Search Results for: books

When Britain’s most lovable prince met America’s most beautiful legal-drama actress, a fairytale came to life.

Re-enact this captivating love story in the comfort of your own home with these handy royal paper dolls.

· Say “yes” to the dress as Meghan tries on stylish wedding gowns.

· Enjoy a royal Christmas as the couple kick back in an elf suit and a reindeer onesie.

· Relive that intimate marriage proposal, accessorised with a Union-Jack apron and a roast chicken.

· Join the prince at his imaginary Las Vegas Bachelor Party complete with speedos, cocktails and an inflatable unicorn.

· Help America’s finest Hollywood export into her incognito anti-paparazzi outfit (hat, sunglasses, handbag as shield).

Do you ever wish you watched less and played more? Shuffle & Deal is a card game book packed with hilarious, evil and deeply addictive games that are guaranteed to spread through your circle of friends like poison ivy. This isn’t a book full of old favourites; all of the games selected offer something a bit different – new twists and alternative rules.

But Shuffle & Deal is more than a collection of card games. Fun to read and beautiful to look at, it features a collection of stunning artwork dating from medieval times to the present day. Alongside the games are historical anecdotes, top tips for winning, and card-speak jargon busters, designed to ake everyone an expert.

In a world that relies ever more on screens to fill its need for entertainment, card games are a beacon of light. So come in from the cold, call your friends and families, grab a deck, and make some memories.

Exposure is photography’s fundamental concept. Master it, and you’ll master photography.

You don’t need a book to take good photos any more; most (but not all) of the time your camera, or your phone, will handle things for you. But if you don’t know what it’s doing – you don’t know how to expose photos – you can’t join in the real fun of photography.

With this book, though, you’ll quickly master the key principles, and grasp a few simple concepts that will open up a world of beautiful sunsets, clever silhouettes, light trails and bokeh – as well as sophisticated techniques like HDR, manual exposure blending, and focus stacking.

Armed with this knowledge the digital photos you share will stand head-and-shoulders above the rest, and you’ll have no problem using that film camera or used Polaroid you picked up at that garage-sale.

Stitch will offer contemporary designs and creative projects for the modern maker with a discernible eye for aesthetics, with a focus on customisable makes, stunning fabric inspiration, easy-to-follow instructions and beautifully graphic photography.

The book will cover the basic techniques of sewing with all projects achievable either by using a sewing machine or by hand (and a little more time!), and with no overly complicated techniques. Each project will be photographed and some will be accompanied by step-by-step images to help guide you through more intricate instructions.

With makes including reusable fabric bowl covers, pretty pot holders and scrunchies made from off cuts, as well as projects to up-cycle old bed linen or use up scraps of fabric left from other designs in the book, anyone from beginner to intermediate will find projects to love in this modern makers handbook.

Explore modern sewing and learn to perfect your stitch.

In her second book, botanical artist Harriet de Winton shows you how to paint modern watercolour artworks to treasure and share. Picking up where New Botanical Painting left off, this books aims to expand readers’ repertoires into fauna as well as flora, with easy-to-follow instructions for a variety of difficulty levels.

Through more than 30 step-by-step projects, you’ll discover how to paint beautiful butterflies, bumblebees, birds and botanicals from around the world. In the final chapter, you’ll find a guide to composing stunning patterns and scenes with your own botanical watercolour creations. Use your new skills to make art for your wall, unique cards, invitations, or simply paint for pleasure.

Projects include:
Bengal Tiger
Chilean Flamingo
Prickly Pear
Zebra
Bumblebee
Garden Tiger Moth
Peacock
White-tailed Deer
Polar Bear
Arctic Poppy
And many more!

If you think you need a boarding pass to fly, you’re really missing out…

Today, drones are everywhere. From film studios to farms, they’re in the hands of photographers, commercial surveyors and racers alike.

This fully illustrated book explains how drones developed, where they’re going and which one you should choose.

It even includes complete instructions to build both a simple drone and a super-fast FPV racer yourself.

Whether you’re flying indoors or out, buying or building, this book covers everything:

¦ Understand the Jargon Flying has a lot of unfamiliar terminology, but this book will make it easy to master.

¦ Business or Pleasure Every type of multicopter you might want is introduced, including explanations of which is best suited for what role.

¦ Get the Best Pictures This edition includes an extended guide to the tech and composition tricks you can use to make your pictures stand out of the pack.

¦ Get the Best Video A new shot-guide shows you how to get the most engaging aerial video, whatever your drone.

¦ Be a Winning FPV Racer There are two complete step-by-step instructions for building your own drones inside: an FPV racer, or a surprisingly cheap wooden drone – both great projects.

Following the worldwide success of the first edition, which has been translated into numerous languages, this second edition is not only fully updated to keep pace with the laws and technology, but also extended to thoroughly cover the fast-growing new sport of FPV drone racing, while still including a comprehensive guide to learning to fly any drone.

‘If you’ve just bought your first camera…this inspiring book is just what you need’ – Black and White Photography

While digital cameras and smartphones have made photography more accessible than ever, knowing exactly how to take skilful, stunning photos isn’t so straightforward.

In this essential book for every amateur photographer, photography writer Ben Hawkins uses his extensive experience to deliver a unique modular system of learning. Covering all of the key genres, a range of diverse projects will teach every essential skill, technique and technical competency, while also offering inspiration and delivering beautiful images for your first portfolio.

– Master every skill, technique and camera setting essential for great photography.

– Learn at your own pace through a difficulty-rated modular system that increases in challenge as your competency grows.

– Get to grips with every genre of photography from landscapes to portraits and nature to reportage.

‘An ever-dependable showcase for the best images of Britain.’ – The Telegraph

‘No serious fan of landscape photography books should do without this.’ – Digital Camera World

‘A plethora of stunning black & white images that capture the UK’s diverse topography in all its monochromatic glory.’ – Black & White Photography

‘Together [the images] attest to photography as a wonderfully effective medium to place the viewer at the same spots as the photographers stood and feel something of the wonder they felt.’ – Artmag

Charlie Waite is one of today’s most respected landscape photographers and the Landscape Photographer of the Year competition is his brainchild. Beautifully presented, this book is a stunning collection of images of the natural world from incredible image-makers, both amateur and professional. Each image is captioned with the photographer’s account of the inspiration behind the picture, coupled with the technical information on equipment and technique that shaped the photograph.

A hugely prestigious competition, coupled with a high-profile author and an exhibition in central London, Landscape Photographer of the Year has enjoyed huge success in its thirteen years of publication.

Following the arrival of game-changing new cameras from Nikon and Canon, the hottest area in the world of photography has been combining high-definition video capability with all the advantages of SLR’s interchangeable lenses. For the first time, full cinematic creativity is within anyone’s grasp.

With its tips-based structure, this book can be dipped into for reference for movie-makers of any background, or read cover to cover for a complete course in movie-making. With four case studies from real-world professional projects, including a TV advertisement and a music video, 101 Top Tips for DSLR Video provides invaluable guidance for any budding filmmakers.
Top Tips for DSLR Video also includes four case studies from real-world professional projects, including a TV advertisement and a music video. Taking you all the way from understanding and choosing the technology, to planning, shooting, editing, and finally publishing your movie, this book contains everything you really need to know about making video with your digital SLR camera.

Food photography is a rapidly-growing genre, and whether you’re a food blogger looking to take your presentation to the next level, or a professional photographer keen to expand into this lucrative market, this book has everything you need to make it all a piece of cake.

Using the techniques she has developed through years of professional success, Beata Lubas will teach you how to anticipate your clients’ needs, articulate your own style, and skillfully manufacture sumptuous shots that leap from the page.

Learn how to tell food stories using light, colour and shape to evoke atmosphere.

Discover methods for shaping natural light to produce magical images in any environment.

Combine styling tricks and camera skills to create sensational compositions.

With clear, concise and comprehensive instruction to suite every skill level, this book takes you through all the stages involved in creating incredible food photography. So much more than just a guide to photographing food, this is a must-read manual for every photographer working with natural light.

A specialist title aimed at bird watchers, this handy book contains all the expertise you need to make your bird-watching trip into a rewarding photo session: there is copious advice on equipment, technique and field craft, and a wealth of wonderful photos to inspire you. Finally, a section on the digital darkroom will help you turn your shots into perfect prints.

The Ad-Makers looks at the cinematic form where commerce and creativity collide most dramatically: the TV commercial.

Featuring interviews from top professionals in the field, the book provides the kind of behind-the-scenes expertise that it usually takes a lifetime of professional practice to acquire.

Gathered from the disciplines of cinematography, directing, producing and editing, the filmmakers tell the stories behind the making of some of the world’s top commercials. Each chapter includes an overview of best practice and a host of images-stills from the spots themselves and concept visuals.

Exploring the creative process from conception to post-production, The Ad-Makers also covers developments within the industry precipitated by the digital age and the new challenges placed on ad-making by the explosion of social media.

With special focus on the shooting and production elements of making a television advert, this book is ideal for all filmmakers who want to build a career in advertising, or, as is increasingly common, feature films.

– The stories behind some of the best-known TV commercials, as told by the people who made them
– Top producers, designers, storyboarders, directors, editors and visual effects creatives reveal the secrets of the television advertising industry

***

‘An epic and fascinating book.’ The Bookseller

‘Emma Lewis’ sprawling new book shines a light on overlooked feminist histories’ – AnOther Magazine

How did the abolitionist movement interact with women’s entry into the field of photography? What does the medium have to do with menstrual taboos? Is there even such a thing as a ‘feminist image’?

Whether working in the studio or on the front line, women have contributed to every aspect of photography’s short history. For some, gender is front and centre; for others, it’s merely incidental. All have been affected by the power structures beyond their camera lenses. Far too many have been, and continue to be, overlooked.

Mapping photographic developments against shifting gender rights and roles, Photography – A Feminist History shines a light on how photography has borne witness to women’s movements and made the causes for which they fight visible, and how, in turn, different approaches to feminism have given us ways of understanding photographs.

Authoritative and international in scope, Photography – A Feminist History features over 140 photographers, with ten thematic essays, and extended profiles on 75 key practitioners, many informed by conversations with the author.

What is contemporary art, and how did art come to be what it is today? How can we understand what a work of art means; and can’t just about anything be called art these days?

Contemporary Art Decoded takes ten key questions about contemporary art and uses them to what you’re looking at, how it works, and why it matters. Steering clear of jargon, this book digs deep into the core ideas and concepts behind the art. It features some work you’ll recognise, and some you won’t, from some of the most exciting artists working today, such as Olafur Eliasson, Anish Kapoor, Yayoi Kusama and Zanele Muholi.

This book is guaranteed to make your next trip to a gallery more rewarding.

Chapters include:

– What is contemporary art?
– Where did it come from?
– Where do you draw the line?
– Does it matter who makes it?
– Does it have to mean something?
– Can anything be art?
– What about art for art’s sake?
– Has it all been done before?
– Does it have to be so serious?
– What’s next?

As chief collaborators with the directors on a film, cinematographers are artistic masters in their own right. In Cinematography sixteen of the world’s greatest “painters of light” share their insights, anecdotes, and technical achievements through a series of exclusive interviews. Fascinating for both film fans and practitioners, this book is the perfect companion for anyone who wants to stand on the other side of the camera, with some of the greatest film artists of our time.

Any time you need a moment of calm or a boost of energy, reach for this book and your best pen or pencil.

Inspired by real art-therapy techniques, each of these fun and thought-provoking drawing exercises will help reduce stress, boost your confidence and leave you feeling creative and contented.

These quirky creativity prompts offer simple strategies for self expression and self care to help you be happy.

The best thing in life to hold onto is each other.

Lovebirds are so alike that it’s hard to tell them apart. They stay together for their whole lives and, if separated, they pine just like humans do. They even sleep with their faces turned towards one another. This little book shows what the animal kingdom can teach us about romance and the lasting power of love.

Inspiration is not a far-flung concept, out of reach to all but a few great artists and nor is it a matter of chance; as a photographer it’s possible to train your mind to see the creative possibilities in any situation. Featuring the pioneering work of author Brooke Shaden and a selection of carefully chosen contributing photographers, this book provides the perfect balance of insight and instruction to help you find inspiration whenever you need it and capitalise on it every time.

THE LATEST BOOK IN THE ULTIMATE PHOTOGRAPHY MASTERCLASS SERIES, FROM BEST-SELLING AUTHOR MICHAEL FREEMAN

Shooting starts with the exposure, and setting it is the first decision in photography – one that determines everything else to follow in creating a satisfying image. It’s very far from being a simple binary choice between right and wrong, because there is no standard ‘right’ exposure.

In the fifth book of his new series, best-selling author Michael Freeman takes a deep dive into another fundamental element of the photographic process. In his role as leading industry consultant in AI-led computational photography, Freeman reveals not only the full set of exposure processes available in and out of the camera, but how to link them to the personal aesthetic choices that we all want to make and argues that more than ever, exposure is a creative process.

* Clearly explains the principles of photographic exposure through a concise and easy-to-follow format.
* Examines the role of the photographer in the creative process of selective exposure.
* Real-life examples demonstrate the range of exposure choices available in any photographic situation.
* Takes account of the latest developments in computational digital photography and details how to work alongside them.
* Gives the practical photographer the tools they need to take full creative control of their camera.

The gear you have is good enough, and with a little ingenuity, it can be even better. Whether you’re sticking to a budget or just in a creative rut, this book is packed with clever tricks and innovative techniques that will help you capture beautiful images without breaking the bank. No techie settings, no complicated plans, just awesome ideas that will quickly extend your creative toolbox.

Just don’t tell the guy at your camera store!

By the time you finish this book, you’ll have all the skills you need to achieve a striking likeness in a drawn portrait. From understanding and constructing the head and shaping the hair, to checking the relationships of the features and achieving a lifelike expression, every aspect of the portrait process is examined, along with advice on what materials to use and how to find a model.

Learn to draw facial features
Understand the angles of the head
Develop textures for the skin
Experiment with light and tone

Smuggler. Rogue. Hero of the Rebellion. Scruffy-looking nerf herder.

Han Solo has been called all these things and more since making his debut in the original Star Wars film back in 1977. Four decades later, the irrepressible Solo continues to be one of the most iconic and enduring elements of the saga.

Star Wars Icons: Han Solo covers the character’s entire journey, from his genesis in George Lucas’s first drafts of Star Wars to Harrison Ford’s iconic performances in the original three films and The Force Awakens, and the character’s rebirth in Solo: A Star Wars Story. The book also takes an in-depth look at Solo’s role in the Star Wars universe, through novels, comics, video games, and more, and the indelible impression the character has made on pop culture.

Illustrated with a treasure trove of rare and previously unseen imagery, including candid on-set photography and stunning concept art, this deluxe volume also features exclusive new interviews with Harrison Ford, Alden Ehrenreich, Mark Hamill, Billy Dee Williams, Peter Mayhew, Ron Howard, J. J. Abrams, Lawrence Kasdan, Jonathan Kasdan, and many more key creatives.

Comprehensive and revelatory, this is the definitive book for Han Solo fans across the galaxy.

Novelist, comics writer, scriptwriter, poet, occasional artist – a master of several genres and inadvertent leader of many cults – there are few creative avenues Neil Gaiman hasn’t ventured down. From unforgettable books like The Ocean at the End of the Lane and American Gods to ground-breaking comics and graphic novels like The Sandman and Violent Cases; from big screen fantasies like Coraline to small screen epics like Doctor Who; and from short stories to songwriting, stage plays to radio plays, journalism to filmmaking, and all points in-between, The Art of Neil Gaiman is the first comprehensive, full-colour examination of Gaiman’s work to date.
Author Hayley Campbell, a close friend of Neil’s since she was a small child, spent many months rummaging through Neil’s attic to source the never-before-seen manuscripts, notes, cartoons, drawings and personal photographs for this book; these are complemented by artwork and sketches from all of his major works and his own intimate recollections. Each project is examined in turn, from genesis to fruition, and positioned in the wider narrative of Gaiman’s creative life, affording unparalleled access to the inner workings of the writer’s mind.
Utterly comprehensive, lavishly illustrated, The Art of Neil Gaiman is the fully authorised account of the life and work of one of the greatest storytellers of all time.