Art and Photography Blog

Visions of Earth: Beauty, Majesty and Wonder: A Review

I was very pleased to receive a review copy of National Geographic's beautiful new photography book, "Visions of Earth: Beauty, Majesty and Wonder." The book showcases the beauty in the world around us - from landscapes to people in their tradition of covering the diversity of each in our planet. Each chapter is divided into themes based on the shapes of the photographs inside, including beginnings, curves, surfaces, radiance, parallels, emanation, aggregation, unexpected, perspective, spectrum, interlopers, breaking, endings, flow, and radiance.  What a great menu to choose from. I was torn as to where to start.

I must be a great job to assemble these theme-based books from the vast collection of images from the National Geographic extensive set of images. Each section begins with a brief easy on the theme before going into full-page images with intense colors. I was impressed by the diversity of humans, animals, and locations that they were able to capture and share. It reminds me that the earth can be an exciting place to be, especially if we can get beyond our familiar existence. I have the travel bug looking at this and want to be sure to bring my own camera to be able to later reflect on what I see.

I certainly recommend this book to anyone who wants a rich set of images to better appreciate the beauty within our planet. Here are six images that they allowed me to download.  There are so many more. Here is a nice YouTube video on the book. 

         

Simply Beautiful Photographs from National Geographic

Here is another in a long series of great photography books from National Geographic, Simply Beautiful Photographs by Annie Griffiths. I was pleased to receive a review copy. Annie picked images from all of the Society's core mission areas: exploration, wildlife, cultures, science, and nature. Each chapter covers a “specific aspect of what creates beauty in a photograph, whether light or color, or motion, and illuminates that quality in a splash of large-format images —most of which readers will be able to purchase as prints. Musings on visual beauty from scholars and poets enhance the experience.”  

This must have been a fun assignment given the rich depth of the National Geographic photo archives. It is certainly fun to look at what she came up with.  The chapters are: light, composition, moment, time. palette, and wonder.  Many of the photos span across two pages of the large format book. Among other things it shows the diversity of beauty with the world and the people who live in it.

I was especially drawn into the Composition chapter as I am always mentally composing pictures as I walk around and this gave we some new ideas to consider. It begins appropriately with a quote from Henri Cartier-Bresson, the master of composition.  I loved the contrast of a single black muddy road through a white field of snow followed by a busy Asian marketplace. An image from Sam Abell follows with an archway of trees over a dirt drive. I have interviewed Sam before about his composition process. Later a large group of white pelicans navigate the curve in a dark river through a grassy march. A curving street in Lisbon provides a stage for a variety of people. The great images go on and on. Annie provides photo she took of a bicycle in front of a fruit stand in the rural UK.

The Moment chapter captures those fleeting instances that photography is unique in its ability to capture. Nuns play volleyball. A whale surfaces and a gorilla considers a leaf. The Time chapter shows image sin motion, often with a blur. The tango dancers surrounded by motion is a great example.

The palette chapter shows images with a strong color sense, often in the same color, sometimes with contrasting colors. A lone red umbrella in a large green Japanese garden is a good example of this interplay. Another red umbrella is seen in a blur of snow in a largely black and white image of Chinese workers.

The wonder chapter is true to its name with images that cause a close look such as a group of seemingly dancing humpback whales. An exploding volcano in Hawaii is followed by the northern lights in Canada.

This is a comprehensive collection of images that will not disappoint. It will draw you in for many viewing. 

 

RARE: Portraits of America’s Endangered Species by Joel Sartore

 I received a review copy of Joel Sartore's new book, RARE: Portraits of America's Endangered Species. It is published by National Geographic. As you open the book you see a Southern Mountain Yellow-legged frog breaking the surface. The contents are organized by the number of a species left on earth. Many are fewer than a thousand or unknown.  I was surprised to find there are only 46 Woodland Caribou, 195 Ocelots, around 300 Wolverines, 330 red wolves, 356 Condors, and 539 Whooping Cranes. I remember as a kid in New Orleans seeing the Whooping Crane stamp released connected to Louisiana.

Even among more animals with greater numbers, it is concerning to see only about 3500 Polar bears and 2,000 American Crocodiles. Joel’s photos really make these animals come alive. There are some plants, as well.

Joel Sartore is a winner of the 2010 North American Nature Photography Association (NANPA) “Outstanding Photographer of the Year” award, and award winner at the 2010 Pictures of the Year International (POYi) competition for images that form the foundation of this book. You can visit Joel’s web site to see a video on the book.

This is a highly recommended book on an important issue. 

Paul Nicklen’s Polar Obsession - Great Photo Book from National Geographic

I have always been interested in the Arctic since my trips to Alaska, the Yukon, and Newfoundland in the early 70s so I was very interested in receiving a review copy of the Polar Obsession book by National Geographic photographer Paul Nicklen. It is another great one from National Geographic and the book exceeded my already high expectations.  First it is a very beautiful large format book. Second, Paul goes both underwater and across the ice to deliver unique, close-up documentation of wildlife in the Arctic and Antarctic. The book also presents timely insights into animal behavior, the fragile polar environment and the climate change that threatens the ice and those who live over and under it.

Paul grew up in a small Inuit community in the Canadian Arctic so he is at home with this effort.  He now lives in Whitehorse, Yukon, a town I have visited. There are 150 images from the polar reaches that include elephant seals, leopard seals, whales, walruses, narwhals and polar bears, penguins, albatrosses, petrels, arctic cod and tiny krill. The cover has dual image of a polar bear underwater and its reflection on the surface above it.

The books often have a photographer and a writer. Paul covers both roles here. He starts each chapter with an essay detailing the life conveyed in the images. The title page has a great shot of a sleeping seals riding the waves taken at water level. The next shot is a group of narwhals with their unicorn horns raised like spears. There is wonderful two-page sot of a group of walruses in Norway.  The narwhals get extensive coverage with some great group shots and close-ups of their horns.

The creatures of the Arctic and Antarctic are quite spectacular and Paul covers both ends of the earth.  There is a great contrast. For example, on two-page spread you see a lone polar bear in the distant framed against the blue ice glacier and cold cliffs off Norway. You turn the page to see another two page spread of a warm tone image of hundreds of Elephant Seals and King Penguins on a beach in South Georgia in the very South Atlantic.   Turn again and you are faced with a close up of a baby Elephant seal staring at you underwater.

There are many close-ups of Polar Bears that make you wonder how he took the shots. One shows a close head shot of a Polar bear shaking off waters as it comes up from a dive. Another has a bear shining red in the sunset as it hunts. The landscapes, both above and below the water are also well covered.  This is a book that I will return to many times. I highly recommend it. You can order the book at the National Geographic site.

Mothers and Children – Photographic Gem from National Geographic

Recently. I received a review copy National Geographic of Mothers and Children. It is a small but wonderful book full of pictures of mothers with their children from all over the world. The contributors include Annie Griffiths Belt, Sam Abell, Jodi Cobb, Joel Sartore, and more (see my earlier interview Sam Abell Talks about Photography and Life and my review - The Life of a Photographer – Sam Abell). The book contains 120 pages with 100 beautiful photographs.

The book is divided in four sections: the north, the south, the east, and the west. These refer to parts of the globe rather than a country. I like the Jewish proverb quoted, “God could not be everywhere so he created mothers.” The diversity of people and dress is striking but the common qualities of the mother-child relationship come through. There are mothers and daughters of all ages.

Not surprisingly, I especially liked the total context and qualities in Sam Abel’s picture of a mother and three children in Northwest Australia. A. W. Cullers’ beach shot in Wales is a picture I could look at for a long time and continue to see new things. Gordon Gahan’s shot of mother and newborn finger play in Rostock Germany captures some of the joy and wonder of that moment in life.

There is an introduction from mother and writer Lynne Perri and three lyrical essays, co-written by Craig Wilson, about work, play, and life at home are sandwiched between the four sections. They have their own illustrations. This is the perfect Mother’s Day gift but one that does not lose its relevancy year round. I hope they now do a Fathers and Children book.