Book Description

This book is the first to illustrate with color photographs all Puerto Rico's breeding birds and common migrants. Over 300 color photos of 181 species of Puerto Rican birds appear in this publication.The English-language text is designed for tourists, students, teachers, and anyone who wants to understand Puerto Rico's natural heritage by learning about its fascinating birds.The species' life histories are written in a non-technical style for the general reader, and include important lessons for conservation of our natural resources.Most common birds of the Virgin Islands and northern Lesser Antilles are also illustrated. The book comes with a CD-ROM with detailed Spanish and English life history accounts and bibliography for 350 species, plus audio clips and over 1,250 photos. The CD-ROM is written in HTML which is easy to read without special installation on a PC or Mac, and makes files accessible for student projects in biology, geography, music and art. Over 80 professional and amateur ornithologists from Puerto Rico and the mainland USA collaborated in this effort. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Perfect Guide when birding in Puerto Rico
This is the perfect guide book for birding in Puerto Rico. The photographs, 1340 in all, are brilliant, and the text is detailed and rich in information. The guide itself will easily fit into a pocket or day pack and so when out in the field you will have it at your fingertips.

What's unique about this guide is the excellent CD-Rom that comes with it -- this will help you before you go to know what the birds look like, their calls, their behavior and where you can find them once in Puerto Rico. I used the CD-Rom to check out three of my favorite PR birds and was amazed at the numerous and gorgeous pictures, the superb quality of the audio recordings and the information Oberle has reproduced in this book. For instance, regarding the Puerto Rican Tody (one of the 17 PR endemics covered in this guide as well as over 320 other birds), there were a dozen different pictures of the Tody including fabulous close-ups. The information Oberle gives includes identification, voice with audio, habitat, habits, range, status and conservation, taxonomy and related books and articles about the Tody. The Tody is a tiny forest bird with emerald green upperparts and a bright red bill and throat -- everytime I see one I think of a Christmas tree ornament, they are so cute! Oberle discusses in detail what they eat: katydids, grasshoppers, earwings and dragonflies, and discusses as well their foraging techniques. Because Oberle goes into such great detail about ID and habitat/habits, I think this is the best guide to enable one to actually find the birds once in PR.

I also checked out the PR Woodpecker and found those pictures, audio and habitat/habits information just as extensive as that about the Tody. I learned that the woodpecker's stiff tail feathers helps it to gain balance while chiseling at tree bark to find its favorite insects, including earwings, beetle larvae and ants. I discovered it occasionally eats scorpions and and lizards! Oberle informs the reader that a good place to find the woodpecker is around the parking lot of the El Portal visitor Center at the El Yungue national park.

A third bird that is well covered in both the CD and guide is the Pin-tailed Whydah, which has a most remarkable long tail and perches on wires and branches. I was surprised to learn that the female is like our parasitic cowbird and doesn't build her own nest but drops her eggs in other birds' nests.

Oberle has done a splendid job of bringing together in a compact book all the information and photgraphs of birds that you will need when out in the field. Because he cares so much about these birds and the environment, he also has special sections at the begining of the book on conservation efforts, migratory birds that winter in PR, and the extinction issues that face too many birds and other wildlife today in Puerto Rico and elsewhere.

To anyone going to Puerto Rico who plans to do some birding, I heartily recommend this book and CD-Rom to you.

Puerto Rico's Best Bird Guide
This guide is fantastic! It is well organized, easy to use, full of concise, carefully planned information, and absolutely the best bird book I've ever seen. The photos are extremely well done and very helpful. The descriptions are outstanding: accurate, thorough, and interesting. I have many bird-watchers and long time Audubon members staying here at Villas Margarita, not far from the Caribbean National Forest. They all rave about this book and the fine job Mark Oberle did on it. It is worth every penny! Buy it! ... Read more

Book Description

Rachael Hale's signature style catches the eye of everyone who comes across it. Featuring 101 color photographs of Chihuahuas, Great Danes, and everything in between, 101 SALIVATIONS presents dogs in all sorts of wonderful poses that bring out their most endearing characteristics. Rachael's secret to capturing a dog's soul is to focus on his eyes--whether they are wide and shining, or heavy-lidded, in the throes of slumber. Within this book we can see the soul of our own best buddies staring back at us. In between irresistible photographs, the books is peppered with humorous and touching quotations from well-known authors such as A. A. Milne and Fran Lebowitz. This whimsical compilation of heartwarming portraits celebrates the quirky character of our canine companions. 101 SALIVATIONS: For The Love of Dogs is a tribute to the animals who have stood by us for centuries and continue to be our best friends. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

I See My Dog Reflected in Rachael Hale's Wonderful Book
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If you're a dog lover, then you know our little secret: we talk to our dogs in a special language, and they talk to us.

Many times our special dog language is phonetically different than our regular language: some would call it a version of "baby talk".

But we know it's "dog talk".

For me, my special dog language turns the "s" into a "th". My dog, Bruford, knows I'm talking to her when she hears this.

So, here I am, in the public library mens room, sitting in the stall, looking through 101 SALIVATIONS before checking out.... And the pictures are so pure and perfect - they capture the soul of the dog so wonderfully - that I unconsciously started talking to the dogs in the photos in my dog language!

Fortunately, there was no one else in the room....

A dog has one goal in its life - to love you. That's it. This marvelous book captures that love and draws you even closer to your own special friend.

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love at first sight
wonderful selection of images. at home on a coffee table as well as on your night stand. best gift for any dog lover.

A GREAT BOOK FOR DOG LOVERS!
This book is adorable! Any Dog lover would love the beautiful photography of Rachael Hale. She is wonderful! The photographs are so creative and she truly captures each different breed's personalities so well! I would definitely recommend this book for anyone who loves dogs! ... Read more

Book Description

"Macduff Everton updates travel photography in the same way that Ansel Adams updated 19th-century photography of the West. He captures strange and eloquent moments in which time, and the world, seem to stand still."-Andy Grundberg, New York Times

Only a handful of photographers have succeeded in capturing the majestic landscapes of the American West. Now, Macduff Everton takes his place among them, with magnificent panoramic photographs that deserve to be viewed alongside those of Ansel Adams and Eliot Porter. Everton's lush, romantic pictures-each a cinematic tour-de-force of light and color-present breathtaking views of the Grand Canyon, Monument Valley, Yosemite, Crater Lake, Mount St. Helens, the Missouri Breaks, Big Sur, the Painted Desert, and other fabled vistas of the American West.

With lyrical commentaries and sketches by artist and writer Mary Heebner, and an introduction on the Western landscape's importance to American history and lore by best-selling author Edmund Morris, this glorious book is Everton's masterwork.

MACDUFF EVERTON is one of the world's most distinguished and prolific travel photographers. His work is widely exhibited and collected by museums around the world. He lives in Santa Barbara, California, with his wife, Mary Heebner.

MARY HEEBNER is a writer and artist whose mixed-media collages, works on paper, and limited edition artist's books have been exhibited and collected throughout the United States and abroad.

EDMUND MORRIS is a Pulitzer Prize-winning biographer, best-selling author, and an astute historian and commentator on the United States, his adopted country.

76 panoramic photographs in full color, 12 sketches, map, 131/2 x 91/2" ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Panographs with an edge
I noticed that the writing on the front flap of the book jacket claimed that the images are large format panographs. After taking a close look at the first few images on pages 1-10, I came to the conclusion that these are panographs taken in 135 format not the medium format of the 120 or 220 types. Everton's notes of camera and film on page 7 confirmed my assessment. It is interesting that he departed from the usual practice of his peers by choosing the colour negative film Fuji NHG II rather than its sibling, the transparency film, Fuji Velvia 50. Though it does not have the punchy colours and high contrast of Velvia, NHG II gives softer colours in highlights and more shadow details. With negative films, mastery in controlling exposure is only half of the accomplishment, mastery in making prints is essential for bringing the final image to the masses. Everton said he developed his prints in a rental lab. If so, his craft is well done. The contrast control of each image is good with no lost of colour saturation and shadow details, even for heavily overcast landscape such as the one on Lemhi Pass (p56). About half of the images was taken at a time when a storm was approaching. Some even have a clearly visible rain curtain (p33,49,62). The panograph of the Great Sand Dune Monument (p62) is a real visual treat. The land and sky were connected by a rain pillar over the sand dune on the right, illuminated by the emerging light. The highlighted strip of the desert floor formed the visual anchor for the reader, guiding my eyes to start the journey from the lower left-hand side of the image then wander into the distant storm-covered horizon. The smoothness of the dunes form a visual contrast to the roughness of the storm clouds above. It is rare to see a rainstorm in a sandy desert let alone under such magical lighting. Capturing fleeing moments like this calls for great patience and skill on the photographer's part. The panograph of Lower Geyser Basin is my second favourite (p49). The steam pillar jetted out of the geyser is the force within the deep earth whereas the heaven is owned by the menacing storm dumping torrents of rain from above. I couldn't stop asking if this image was taken on Planet Earth or near Mount Doom of Middle Earth in Tokkien's fantasy. My other favourite is the panograph of the Lower Calf Creek Falls (p72). Here stillness and transquility was interrupted by the gushing waterfall. The branches of the two trees at the foreground formed a perfect arch that frames the waterfall. This is a stage built by Nature where we are invited to sit in front and be immersed in the sound of moving waters.
The map next to Everton's preface showed not only the places where the images were taken but confirmed the warning that American wilderness is an endangered specie. The rest of the writings is simply an eloquent elaboration of this urgent issue. This book is another quality publication from Abrams Inc. I give it four out of five stars.

Peerless Panoramas!
This book deserves more than five stars for the unmatched color panoramas of the most picturesque horizons in the western United States.

You could visit these sites for twenty years and not see actual scenes as luscious as these. Whether you know the West or think you would like to, I suggest that you start with this remarkable book. This is the West as you've never seen it . . . but could. The wonderful photography is nicely complemented by the essays that provide geological and historical perspectives on the scenes portrayed here.

The photography is all done in 148 or 150 degree large format color panoramas. This perspective approximates what the human eyes can see, including peripheral vision. As a result, these images give you a remarkable sense of being present that is almost impossible to obtain in a book.

The reproduction quality is amazingly good, and the lighting and tones vary wonderfully from one outstanding photograph to the next. Almost all are displayed over an entire wide panorama-sized page, and many extend over parts of two such pages.

The feeling is so ethereal that it evokes the same sense of natural wonder that looking at paintings by the Hudson River School creates. There are in fact some parallels, as a few scenes include tiny people or animals in the foreground.

The book is divided into sections showing the Great Plains, the Rocky Mountains, the Colorado Plateau, the Cascade range, the Pacific Northwest, and California. Although I have traveled extensively in the West for over 40 years, more than half of these scenes were new to me. I can see that I have many wonderful trips ahead of me to visit these locales, now that I know how gorgeous they are.

Here is a list of the sites:

Sand Hills, Nebraska

Badlands National Park, South Dakota

Theodore Roosevelt National Park

Montana Prairie

Breaks of the Missouri

Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming

Waterton/Glacier International Peace Park, Montana

Lemhi Pass, Montana

Mores Creek, Idaho

Aspen, Colorado

Great Sand Dunes National Monument, Colorado

Grand Canyon, Arizona

Grand Staircase -- Escalante National Monument, Utah

Ghost Ranch, New Mexico

Painted Desert and Petrified Forest National Park, Arizona

Monument Valley Tribal Park, Arizona/Utah

Wupatki National National Monument, Arizona

Mount St. Helens

Crater Lake, Oregon

Mount Shasta, California

Oregon Coast

Big Sur, California

Santa Catalina, California

Yosemite, California

Mono Lake, California

Joshua Tree National Park, California

Death Valley, California

The text connects these boundless images to "a West of unlimited horizons" and the work of Turner in developing his frontier theory of the role of the West in stimulating American imagination and initiative. Even today, the book argues that the "unconstrained Western horizon" is important to our sense of taking on the new challenges of modern society.

Everyone who sees these photographs will agree that it would be horrible if these sights were ever to be spoiled. We are fortunate that government policy began to preserve these lands beginning in the 19th century. With today's challenges of pollution and visitors, perhaps even more will have to be done.

Reading and looking at this book is a spiritual journey, not unlike a peaceful meditation. If your spirit is troubled at all, I suggest this book as a balm that you can always use to ease your discomfort.

Live with beauty!

Wonderful text and photographic art
Wow. What a wonderful book that amazes me, everytime I open the cover. Everton seems to have complete control over the dynamics range in all of his photographs. Dark clouds yield to lighter, fluffy clouds, down to a light horizon, and a rich, dark lower 1/3 of these exposures. Add to this control his use of a tool that has limitations, at Noblex 150 panoramic camera.

Everton also captures locations that have already been widely photographed before, but with his own signature. He adds a new face to Calf Creek Falls in Utah. A must have book for your table.

To share or savor alone?
The Western Horizon honors the expansive beauty of U.S. topography west of the 100th meridian & east of the Pacific. Mary Heebner provides lightning commentary and subtle sketches complimenting her husband, photographer Macduff Everton, as he captures sites in inimitable ways. Together, they lift a creative curtain... and what a chronicle of our planet's passage they present!

Spectacular photographs are framed with informative prose-poetry re: geologic history and human wear. Many of the images are highlighted by magically addictive, cloud reflected light ... others are pure, simple zen. You gaze & graze on Earth's lines as they reach skyward. Time is everywhere. Many thanks to Abrams for yet another choice coffee table reference. Hopefully, Heebner & Everton will have an opportunity to soon grant us some more cardinal horizons. I'd rate The Western Horizon at no less than a full box of gold stars - it's a perfect book either to share or to savor alone. ... Read more

Book Description

The vast grasslands of the Serengeti and the golden plateau of the Masai Mara are a sanctuary for wildlife and the stage for one of the most extraordinary natural phenomena on earth: the wildebeast migration. The sheer scale of this event is both awesome and unimaginable--1,500,000 wildebeasts joined by hundreds of thousands of zebras, gazelles, elephants, and their predators.

Photographer Carlo Mari has followed these animals for ten years and watched them stampeding relentlessly from one horizon to another in vast unbroken columns. His photographs portray the dynamism and courage of the herds, their rhythms, their conquest of new spaces, and their struggle to live and perpetuate themselves. Set within the context of the whole of African wildlife, these images, accompanied by Harvey Croze's authoritative text, stretch beyond the migration itself and provide a glimpse into a journey without end, a perpetual circle of passage. A safari through the pages of this memorable book is the next best thing to being there. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

nothing less than a masterpiece
Review in BBC Wildlife, January 2000, page 78 by BRIAN JACKMAN (writer) On the run The great migration of wildebeest zebras and gazelles across the high plains of East Africa's Serengeti-Mara ecosystem is the biggest wildlife show on Earth. Big subjects deserve a broad canvas, and this book is as big as they come - a coffee-table blockbuster whose wide-screen format is ideal for showing the huge Serengeti landscapes and awesome portraits of predators and prey. It is dominated by Carlo Mari's stunning photographs, and the fact that he has chosen to work entirely in black and white - reproduced here by using duotones on wonderfully thick ivory paper - only adds to the power of each printed image. The soft, grainy texture gives the action shots a quality akin to Renaissance paintings, except that instead of flights of angels we see zebras flying through clouds of dustand wildebeest crashing through torrents of spray as they race for their lives across the Mara River. But pictures alone cannot explain the mysteries of the great migration. That needs the words of experts - and the strength of this book is that the experts also happen to be the finest of wordsmiths. The cover carries a glowing message from Peter Matthiessen. The foreword is by Richard D Estes, whose own books on African mammals are essential reading for every safari enthusiast, and the main text is by Harvey Croze, distinguished- author of Pyramids of Life. With Croze as guide, the reader is taken on a 500km round trip from the wildebeest's ancestral calving grounds in the southern Serengeti to their dry-season refuge in the Masai Mara - a circuit as old as Africa itself. Along the way, everything is explained in lucid and informative style, with the occasional dash of dry humour for good measure. All the key players are featured, from those species which make up what Croze calls the "guild of predators" down to the fine print of the Serengeti grasses and the parasites which probably kill more wildebeest than all the predators put together. The result is nothing less than a masterpiece, a celebration of the natural world in all its diversity. If you can't actually go to Africa to see the great migration in the flesh, this book really is the next best thing. ... Read more

Book Description

The authors of The Beach: The History of Paradise on Earth, the best-selling history of everyone's favorite place, are back with a breathtaking visual companion. From moody, craggy coastlines to serene swathes of turquoise water and white sand, Beaches is an astounding photographic survey of the ineffable allure of paradise on earth. This spectacular collection of images from renowned photographers, including Robert Misrach, Joel Meyerowitz, and Art Wolff, stirs the spirit, capturing the mutable beauty of sand, sea, and sky. Throughout, concise and poetic pieces of historic and scientific lore unveil little-known facts and curiosities. With an astonishing range of vision, Beaches evokes the idiosyncratic beauty of the world's most stunning coastlines. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

A Retreat in Itself
The is a stunning book. The photos come from diverse parts of the globe and diverse coastal landscapes. At first, I was skeptical of the small-ish size. But the photos are very high quality and beautiful to look at. Maybe someday I'll get around to looking at the text?

Now and then, I pull the book off the shelf and flip through the photos -- an instant retreat to the shore. Great for anyone who loves the sea but can't be there very often.

BEACHES - A POEM
BEACHES -- the book [revised] When my eyes grow too dim to read, this book will be at hand to refresh my spirit, eyes, and memories.

Reminders of the beaches I have seen, and many not-seen scenes. I see familiar translucent jewel green waves and turquoise bays, ice blue coves in Oregon, huge translucent waves curving to meet the sea, another deep blue wave with incredible froth, like crystals suspended high above its majestic curve -- golden grassy sea shores, blazing sunsets -- also purple sunsets, one at Brighton pier, and other channel scenes -- rocky Brittany shores and White Dover cliffs, and curves and caves and coruscated sands. There is a tide pool like a giant blue eye with sun-bronzed eyelids -- white iceberg-rocks floating in a mirror-sea -- one real iceberg, a huge dollop of meringue reflected in a heliotrope bay --

An endless treasure.

Beyond the Most Beautiful Beach Scenes You've Seen
Review Summary: Take the most talented photographers in the world. Review thousands of their best color beach photographs. Select a few dozen. Fill in with intriguing, inspirational essays about the origin, geology, physics, terms, and biology of beaches plus describe great beach activities like surfing. The result is a stunning work that makes you wonder how come you've never seen a beach scene as beautiful as these. It's the most fun at the beach you can have without going out into the sun!

Review: "The beach, after all, is among the most challenging and rewarding of photographic subjects . . . ." The shifts between land, water, and sky are often subtle. The light has an enormous influence on the colors and the mood of the scene. Light changes swiftly. The activity of the waves changes even faster. In many cases, a photograph is capturing a unique and fleeting moment, almost like a snowflake about to melt on your hand, that could not otherwise be as fully appreciated. While the editing could have selected scenes built around the nostalgia of your own experiences at beaches, the book instead takes you around the world and to rare moments to see beaches as you will probably never see them in a lifetime, even if you visited these same sites. I was particularly impressed by the scenes of waves (which must have been taken from surf boards) and through rocks.

The editorial selection criteria were intriguing: To show "how the beach might see itself if it were to ponder its own face without the intermediary of the human eye." That concept would not have occurred to me, and I am sure I will think about all scenes in nature differently in the future as a result. I am sure you will, too. Next, the editors looked for "the most crystalline, intelligent, and evocative portrait . . . ." They also wanted the book to show a "shining range of visual sensiblities." This sense is nicely captured by looking at scenes from dawn to dusk, and from full sun to fog. Panoramas alternate with tight shots of a single element. The book is not limited to ocean beaches. Estuaries, rivers and lakes are also pictured. When in doubt, the book's editors seem to have selected the images with the highest levels of unusual color, along with stunning compositions from unusual angles.

My favorites in the book are Art Brewer's Talava Arches on Niue Island in the Cook Islands, A. Blake Gardner's shot of Padre Island National Seashore in Texas, Michael Ventura's image of Natural Arches in Bermuda, Craig Tuttle's Tide Pool at Bandon State Park and his shot of Ecola State Park both in Oregon, Ron Romanosky's beautiful Newport Beach, California, Daryl Benson's Bay of Fundy in Nova Scotia, Peter Lik's Australian shots of Orpheus Island in Queensland and Twelve Apostles in Victoria, and Joe Cornish's North Yorkshire Coast in England.

After you have bathed in the beauty of these rare natural wonders, I suggest you think about other rare moments that you may never experience. What are they? How can you seek them out? Can others help you? One of the great wonders of books, videos, and recordings is that they can bring us into extended communion with sights, sounds, and feelings that we have not directly experienced.

Let choosing rare, rewarding moments be a guide to your fulfillment!

Simply beautiful
Seldom I come across a photographic book so vivid and inspirational. The layout, color, and organization as well as the printing quality of the book is of first grade. A truly must for nature photography lovers.

Breathtakingly beautiful
This book is gorgeous. The photographs are astonishing, and convey the authors' love of the beach. Only a couple photos features people, and they're way in the background. This is a good thing. (The book is not coffee-table size, but that's okay with me, because I can keep it with me in my bag for a mood-lifter every day.) The beaches are far more lovely, important, and lasting than we humans! I'm betting that many readers will be inspired to plan their next vacation to get near some of these beaches after viewing this book. Perhaps some will also be inspired to behave in an environmentally responsible manner in their lives. Let's preserve our planet's natural beauty while we still can! ... Read more

Book Description

Whether readers are knowledgeable birders who wish to find out more about photography, or whether they have a photographic background but need to know more about fieldcraft and specialist photography techniques, this book clearly explains how to get fine results using basic 35mm cameras and equipment. Above all, it will increase readers' enjoyment of a uniquely rewarding pastime.

As photographic subjects, wild birds present quite a challenge, mainly because their phenomenal eyesight and (in most cases) acutely cautious nature make them so difficult to approach. However, like any good challenge, bird photography can often be tremendously rewarding, and its popularity is ever increasing. As a result, there is a continual improvement in the standard of work being produced. Far from being just a record of species and behavior, the best bird photographs are genuinely artful images.

The books provides the less experienced photographer with a practical guide to photographing many species of wild birds in a variety of situations, ranging from an ordinary back garden to a remote Scottish island. The author uses a 35mm single-lens reflex camera, and most of the illustrations reflect his preference for natural lighting--although basic flash techniques, which are sometimes indispensable, are also covered. For birders, photographers, nature lovers. For beginner and advanced photographers. ... Read more

Book Description

Flowers are often a photographer’s favorite subject, and this sumptuous manual covers all the practical skills and aesthetic considerations involved in shooting an array of blossoms. Whether the image is a close-up of a petal or a long shot of a landscape brilliantly in bloom, author Sue Bishop’s inspirational compositions celebrate color and form: they move beyond straightforward depictions of flowers into something more abstract, personal, and unique. She presents three comprehensive sections that cover technical matters such as equipment, lighting, exposure, and depth of field; using color; and artistic concerns such as the use of backgrounds, soft focus, and special effects.
... Read more

Book Description

Detailing the knowledge required to obtain professional-quality wildlife photographs, this book outlines techniques usually reserved for hunters to get close to animals to produce intimate portraits of wildlife. Photographers learn the keys to success, metering for perfect exposures, and how to compose the perfect picture. The basic elements of wildlife photography are covered, including photographic equipment and information on the various species and their habits. Many wildlife photographs are critiqued, providing budding wildlife photographers with suggestions for improving their own images. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A Good Introduction to Wildlife Photography
The late Bill Silliker, who wrote this book, was famous for his pictures of moose and loons.In fact he loved to be called the Mooseman.The Mooseman?s last book is an introduction to wildlife photography, aimed primarily at the beginning and intermediate photographer, although there are a few discussions that may cause the advanced wildlife photographer to reconsider his techniques.

The book, written in simple, direct, clear style, describes the fundamentals to be applied to get good wildlife pictures.After the required discussion of equipment (Silliker prefers 35mm single-lens reflex cameras, long telephotos, autofocus and sturdy tripods), he spends a quarter of the book discussing metering and focussing techniques for wildlife in clear, comprehensive language.The length of this discussion surprised me, but it is all relevant.He then goes on to consider how to get close enough to animals to get pictures with impact, and composition.I was delighted by his no-nonsense approach.Stories about his own exploits are told only when essential to make a point.There is no excess verbiage here.

My only complaint about the book is that I wanted a little more.(Having read the author?s magazine columns, I know that he was a thoughtful photographer.)For example, he believes that the limited depth of field of telephoto lenses is something that a photographer has to live with and he suggests ways to compensate for the fact.I would have liked to hear some further discussion of the role that faster ISO media can play in getting greater depth of field, or the fact that for a particular image size and aperture depth of field will always be the same, regardless of lens length.But, of course, that would have been a different book.

Silliker also does not dwell upon the use of digital imagery, although he acknowledges it and suggests several other books for the reader who wants to pursue that direction.

If you are just getting into wildlife photography, you won?t find a better guide than this.The more advanced photographer may find his thinking stimulated by some of the discussions, but will probably want to explore other works to develop his skills.There are many such works aimed at more advanced photographers, but I would certainly recommend the work of Art Morris and Art Wolfe, both of whom have turned wildlife photography into an art (pun intended but very true.) ... Read more

Reviews (20)

Photography with spirit
The subject is not only the animals, but also life. Attitude is all, from cover to cover. By far the best book I've ever seen on the subject, where you can feel a relationship between Lanting and the animal. Just buy it !

Prepare To Be Amazed !
Wow !!! How can anyone get so close?!

These photographs are stunning. The talent of Frans Lanting oozes from these pages.

There is a closeness to the subjects here that borders on the intimate. In some cases, one wonders how he actually managed to get the shot.

The focussing and exposure is spot on and the composition is perfect.

I have tried to follow this type of photography and I am only too aware of how difficult it is to obtain these sorts of images.

I take my hat off to Frans Lanting. This is a brilliant work. A completely unique approach to wildlife photography. His behind the scenes narrative to the shots is illuminating.

This book is a valuable reference for all nature photographers. Sensational !

Another masterpiece
Frans Lanting does it again in Eye To Eye--a brilliant collection of intimate portraits and daily activities of various animals. Like Jungles, it's a book that no natural photographer should be without. When you can see the individual hairs in a courgar's fur coat, it makes you kind of wonder what it would be like to be that close to one.
Looking at Lanting's work is always like looking through a book of artwork, as if he is the Picasso of photography and we are looking through his masterpieces.

So close you need a breath mint
EYE TO EYE is right! Frans Lanting has his best book to date with these tight / intimate shots of a variety of animals. Great photography and moving intimate images will make you feel like you're really close to these subjects. As a photographer myself, I look to a Lanting as one of the very few photographers I can learn from and an example of a photographer with his own vision. Lanting gives me all that and the great pleasure of viewing the pictures he's made, not just snapshots of the same boring viewpoints done by so many other published photographers. If you want closeness to animals without the risk, but this book!

Eye to Eye
Amazing photography and a soothing read. If anyone has been on safari in Africa, this will bring back many wonderful memories. If not, this book will inspire you to travel and experience these wonderful creatures in their own environment. EXCELLENT BOOK and a great learning tool for children. ... Read more

Book Description

With this astonishing collection of tree portraits, Thomas Pakenham has produced a new kind of tree book.The arrangement owes nothing to conventional botany. The trees are grouped according to their characteristics: Natives, Travellers, Shrines, Fantasies and Survivors.Roughly half consist of ancient native trees; half are exotic newcomers from Europe, the East and North America.Of the Natives, most are huge and some are immeasurably old. The great yew at Selborne, blown down in the 1990 hurricane, but still clinging to life is believed to be centuries older than the Christian church built beside it in the thirteenth century.Common to all these trees is their power to inspire awe and wonder.Meetings with Remarkable Trees is a lovingly researched audio experience, each tree is featured in a beautifully illustrated full-colour inlay. ... Read more

Reviews (12)

This book is indescribably beautiful.
I love Britain's great trees, and coming from Christchurch, New Zealand's most English city, I grew up surrounded by them. So I read this book and studied its beautiful photographs with a sense of familiarity and of awe. Who can't feel awed by oaks and elms and birches? My God: their grandeur is overwhelming.

An Amazing Book! Beauty so deep ...
Photos so beautiful of trees so magnificent you are moved to emotion. Feelings of smallness overcame me looking at these trees. And feelings of shame at what we, the human race, have done to entire forests of trees. The UK for example, especially Ireland, once almost completely forested. What a loss.

I cannot look at trees the same after this book. I always loved them, but now I can hardly bear to consider cutting any down due to thoughts of what they can become.

Beautiful pictures.
Worth the price for the gorgeous photography.

beautiful images of Great Britain's beautiful trees
This book was everything I'd hoped for -- and less and more! I'd hoped for a book full of beautiful photographs of large old trees, and it is that, indeed. It is also a bit less than I'd hoped, being trees only of the United Kingdom, and I would dearly love to have this author give a similar treatment to the gentle giants inhabiting other parts of the world.

It is also much more than I'd expected, being filled with enchanting stories of the 60 (groups of) trees Pakenham has chosen to introduce. Each tree (group) is beautifully photographed, often with people nearby so you can get a sense of their immensity, and the images are accompanied by a few pages of text filled with delightful anecdotes and histories.

Making the book even more valuable for travellers is a gazetteer with a map of the UK showing each tree's location as well as information regarding its common name, scientific name, full measurements and accessibilty to the public. Unfortunately none of the sixty are located in Wales, but there are 8 in Ireland, 10 in Scotland and 42 in England, including 10 in the London area. The book is interspersed with olde line drawings, and the book concludes with a bibliography, credits for the illustrations and a good index.

If you love trees or travel to Great Britain, you will want to meet this remarkable book. Highest recommendation.

Fascinating
Meetings With Remarkable Trees is Fascinating! I love this book. It's not just about big or old trees, it's about interesting trees. Trees with stories, or histories. Trees noted in past botanical books or by ancient poets, looked for today - some found alive, some are found 'dead on their feet' as he puts it. He groups the trees by personalities - such as the natives, travellers, mothers, survivors, shrines. Filled with tree lore, fact and legend both. Gorgeous photography interspersed throughout the whole book. Enchanting. ... Read more

Book Description

This book holds appeal for divers, laymen, romantic, and dolphin lovers alike, regarding man's spiritual connection to the sea. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Disappointing
I am a great admirer of Mr. Mayol. Since a child I felt always impressed about his contributions to science and conservationism. However, I just felt so disappointed when I read Homo Delphinus. Through it, he tries to cover many topics, but in such a superficial way that it made me anxious for not getting into any point at all. And his theory about the "homo delphinus" is only a collection of cliches and general thoughts.
With respect to the book itself, it lacks the quality of modern books and the photography has been poorly incorporated.
I am sure many people will love this book, but I expected far more from such a remarkable man as Jacques Mayol.

A MUST
Being a diver and a fan of the sea, having met Jacques Mayol the guru of breath-hold dives in Oct 2001 in Elba and upon learning that this famous book was now available in English, the next day I procured one from this site. Having since learnt of Jacques's passing on the 22nd of Dec 2001 I feel that anyone who dives or simply loves the sea and its creatures should get hold of this very remarkable book - before it goes out of production.
A fantastic book with lots of beautiful photographs that takes the reader through Jacques' early life, his reactions in the form of questions and answers to the movie "The Big Blue" and his techniques on apnea, his travels and inventions and his views on the purity of the ocean and man's endeavour to demolish anything remotely beautiful. A fantastic book to have and to keep for future generations of a man who seems to much prefer living with the creatures of the sea than with homo sapiens on land.

interaction between one man and the sea
Jacques Mayol launches first book in the United States

Idelson-Gnocchi Publishing is pleased to announce the release of Jacques Mayol's first book published in the United States, "Homo Delphinus - The Dolphin within Man". This large format, gorgeously photographed volume, is the culmination of a lifetime of personal oceanic experiences by Jacques Mayol, easily one of the most accomplished free divers of his or any other generation.

Jacques Mayol, holder of a dozen world breathhold diving records, was the first man to descend to 100 meters (330 feet), a feat he accomplished in 1976. He followed this with yet another record breaking drop to 105 meters (346 feet) at the age of 56. A Frenchman born in China, Jacques Mayol now splits his time between homes on the island of Elba in Italy, the island of South Caicos in the Turks & Caicos and a full life in Japan. He is a practitioner of Yoga, Zen and other Oriental life philosophies, essential disciplines he incorporates into his free diving practices.

Homo Delphinus demonstrates an exceptional personal vision of the interaction between one man and the sea. It also provides a superb explanation of how the separate disciplines of science and philosophy come together to allow these extraordinary free diving explorations of the ocean. This theme goes hand in hand with Jacques' deep abiding love for the ocean and it's inhabitants, particularly dolphins. He spends much of the book exploring both the affection and the similarities existing between man and dolphin, a heartfelt search for "the dolphin dormant in all of us".

The adventures in Jacques' life were chronicled in the landmark Luc Bresson film 'The Big Blue'. He has been the subject of numerous national and international broadcast interviews and print features. Jacques is also one of the world's leading authorities on 'apnea', a phenomenal physical discipline which reduces heart rate and respiratory functions, thus

allowing him to perform his remarkable diving feats. Free diving aficionados worldwide recognize and thank him for his insight, his developments of the sport and for his accomplishments. At 72 years of age, Jacques still revels in the ocean, swimming and diving virtually every available day.

Idelson-Gnocchi Publishing is based in Napoli, Italy where it has been publishing specialized Scientific Publications since 1908. The company now has offices in both Italy as well as in Florida.

Exciting.
"how exciting it was to read about how it felt to come up from a dive, to have his own experience written down on the page, just the way he experienced".

Underwater Magic
Having struggled to read Homo Delphinus in French it is great to have Jacques Mayol's incredible story available in English. For anyone interested in Free Diving, Mayol is already well known, and in Homo Delphinus he reveals the history of his record breaking dives to 100 metres without air, and his passionate belief in man's connectedness to the marine world. The photographs in the book are stunning. It is difficult to say that the book will appeal to everyone, simply because its scope is so broad, covering everything from mammal physiology to yoga to environmentalism, but for that very reason it is the kind of book you can dip into again and again. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Hard Work
The author shares with us not only his pictures, but how the capture was accomplished. Well done. ... Read more

Book Description

Nature reveals her unseen beauty in an up-close-and-personal fashion in the photographs of Paul Harcourt Davies and Peter Parks. Zooming in on the "faces" of dragonflies and hornets, unearthing the intricate patterns of fungi and mosses, and even capturing the active beauty of plankton, Nature Photography Close Up presents a "think small" approach to natural subjects. Containing dozens of full-color photographs, each accompanied by a succinct and insightful essay, this gorgeous book doubles as a showcase and an instructional guide. Any photographers with an interest in macro nature photography will enjoy this new way of looking at the unseen wonders around them. ... Read more

Book Description

The collection of natural mineral crystals housed at the Houston Museum of Natural Science is the finest and best known in the world. Now the treasures of this singular collection are shown in resplendent photographs that will seduce both the connoisseur of beauty and the student of natural history.

The spectacular and rare specimens on display here, from a huge imperial topaz crystal weighing more than 2,000 carats to a crystallized gold cluster that is one of the most highly coveted objects in the mineral kingdom, are true masterpieces, the Rembrandts and Picassos of the natural world. Like fine art, minerals are prized for their aesthetic qualities-color, luster, sculptural composition-and for their provenance. Avidly pursued by naturalists throughout the centuries, precious metals and gem crystals have a fascinating history. Stories regarding the pursuit and discovery of these precious natural objects, including tales of good luck and hardship, are related in these pages. Essays that explore connoisseurship in the mineral kingdom and chronicle the history of this noble pursuit add to the appeal of this unique volume. AUTHOR BIO: Wendell E. Wilson is editor and publisher of The Mineralogical Record. Joel A. Bartsch is curator of gems and minerals at the Houston Museum of Natural Science. ... Read more

Book Description

Book Description

Harold Feinstein is widely admired for his vivid and breathtaking close-up photographs of flowers. His book One Hundred Flowers (Bulfinch, 2000) sold over 20,000 copies and is in its second printing, while posters and prints of his works have become highly collectible. These delightful collections of rose and tulip images showcase the tremendous variety of these beloved and romantic flowers. Captions provide both the Latin and popular names of each variety, and an introduction by Feinstein explains his passion for photographing nature's exquisite gifts. Together, the two books make perfect companion volumes for anyone passionate about finding beauty in nature and in color photography of the highest order. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

COMPANION TO "The Infinite Tulip"
Feinstein begins his book with a simple stated, beautiful written poem, The Infinite Rose. The poem invites you to "enter into the heart of hearts" to gaze at colorful blooms and buds, to stay awhile and enjoy their beauty. Expect to wander through the photographs of various roses time and time again. The beauty and color of Feinstein's choices look magnificent on the black backdrop. There is the gracefulness of a John F. Kennedy bud, the lusciousness of a Broadway bloom, the fabulous folds of a Masquerade. The Ice Berg bloom is one of my favorites.

God must have created the rose to express love, because this emotion comes to mind when a rose is seen, sniffed or touched. Whether it's for yourself, your parents, your friends or your sweetheart, The Infinite Rose is a book to given and kept. ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (1)

Schmoozing with Moose
This book is aimed at the photographer who understands the processes of taking photographs and now wants to apply these processes to taking wildlife photographs. Peterson, a famous wildlife photographer, expresses his opinions on what it takes to get good and great wildlife pictures.

The first third of the book is dedicated to explaining what equipment is necessary for taking wildlife pictures. It is clear that the author considers a camera capable of accepting a wide variety of lenses, and some really long (and expensive) lenses, essential for this purpose.

The next chapter of the book is devoted to techniques he considers necessary to make a picture ?pop?, i.e., attract a viewer?s attention. He discusses lighting, color, exposure and backgrounds. The third section of the book talks about getting close to wildlife subjects and the fourth chapter looks at ten pictures of birds and describes the circumstances surrounding their taking, and the fifth chapter does the same with pictures of mammals.

I imagine that reading this book would be much like sitting around with Moose in a bull session and talking about wildlife photography, with all the advantages and disadvantages that might include. For a written work this book needed a good editor, not only to correct grammatical errors and typos, but also to correct all the repetitions, contradictory advice and non-sequiturs. Also, notwithstanding statements to the contrary, Peterson is clearly biased in favor of digital photography with Nikon cameras. For example, the title suggests that the book is applicable to both digital and film, but Moose spends 8 pages laying out why he believes digital photography is better than film, He also spends a page describing why he prefers a particular Nikon lens over others, even though the features on which he bases his preference are only available from Nikon. On the other hand, in discussing the advantages of digital he makes no mention of the use of the histogram, a feature that several other wildlife photographers consider to be the most important benefit of digital cameras.

At the same time some of the material isn?t presented by any other author in this detail. The twenty-nine pages devoted to getting close to the quarry are singular. While the chapters on the author?s pictures may contain a lot of details that will be of little use to most folks, they do convey the importance of planning and patience in wildlife photography.

If you are looking for a book that will teach you fundamentals, like the nature of exposure, look at something else, like John Shaw?s ?Nature Photography Field Guide? or Art Morris? ?the Art of Bird Photography?. But if you are an experienced photographer, looking to glean a few tips about wildlife photography that you may not have heard before, and willing to put up with a rough and ready but expert photographer, you will probably enjoy this book. ... Read more

Book Description

Here is the ultimate adventure story, told by an expert and documented with more than 140-full color photographs, of one explorer's quest to come face to face with the great bears of North America-Polar, Brown, and Black.

While numerous books in the subject of bears exist, none has approached their subjects with such drama, adventure, and extraordinary showmanship as John Pezzenti, one of the foremost wildlife photographers working today.Confronting his subjects as close as is humanly possible and still surviving, Pezzenti needs no special effects: He creates uniquely intimate portraits if these giant beasts and pulls the viewer himself into the middle of his photographic event-immersing the reader in all the action and the thrill of proximity.The result of this amazing twenty-five year passion is a collection of the most compelling and powerful photographers ever taken of bears in the wild.

Not just a photographic portfolio, however, Shooting Bears is accompanied by a riveting text that could stand alone, and that immediately engages in the ultimate wildlife adventure, by introducing the reader into the intimate life of bears in their natural settings.Descriptions of the challenges Pezzenti faced in his quest for the supreme photograph-including being mauled, stalked for five miles by a rogue bear, and coming nose-to-nose with a grimacing black bear in the dead of night-are all included.Many other equally enthralling stories detail his "up close and personal" adventures-all in the service of getting the supreme photograph. ... Read more

Reviews (12)

Stunning photos and text of our great North American Bears
In the 90's when I lived in Alaska I pursued that lands great mammals with my camera.Along the way I met John Pezzenti.Not only is he an author who captures the mystery and thrill of wildlife adventure photography through a unique voice, he is one of the best nature and wildlife photographers in the world.This stunning book adds another notch onto his Nikon.It helped me be there again, but this time sitting with a cup of tea instead of the rain, bugs, miserable weather, and other hardships that John lives with daily.Buy this book!You'll love it too!

Best bear book that I have read.
If you are interested in bears,then this is the book for you.Amazing photographs,and accounts by the author,who has spent over 30yrs working and living with these wonderful creatures.A fantastic book,thank you Mr Pezzenti for sharing your experiences with us less fortunate people.

Buy it for the pictures, enjoy it for the text!
This book is another fine example of John Pezzenti's work.The pasion he has for bears and all wildlife comes through in every picture.While I and many others will buy this book for the pictures, which alone is worth the price, reading the text brought a new level of understanding and appreciation for both the bears and John.
While not all of the book is about Alaska, I highly recomend this book to all Alaskans, as well as people who not as fortunate to live here.

Capturingtext and brillient display......................,
John Pezzenti once again is shareing his world with us in his latest book, Shooting Bears: This beautifully bound album of magnificient photographs truly show cases John`s mastery of the lens and his knowledge of his subjects. The stories John shares with us in Shooting Bears:, both with his pen, and with his camera, are a pricless treasure that will leave you in awe of these wonderful wild animals and in wonder at this artists extreme talent. John takes you along in his travels and shows you

in his photographs just why he goes there. This wonderful display is a must-have for all who enjoy wildlife and bears in particular, and for those who appreciate being right out there with them. Thanks for the wonderful trip John, God Bless.

Awesome Bears!
You can immerse yourself for hours with John Pezzenti's new bear book.John takes you on an adventure of a lifetime - a lifetime spent with bears as only John can capture on film and with words! He keeps you on the edge of your seat with his riveting stories of his encounters with bears and the photographs of these bears are amazing!I enjoyed giving and sharing this awesome book with family from the lower 48, for them to explore and view a bears life along with John. They were mesmerized!

Thanks John for a truely "Alaskan" gift!!!!! ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Will the Real Ansel Adams Please Stand Up......
Many reviewers make quite clear a fact about Ansel Adams regarding his own colour photography: That he did not want it published, for his own lack of control over the medium was substandard to the exacting methods he employed in his black-and-white prints. Without reservation, agreed.

But what most of Ansel Adams' most fervent admirers won't admit was that this book of colour prints made from transparencies belie the legendary artist's alleged "genius" for composition. Many of the compositions within are colour versions of famous black-and-white prints, the most famous being Half Dome at Yosemite.

I wish that aspiring photographers' introduction to Ansel Adams be similar to that of a Japanese photography assistant I once employed. She had never seen Adams' work (not as popular in the Far East as in the States) prior to this book. Her words regarding this book were "he takes pleasant photographs of pretty subjects in nature." I later introduced her to Adams' black-and-white "greatest hits" that Little, Brown, also published. Her assessment: "His compositions are generally conventional, but not novel. But, with a red filter while shooting and many darkroom methods and formulas, he uses technique to bring drama to his prints."

Ditto. It was refreshing to hear this opinion of Adams, because my friend did not have the yoke of artistic correctness hanging about her neck to remind her to speak of Adams in reverent, hushed, tones as some great "master" as though he were the photographic equal of Rembrandt, Vermeer or Rodin.

What Adams' admirers most fear about this book is that it will lay waste to all the decades of carefully designed PR Adams' publicity machine and his heirs have promulgated in their hagiographic transmogrification of a pretty good artist and a peerless technician into "St. Ansel."

The truth of the matter was that Ansel Adams made pretty pictures of pretty landscapes. And, that's what you'll get in this book. If you want the illusion of great art, turn to any of his volumes in black-and-white.

But, if you want truly great, earth-shattering black and white photography that inspires both intellect and emotion, then turn to the true masters: Walker Evans, Albert Renger-Patzsch, Robert Frank and Leni Riefenstahl.

Ansel Adams at his worst
At first, I thought I would buy this book to complete my Ansel Adams collection, despite all the bad reviews. I found this book in a library and changed my mind. This book is not worth its price for 3 reasons.
1. The quality of the color prints is very bad. The colors have faded, probably because the pictures were taken decades ago and the color technology was not good back then. Don't let the cover fools you, it is probably the best one in the whole book.
2. The reproduction is even worse. The pictures are so small you can barely make out the details.
3. Adams took a very different approach for his color photographs. The viewpoint he chose is narrow and lacking in perspective, the two most serious sins in landscape photography.
It makes me think that, instead of trying to make a reader like Adams' color photographs, the publisher of this book is trying very hard to make sure that a reader will hate them - just to prove Adams' own point.
If you still want a book on Ansel Adams' color photograhs, wait until a better book comes along. This book is not even worth considering.

Interesting Perspective on the Limits of Adams' Genius
"I can truthfully say I can remember only two or three color photographs that are worth remembering." -- Ansel Adams

Ansel Adams long felt that color photography was not art and not consistent with his vision of his own photography. What we have in this volume are almost totally unpublished and unexhibited images from his transparencies that he chose not to publish or exhibit. In other words, these are mostly his rejects. So, this is like pawing through his working files of sketches rather than his finished work, in an unauthorized way. How does that make you feel? Hmmm.

For me, the benefit of this volume was to better understand the brilliance of how his processing of black and white images played into the success of his best work. This book contains 50 images that clearly do not have the full Ansel Adams feel and impact.

The strength of this volume is the plenitude of material on what Adams had to say about color photography in general and his own. These points are nicely characterized in the essay by James L. Enyeart. One of the key problems for Adams was that he could "see" the final black and white image he wanted to create in his mind before taking a photograph, but could not "see" the color image in advance. He was not one to take hundreds of exposures hoping to have one or two turn out to be interesting. The art of photography for him was always a deliberate one, not an accidental process. While many color photographers used Polaroid stills as tests in this way, Adams did not want to do so.

Another problem was that early color processing did not allow him the control over the final image that black and white processing did.

Perhaps the ultimate problem was that "the most difficult subject for color photography was landscape." "The image -- to the photographer -- is a very different experience from what the viewer might receive from it." Think of a photograph then, as "a simulation of a perception of the world around us . . . ." A color photograph tended to destroy Adams' preference for understatement, and desire to show subtle connections. In fact, you will often see poor photography literally shouting with color that overwhelms the senses to no purpose.

Harry M. Callahan took on the thankless task of picking out some images to put in the book. He did this solely on aesthetic grounds, reflecting his own taste. While I do not know what he did not select, I was interested to see that a few works seemed to carry off Adams' desire for subtlety in new ways by showing additional detail in the shadows that are missing in his parallel black and white images. These works include:

Yosemite Falls, c. 1953

Green Hills, c. 1945

Mount McKinley, Grass, 1948

Pool, 1947

El Capitan, Texas, 1947

Waimea Canyon, 1948

Clearing Storm, Yosemite, c. 1950

Detail of Mammoth Pool, Yellowstone, 1946

Mono Lake, 1947

Bad Water a