can use to achieve wealth and financial freedom.

Are You Dumb Enough to Be Rich? gives people the resources and information they need to make serious amounts of money from buying and selling real estate. This essential book walks readers through the entire process, providing them with a 120-day plan for starting down the road to building real estate wealth.

Too many real estate books focus on stories and unlikely examples about how other people became rich. Are You Dumb Enough to Be Rich? offers real strategies on finding the best opportunities, avoiding the common pitfalls of real estate investment, and building personal and professional credibility.

Straightforward and easy-to-follow, the book empowers readers to take their first tentative steps toward real estate investing with confidence. Are You Dumb Enough to Be Rich? demonstrates that it doesn't take a genius to make money -- lots of it -- in real estate.

Customer Reviews:

Finally! A Great Source for All-- Starters to Seasoned Investors.......2006-03-29

I had been investing in real estate by traditional means (i.e. bank loans) for over a year and having marginal success. I thought I had read every "how to" book on the market until I found Bill Barnett's. You always hear of his methods from other investors and in other books but never get a good layout of what YOU need to do to make it work. Using a few of the methods described in Bill's book, I bought a property 3 days after I put the book down and turned it for 22% in 5 weeks. I have been doing this for the past 4 months and re-read the book often as it serves as a good reference as well. The presentation of facts versus good fortune and other people's stories is what serparates this book from the thousands of others. There will always be risks involved with investing and there is no such thing as an "overnight" millionaire--but this book will certainly get you on your way. Highly recommended.

Are You Dumb Enough to Be Rich? The Amazingly Simple Way to Make Millions in Real Estate.......2006-03-15

I don't speak English enough to write correctly. Sorry.
I can read but my wrtiting is very bad.

Are You Dumb Enough to be Rich by Barnett.......2005-11-17

The author provides a website entitled
" Anybodycandothisbusiness. com.
There is a very extensive and valuable section on the acquisition of HUD properties. The preferred technique for acquiring these properties involves the following steps:

- internet searches
- listings
- contact with published brokers and sellers of HUD properties
- the travelling route to the property
- analysis of the property and choosing potential candidates
- bidding

The author recommends that the potential buyers plan for court
fees, a reasonable profit and provisos for necessary repairs.
The presentation does not promise an easy road to riches.
Instead; the author sets forth the considerable research steps
necessary to acquire and maintain prospective properties without
too much unnecessary effort.

The work is reasonably priced and simple to understand.

Fantastic Book! A must read - no question!.......2005-05-31

I have personally read 60 books in the last 2 years on real estate investing. I think Bill Barnett's book is the best I have read (and I have read it 5 times). He writes a wonderfully practical book, that gives you a hands on approach that works. Of all the books in my collection, this is the one I come back to again and again! I am not the kind of person that typically goes out of his way to praise - that is unless I truly believe in something. I think any serious investor should have this book in their collection. I particularly like the multiple offer approach, and the 120 day road map to success. I use this approach now in my investing. Bravo Bill!

Outstanding, common sense approach to investing in real esta.......2005-04-08

I've read several "real estate investment" books over the years and this one is by far the easiest to comprehend and then implement! It has a step-by-step process for starting your real estate investment business and has some good humor spinkled in to make it an enjoyable read as well as informative. I highly recommend it to anyone interested in starting their own real estate investment business. Kudos to Mr. Barnett !!!

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