How to Take Great Photographs With Any Camera
Peter Creighton
Peter Creighton, publisher
Nonfiction, Art/Photography
**** (Good)
DESCRIPTION: Thousand-dollar SLRs, hundred-dollar casual cameras, cheapie single-shot jobs from the grocery store... in this day and age, when even phones come equipped with a lens, there are more options than ever for the amateur photographer. But, really, to get anything decent, you have to spend a hefty chunk of your paycheck, don't you? Not necessarily. The author, a professional photographer, explains how a little basic knowledge can make any shot better, no matter what camera you use.
A Kindle-exclusive title.
REVIEW: A quick and easy read, this eBook delivers exactly what the title promises. Creighton demonstrates how much of photography hinges not on the equipment but on the person holding the camera. With brief overviews of composition, lighting, and other concepts, he gets his point across in a way that even the greenest would-be shutterbug can understand. Of course, anyone interested in real, professional-grade photography can and should seek out further instruction elsewhere, but for the casual picture-taker who wants to improve their snapshots, this is a good choice.
(I notice that there is an Extended Edition of this title available via Amazon, as well. I cannot speak for its content, as I only read the original during a freebie download window.)
You Might Also Enjoy:
On Feathered Wings: Birds in Flight (Richard Ettlinger) - My Review
Clouds (Pekka Parviainen) - My Review
Artist's Photo Reference: Wildlife (Bart Rulon) - My Review
Thursday, May 31, 2012
Wednesday, May 30, 2012
The Quill Pen (Michelle Isenhoff)
The Quill Pen
Michelle Isenhoff
CreateSpace
Fiction, YA Fantasy
***+ (Okay/Good)
DESCRIPTION: In a small Northeastern coastal town in 19th-century America, the boy Micah Randall yearns for wild places, the open frontiers he reads about in books, where railroads and progress don't box a man's life in like the walls of his father's general store. But he is a Randall, son of a prosperous line, and it seems his future is already inked in the family ledgers. Rented out like a mule to the old widow Parsons, Micah discovers a strange treasure while sorting through the woman's attic: a quill pen, golden as the rising sun, which needs no ink to write. Captivated, he sneaks it out of the burn pile and back to his home, where he discovers that the words it writes have a strange way of coming true. So much power - to cast off his father's crushing yoke, to heal the rifts of his town, to live out his own dreams - sets the boy's head spinning... but no magic comes without cost. The quill pen's gifts come with a terrible curse, one that has already claimed many lives through the centuries. Even as he realizes the dangers, the pen's curse threatens those he loves the most. Can the cowardly boy find the courage to end an evil as old as the sea itself?
REVIEW: This book nearly earned a solid Good rating. It tells itself with an almost lyrical beauty, describing the life of a pastoral coastal village feeling the first tugs toward the modern, industrialized world. Unfortunately, the descriptions grow a bit thick, drawing out the story as the narrative wanders down various side-streets. The quill pen itself doesn't even make an appearance for a good stretch while characters and the setting are laboriously established. Indeed, the whole tale of the quill pen often feels more like a backdrop than the main storyline. Micah also spends too long without a spine, crippled by his cowardice and fear of his own father. The burst of action at the end caught me by surprise, given the long build-up. That said, it's not a bad book by any means. Isenhoff's writing is eminently readable, and the story has a nice polish. It just moved too slowly for my tastes.
You Might Also Enjoy:
Beyond the Western Sea (Avi) - My Review
Inkheart (Cornelia Funke) - My Review
The Book of Story Beginnings (Kristin Kladstrup) - My Review
Michelle Isenhoff
CreateSpace
Fiction, YA Fantasy
***+ (Okay/Good)
DESCRIPTION: In a small Northeastern coastal town in 19th-century America, the boy Micah Randall yearns for wild places, the open frontiers he reads about in books, where railroads and progress don't box a man's life in like the walls of his father's general store. But he is a Randall, son of a prosperous line, and it seems his future is already inked in the family ledgers. Rented out like a mule to the old widow Parsons, Micah discovers a strange treasure while sorting through the woman's attic: a quill pen, golden as the rising sun, which needs no ink to write. Captivated, he sneaks it out of the burn pile and back to his home, where he discovers that the words it writes have a strange way of coming true. So much power - to cast off his father's crushing yoke, to heal the rifts of his town, to live out his own dreams - sets the boy's head spinning... but no magic comes without cost. The quill pen's gifts come with a terrible curse, one that has already claimed many lives through the centuries. Even as he realizes the dangers, the pen's curse threatens those he loves the most. Can the cowardly boy find the courage to end an evil as old as the sea itself?
REVIEW: This book nearly earned a solid Good rating. It tells itself with an almost lyrical beauty, describing the life of a pastoral coastal village feeling the first tugs toward the modern, industrialized world. Unfortunately, the descriptions grow a bit thick, drawing out the story as the narrative wanders down various side-streets. The quill pen itself doesn't even make an appearance for a good stretch while characters and the setting are laboriously established. Indeed, the whole tale of the quill pen often feels more like a backdrop than the main storyline. Micah also spends too long without a spine, crippled by his cowardice and fear of his own father. The burst of action at the end caught me by surprise, given the long build-up. That said, it's not a bad book by any means. Isenhoff's writing is eminently readable, and the story has a nice polish. It just moved too slowly for my tastes.
You Might Also Enjoy:
Beyond the Western Sea (Avi) - My Review
Inkheart (Cornelia Funke) - My Review
The Book of Story Beginnings (Kristin Kladstrup) - My Review
Tuesday, May 29, 2012
May Site Update
I've archived and cross-linked the previous 11 reviews on the main Brightdreamer Books page.
(As an aside, this update pushes the total archived reviews over 900.)
Enjoy!
(As an aside, this update pushes the total archived reviews over 900.)
Enjoy!
Friday, May 25, 2012
Never Let Your Cat Make Lunch for You (Lee Harris)
Never let Your Cat Make Lunch for You
Lee Harris, illustrations by Debbie Tilley
Tricycle Press
Fiction, YA Picture Book
**** (Good)
DESCRIPTION: While Pebbles the cat excels at preparing a healthy breakfast (save the odd cat hair), she just can't be trusted with some meals... as her young owner learns the hard way.
REVIEW: Another while-things-were-slow-at-work read, I found myself smiling at this one. The scribbly images capture the tale's whimsical feel, as the girl narrator explains her cat's culinary flaws with the air of a loving but slightly exasperated parent. A light, fun read, especially for cat-lovers.
You Might Also Enjoy:
Heart of a Tiger (Marsha Diane Arnold) - My Review
Cat Hiss-Tory: A Feline Tour Through the Ages (Bill Bell) - My Review
Comet's Nine Lives (Jan Brett) - My Review
Lee Harris, illustrations by Debbie Tilley
Tricycle Press
Fiction, YA Picture Book
**** (Good)
DESCRIPTION: While Pebbles the cat excels at preparing a healthy breakfast (save the odd cat hair), she just can't be trusted with some meals... as her young owner learns the hard way.
REVIEW: Another while-things-were-slow-at-work read, I found myself smiling at this one. The scribbly images capture the tale's whimsical feel, as the girl narrator explains her cat's culinary flaws with the air of a loving but slightly exasperated parent. A light, fun read, especially for cat-lovers.
You Might Also Enjoy:
Heart of a Tiger (Marsha Diane Arnold) - My Review
Cat Hiss-Tory: A Feline Tour Through the Ages (Bill Bell) - My Review
Comet's Nine Lives (Jan Brett) - My Review
Children Make Terrible Pets (Lee Brown)
Children Make Terrible Pets
Peter Brown
Little, Brown Books
Fiction, YA Picture Book
**** (Good)
DESCRIPTION: Lucy the bear finds the cutest thing in the woods: a human boy. Though her mother warns her that they make terrible pets, Lucy just can't let little Squeak go!
REVIEW: We had more down time at work today; I read this while waiting for things to start back up again. A fun little book, it confirms what many a parent likely already knows. Lucy has to learn the hard way that just because something's cute doesn't mean it's meant to be a house pet. The illustrations are simple and fun, matching the story perfectly.
You Might Also Enjoy:
Jeremy Thatcher, Dragon Hatcher (Bruce Coville) - My Review
The Dragonling series (Jackie French Koller) - My Review
The Dragon That Ate Summer (Rebecca Seabrooke) - My Review
You're Finally Here! (Mélanie Watt) - My Review
Peter Brown
Little, Brown Books
Fiction, YA Picture Book
**** (Good)
DESCRIPTION: Lucy the bear finds the cutest thing in the woods: a human boy. Though her mother warns her that they make terrible pets, Lucy just can't let little Squeak go!
REVIEW: We had more down time at work today; I read this while waiting for things to start back up again. A fun little book, it confirms what many a parent likely already knows. Lucy has to learn the hard way that just because something's cute doesn't mean it's meant to be a house pet. The illustrations are simple and fun, matching the story perfectly.
You Might Also Enjoy:
Jeremy Thatcher, Dragon Hatcher (Bruce Coville) - My Review
The Dragonling series (Jackie French Koller) - My Review
The Dragon That Ate Summer (Rebecca Seabrooke) - My Review
You're Finally Here! (Mélanie Watt) - My Review
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