Dale Dougherty; creator of MAKE: magazine and the Maker Faire; provides a guided tour of the international phenomenon known as the Maker Movement; a social revolution that is changing what gets made; how itrsquo;s made; where itrsquo;s made; and who makes it. Free to Make is a call to join what Dougherty calls the ldquo;renaissance of making;rdquo; an invitation to see ourselves as creators and shapers of the world around us. As the internet thrives and world-changing technologiesmdash;like 3D printers and tiny microcontrollersmdash;become increasingly affordable; people around the world are moving away from the passivity of one-size-fits-all consumption and command-and-control models of education and business. Free to Make explores how making revives abandoned and neglected urban areas; reinvigorates community spaces like libraries and museums; and even impacts our personal and social developmentmdash;fostering a mindset that is engaged; playful; and resourceful. Free to Make asks us to imagine a world where making is an everyday occurrence in our schools; workplaces; and local communities; grounding us in the physical world and empowering us to solve the challenges we face.
2016-01-01 2016-01-01File Name: B01ABTHIHM
Review
10 of 10 people found the following review helpful. Great Detail; Structure Is LackingBy Michael E. ComeauThis is required reading for anyone with a serious interest in the history of fashion photography; though at times it seemed to lean way too much towards gossip.For example; I dont know why Gilles Bensimons penis is so prominent in this book.Id have enjoyed more information on how these photographers worked and did business than their sex lives. Mr. Gross should have just put a list up front of the photographers that cheated on their wives (basically all of them except Helmut Newton); which would have left more space for real information.But I still liked this book quite a bit; because what it gets right; it gets really right.In particular; I enjoyed the sections on Irving Penn. Mr. Penn was the King of Kings for 50 years; but there is very little information on him in the public sphere.Also; I liked reading about the business gamesmanship among photographers; magazine editors; and advertisers.Butt my biggest qualm with this book was the structure.At times; it felt more like a series of stories about individual photographers than a series history of fashion photography. It wasnt as cohesive as Model.But its still worth buying if youre interested in the history of fashion photography; because it packs an awful lot of detail in about some of historys greatest photographers; including Richard Avedon; Bert Stern; Bruce Weber; and plenty of others.2 of 2 people found the following review helpful. A Fascinating Glimpse into the Private World of Fashion PhotographyBy AzamieI thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. When I lived in New York in the early 1970s; I met and befriended a couple of the photographers featured in Mr. Gross story; so I had some previous knowledge regarding this less-than-glamorous side of the fashion world. I especially liked reading about Avedon; his larger-than-life ego and his insecurities. I actually admire him and his work even more after reading this book. What I like about Mr. Gross and his writing is that it is well-researched; and I consider his work "historical"---many of the names in this story are all but forgotten today---trendsetting artists such as Bill King and Chris von Waggenheim; to mention just two---I recommend this book to anyone who wonders just what went on at some of the fashion studios of the most well-known and innovative photographers; and how some of the most iconic fashion images of our time came to be.3 of 3 people found the following review helpful. I threw this book into my travel kit before boarding ...By F. ConradI threw this book into my travel kit before boarding a plane to Milan. I intended to snooze during the flight but started reading "FOCUS". I didnt sleep the whole trip. This is such an interesting book for me. I spent my career as a photojournalist and knew fashion photographers only by reputation. This book is filled with loads of information for any student of photography. There is information about how different photographers worked. I now know to credit Avedons assistant; Gideon Lewin; for "light on a stick". Even more interesting are the behind the scenes rivalries of photographers and art directors. Michael Gross mentioned an Alexey Brodovitch Workshop Session that was taught by Irving Penn and Richard Avedon together. I never knew such a thing existed. Two masters going toe to toe. I just printed the 54 page transcript from the Penn archive at MOMA. What a treasure! This book is filled with many more gems. Im rereading it now as a photo history book.
