Photography Books

These photographs are "nature photography" at its best -- technically flawless, brilliantly composed and put together . And then, there is much more here. The grandeur of the planet, the dignity of its inhabitants, the imperative that all lineages be allowed -- by us, damnit -- to continue: all of this is eloquently, hauntingly, unavoidably inherent in Tui De Roi"s art.

I usually don't write my opinion about photo books but this one left me in shock, i've never seen anything like it before,I buy alot of photo books and i already own more than a hundred photo books from the best and most famous photographers and there are plenty that i like and some that i love,but this one Oh this one is so very special to me because the first time i looked at the pictures of this book i had tears in my eyes of enthusiasm and this is something that never happened to me before and as i said i looked at many photographs in my life,the subjects and the way they were shot ,the way she played with the colors ,it seems so natural and yet very unique and special every one of the pictures of this book could be hung on my home walls as a poster . many of the photo books are big and expensive but this one is the real thing without being a monster with no place on the shelf. if i had to go with one book to a desert island there's no question this is the one.

This book clearly deserves more than five stars. It contains much better photographs of the geology, and plant and animal life in the Galapagos than I have seen any where else. The images here evoked memories of my trip to the Galapagos, and exceeded those memories in revealing the underlying nature of the islands. Further, the essays are extremely good in explaining what is portrayed. Only 60,000 people visit the Galapagos each year, but the islands are suffering from their visits and the growth in permanent population. Hopefully, this book is not preserving something that you will never see.

Ms. De Roy brings a special sense to these photographs, having moved to the Galapagos at the age of 2 and lived most of her life there. She learned to be a photographer working on scenes such as these. This gives her a knowledge of where to go, what to look for, and when to be there. Many of the images capture rare moments and scenes that you could miss during 100 trips to the Galapagos.

Her images are always colorful, stunning in their contrasts, dynamic, and inspiring. I felt overwhelmed by many of the images. It was like looking into the face of God, to me.

The Galapagos Islands are part of Equador, and are located several hundred miles west of the South American coast. You get there by flying first to Equador. I recommend Quito as your way point. There's much to see there.

The islands are volcanic, being the tops of shield volcanos (much like those in Hawaii). They are desert islands which receive little water except during the rainy season. Each island is separated by enough water that species have developed differently on their unique habitats.

Darwin first chronicled this with his visit in the 1850s over 5 weeks in which he noticed that the finches had developed beaks to reflect the food supply on their respective islands. For more on this, be sure to read the outstanding book, The Beak of the Finch, that describes experimental measurements taken on the evolution in the finches. Many call the islands, "a natural laboratory of evolution" as a result.

The photographs are organized around themes related to the type of natural environment. In these images you will see the desert islands, volcanic eruptions, giant tortoises, sea turtles, marine and land iguanas, Darwin's finches, flamingos, pelicans, all kinds of boobies, penguins, cacti, owls, rails, flycatchers, albatrosses, gulls, frigate birds, storm petrels, sea lions, crabs, herons, hawks, flightless cormorants, fish, sharks, dolphins, orcas, sperm whales, and coral.

Many of the animals are extremely colorful, having no natural enemies in the Galapagos. Color helps in mating, and you will see mating rituals well catalogued here. Some of the evolutonary adaptations are fascinating too. For example, the marine iguanas live from drinking sea water and are able to exude the excess salt through their skin.

After you see these images, I suspect you'll agree with these quotes from the essays.

"Galapagos is perhaps the only great natural paradise remaining in the world in a near pristine condition."

"Our responsibility lies in finding a balanced development concept . . . ." "No one in Galapagos, in Equador or in the world wants to see the Galapagos perish."

"What must be . . . realized . . . is that a far greater commitment than exhibited in the past will be required . . . ."

Ask yourself what you can do to help the Galapagos. Reading this book, and realizing the treasure the world has there is a good starting point. Sponsoring environmental activities there is another. Encouraging others to do the same is a third. I'm sure you will come up with your own ideas that will be better than mine.

May our children in generations to come continue to benefit from a pristine Galapagos!

I first saw this book at an hacienda on the slopes of Cotopaxi in mainland Ecuador, before our trip to the islands. I thought that if the islands were as good as the photos in this book I wouldn't be dissappointed. I was right - and I bought the book when I got home as a reminder of our trip! Although we took many photos they're not a patch on those in this book. The photography is superb. An absolute must for all visitors to the Islands.

A visually stunning, intellectually stimulating, and spiritually inspiring work.

My copy is a Sierra Club Book. This is beautifully illustrated and has spectacular photographs. Once you get past the coffee table fluff, There is a lot to be learned. Save this as one of the last Big Bang books that may go the way of the Piltdown Man. 'Einstein's Greatest Blunder? : The Cosmological Constant and Other Fudge Factors in the Physics of the Universe" ISBN: 0674242416

Take heart, as there are other in print books by Timothy Ferris.

Life Beyond Earth by Timothy Ferris ISBN: 0684849372. Just put the number in the search box and press go.

Life Beyond Earth

I read this book maybe 20 years ago as a little kid, and I still think about it. It really stimulated a lifelong interest in astronomy and cosmology. If you aren't schooled in astronomy I think it will open your eyes and present to you a view of the universe that will change the way you look at things forever. If I could find more copies of this book, and it were cheaper, I would hand it out like candy to the numerous people unschooled in astronomy I've met in the last 20 years, who, I am sure this book would greatly enrich.

The strength of this book is its photographs from various observatories around the world. I have not--in 20 years of looking, found a collection of astrophotographs that comes close. They are inspiring! Other manmade illustrations in the book vividly illustrate just where we are in the universe. Mr. Ferris also does an admirable job taking you by the hand and poetically explaining what is really out there when you gaze into the night sky. You will be amazed by what you don't now know.

If you can get a copy, get it, read it, enrich yourself, show it to your kids, and don't let it go.

Heaven's net casts wide.
Though its meshes are coarse, nothing slips through.
-- Lao Tzu

If ever there was a physical manifestation of poetry, the starry sky at night, the panoply of objects that populate the heavens, would come close. The character of Dr. Arroway in Carl Sagan's Contact exclaims, upon seeing the glorious objects of the universe up close during her epic flight, 'Poetry! They should have sent a poet!'

This book, Galaxies, is a book on a grand scale, as is its subject. It is a lavishly illustrated coffee-table book the size of a small coffee table, the pages measure 13 inches by 15 inches, a huge footprint of a book, with most of the photographs and diagrams sized full-page.

Timothy Ferris, at the time of this book was first published, was a professor of English at Brooklyn College CUNY. He has since gone on to fame as a science writer, particularly in the field of astronomy, and now teaches astronomy and science writing on the other coast, at UC Berkeley. Largely due to clear writing, diligent research that is thorough, and a good eye for visuals (astronomy is a visual science in many ways, and Ferris selected the photographs for this book himself) Ferris has put together a tremendous introduction to the subject of galaxies, impressing with the scale of the book the tremendous size and scale of galaxies.

Being an English professor, he of course had a wide knowledge of literature, and this is apparent from his choice of side notes, quotes and references, which populate not only the captions and taglines, but interpermeate the text on a regular basis. Here in the midst of scientific discussion one will find quotes from Shakespeare, Thornton Wilder, St. Juliana, Heraclitus, Ben Jonson, and more.

The first section deals with the basic definitions of what a galaxy is, the discovery of galaxies, and our place (and their place) in the cosmos. From here, Ferris takes us on a brief tour of the galaxy from the inside, using of course our own Milky Way galaxy, the only galaxy we can know from the inside. By looking at the constituent elements of a galaxy--stars, nebulae, star clusters, supernovae and black holes--Ferris introduces us to the life cycle of stars and some of the dynamics of galactic formation and evolution. Some of the more stunning photographs of this book are in this section, particularly the nebulae (gaseous formations that represent both the beginning and the end of life cycles of stars).

From a tour of our own galaxy, Ferris proceeds to the Local Group of Galaxies, and begins a discussion of the different kinds of galaxies. Our own, the Milky Way, is a fairly large spiral galaxy. This is not the most common type, however, nor the most rare. Our galaxy has attendant galaxies, the Large and Small Magellanic Clouds (named so because they are only visible from the Southern Hemisphere; named in honour of a European explorer who trekked down there), which are mostly blobs of stars, with no formal structure as a spiral would have. The nearest spiral is the Andromeda, part of the local pair (most spirals come in pairs). Andromeda also has smaller, blob-like satellite galaxies, with a smaller proto-spiral (M33) not far off.

In the next section, Ferris examines the types of galaxies which populate the Local Group, the Local Supergroup, and other groupings of galaxies. These include elliptical galaxies, spiral galaxies, barred spiral galaxies, and lenticular (or SO) galaxies. Ellipticals often appear as blobs, sometimes with halos, and no intricate structures. Spirals can be more of less tightly 'wound', arms around a nucleus with a bulge. Barred spirals are more intricate yet, and have a 'bar' or spindle-shaped grouping of stars that extends straight out from the central bulge and nucleus, to which the arms of the spiral seem to be attached. Lenticular galaxies are hardest yet to categorise--they might be ellipticals in a spiral mode, perhaps somehow robbed of their arms. How they evolved is a mystery. Beyond this, there are yet other irregular galaxies, which are often the results of galactic collisions and gravitational interferences.

Some galaxies seem to have violent events occurring, gaseous jets or lots of light and radio activity which speaks of harsh activity. Vast energy spikes and marred appearances give an interesting flavour to astronomical research. Often these happen from interactive galaxies, in which they are playing off each other, or indeed, as some will swallow up others.

Ferris continues his outward rush to the very limits of the universe, until we encounter quasars, the largest of large groupings of superclusters, and a brief discussion of the geometries and nature of space and time. The expansion of the universe, and possible futures (infinite expansion or ultimate collapse, or somewhere in between?) are discussed, as well as paradoxes which might arise in a collapsing universe.

Photographic plates are shown throughout in colour, in black and white, in negative, and in grid-overlays. There is a wide variety, showing the variety of ways in which astronomical objects are examined. This is a fabulous book. Rush to get it.

What we have learned
Is like a handful of earth;
What we have yet to learn
Is like the whole world.
-- Avvaiyar

This is a wonderful book if you can find it. The photographs are spectacular--for example, a two-page spread of the Hercules cluster in which every one of the hundreds of objects in the photo is a discrete galaxy.

This is a must-have for every astronomy buff. It makes a great coffee-table book as well.

. . .is what one reviewer said when this book was first published. It's a claim which is hard to dispute. The hard core scientist might not appreciate it's "coffee table" book format -- but heck, the book wasn't written for such a person in the first place!

Filled with readable and comprehendable text and citations ranging from Thorton Wilder's "Our Town" to St. Julian's "Revelations of Divine Love", this book will prompt even the most unscientific mind to gaze at the sky with new wonder.

But beyond the layout, beyond the scientific information, beyond the citations, the book is best described by its absolutely stunning deep-sky photography. It is mind-boggling to me how someone could look at the night sky and question the existence of God.

"He who made the Plei'ades and Orion, and turns deep darkness into the morning,and darkens the day into night,who calls for the waters of the sea, and pours them out upon the surface of the earth, the LORD is his name" -- from the book of Amos the Prophet

This is a gorgeous, informative, inspiring book.

Even if your 'garden' is no more than a strip of lawn, a potted plant on the windowsill or a matter of mind, this book is an informative and imaginative gem.

Enjoy ~!

If you are a garden lover, you should definitely buy and treasure this book!

If you are like me, you think about the legendary rulers of the past and imagine that they must have had gardens that far surpass what we know today. But if you stop for a minute, you'll realize that those rulers didn't have modern machinery to take care of their gardens. Also tastes may have been different then.

So what did gardens look like in earlier eras?

Gardens in Time will provide some of the best answers you can hope to find.

Your tour begins with Persia, moves on to Islamic gardens, and then travels to China, Japan, and India. From there, you visit the Roman Empire, the Middle Ages in Europe, the Renaissance, the Baroque, the Rococo, and ultimately England. The tour concludes with a brief look at contemporary gardens.

To me, one of the big surprises is how many different elements the older gardens captured: stunning views, water, reflections, fountains, water lilies, fish, rocks, paths, geometric order, trees, hedges, mosaics, sculpture, architecture, enclosures, mixtures of shade and sun, and oh, yes, an occasional flower. I was also impressed by the intimacy of some gardens . . . obviously providing respite and calm. There was also remarkable restraint in some cases, showing that taste has long been important to garden designers and owners.

Naturally, one of the book's limitations is that many famous gardens (such as the hanging gardens of Babylon) no longer exist. I was impressed by how many gardens have survived for many centuries and are well preserved in the book.

A nice surprise for me was to find out that the Huntington Botanical Gardens that I admired as a youngster are among the best representations of many older garden types.

But I was surprised to see that I liked the gardens of artists best in the book, especially the famous Giverny over which Claude Monet labored for so many years. So perhaps there's more potential for art in gardens than the ancients realized.

The photography and the essays are superb. A lot of care went into picking lighting and foliage conditions that show off the gardens to best advantage.

Alain Le Toquin is one of the foremost nature photographers of France. Jacques Bosser is a writer and translator of more than forty books on architecture, design, and photography. Together, Toquin and Bosser have collaborated in their highly recommended coffee table book, "Gardens In Time", to provide a showcase compendium of almost 130 gardens drawn from twenty different countries in a photo documentary that is nothing short of extraordinary. Ranging from the Roman gardens at Hadrian's villa, to the late 16th century gardens of Castello Ruspoli in Italy, to the 17th century topiary gardens of Levens Hall in Kendal, Great Britain, to the 19th century gardens of Claude Monet at Giverny, to the work of such contemporary landscape gardeners as Fernando Caruncho, the Wirtzes, and Robert Irwin, "Gardens In Time" takes the reader on a brilliant and visually impressive tour. Whether it's a rooftop garden in Paris, or a Japanese garden in Kyoto, or the Tacaruna garden in Petropolis, Brazil, "Gardens In Time" is a dream tour that will provide inspiration for both amateur home gardeners and professional landscapers alike!

Believe me, I have gone over tons of "Gardens" coffee table books...and this is a stand out!
A great inspiration to us designers and anyone who appreciates monumental gardens.

This book is irresistable to anyone who has an interest in gardens. Whether old or new, the way other gardners(both professional and amature)
see the opportunities available to use their creativity with trees and plants in any of these locations over time makes for fascinating viewing.
We are still talking about thought provoking photos from many of the pages
and will continue to enjoy the book.

Bill Hess as created a masterpiece. His grainy and moody black and white capture the bowhead hunt, Point Lay beluga hunts and Inupiat life in respectfully frank perfection. The book contains several stories that are threaded in and out of the Inupiat Bowhead hunts and gives a good look into the subsistence lifestyle of the Eskimos who live on the edge of the Arctic ocean.

Hess' journalistic writing style is easy to read and appreciate. He was able to get a close-up view on many things most will never have a chance to see from subsistence hunts, search and rescue missions and the 1990's attempt to free three ice-trapped gray whales which had captured the medias attention. It was interesting how different the story that reached us was compared to the situation and conclusion was on the ice.

If you have interest in whale hunting or Eskimo lifestyles, get this book. It is a great visual and prose look into this arctic world.

This book is a milestone among recent publications on Alaska because it portrays Alaska's Native people in an unvarnished and realistic way. This is NOT a commercial "coffee table book" or a series of pretty pictures suitable for note cards. A short story, hopefully, will illustrate my point.

When I was living in Barrow in the late 1980s, the mayor asked me to meet with a visiting photographer who had requested information on traditional whale hunting (I was a staff anthropologist at the time). The Anchorage photographer [NOT Bill Hess] wanted to "reconstruct" a whale hunt. This commercial photographer pleaded to have me call him in Anchorage next time a whale was harpooned so he could catch the next plane to Barrow (he had already talked the airline into sponsoring him). He promised that he would stage the photograph to show the local people in the best possible light and make them appreciated by all the tourists who come to Alaska.

After nearly throwing up, I politely told him that the Inupiat whale hunters were quite capable of taking care of themselves and did not need to be "airbrushed" and marketed for popular consumption.

Then I met Bill Hess. I immediately connected with his visceral understanding of Inupiat culture which he communicates so elegantly in words and photos in this book "Gift of the Whale." This book communicates a vision of contemporary Inupiat life that is unvarnished and somewhat raw; but - from my firsthand experience - authentic.

Bill Hess knows what it's like to sweat while breaking a sled trail through jumbled ice floes at 20 below. He earned his unique chance to communicate the symbiotic relationship between Inupiat hunters and the bowhead whale. This book takes the reader out onto the Arctic Ocean (in both its frozen and liquid state) and into the skin boats, skiffs, snowmachines and tents of crews who provide their families with life-giving food. The real stories (illustrated with stunning duotone photos of the people and the animals that are simultaneously revered and killed for survival) are more interesting and insightful than any pseudo-reality a market-driven journalist could create.

Bill Hess, through his photos and stories in this book, communicates how Inupiat culture continues to focus on the communal hunting and sharing of food for survival. This book communicates in vivid detail how impractical contemporary Western values of individual ego-driven materialism are when it's 20 below zero with the snow blowing sideways, and a fellow hunter is lost on the tundra. Bill illustrates how Inupiat society is built on respect and reverence for the resources and each other, keys to long-term survival in the Arctic. This book provides a visual banquet allowing the reader to enjoy and appreciate contemporary Inupiat whaling, life, and culture.

Bill Hess is a very gifted photographer, who works almost exclusively in black and white. He has spent a great deal of time with the people the people of the North Slope whose lives are shared in this book. For a number of years he was under contract to the North Slope Borough to produce a magazine about life on the North Slope (Uinniq-The Open Lead, which makes it clear that the people of the North Slope felt that he represents them clearly and fairly.

One could enjoy this book for the photography alone, but it is so much more than that. Whaling is a central focus of North Slope Inupiat culture; it is an inextricable part. People here know that; and the whalers carry it out as a sacred trust on behalf of the whole community.

This is a stunning visual presentation combined with a moving, unpretentious text. The drama of the three grey whales, the search for footprints . . . it is all powerful stuff. I have only been living in Barrow for nine months but so far there isn't a word that doesn't ring true.

I have done a great deal of reading in my life, yet never have I been more absorbed in a book than I have in 'Gift of the Whale'. I highly recommend this elegant, enjoyable and informative piece of work.

I was blown away by the enormous amount of information about the area's character, history, and interesting places. The portraits of the people and places are facinating. This is a unique guide which I'm looking forward to soon explore on the ground.

Fabulous color photographs, readable, enjoyable, interactive and fun. Many times I drive through a beautiful backroads town and wonder about it's history, it's people, and it's sights. Now I have a guide that will answer my questions and more.

What a great travel guide! Thoroughly enjoyed reading and absorbing it. We've lived in Gloucester for almost 30 years and surprisingly learned so much in the Gloucester Back Roads Passports Travel Guide that we're inspired to be tourists and are in the process of leisurely visiting all the historical passport locations mentioned in the book. Because of the beautiful pictures and down-to-earth writing style, this travel guide brings history to life! A great gift idea, too. Highly recommended!

This book is packed with great information, beautiful pictures and fun little "games". WONDERFUL JOB Ms. Forbes!!!!!!!!!!!

This book inspired me to go 'on the road' even before I finished reading it. Wonderful tips and advice allowed me to maximize my visit to this charming part of the country.

Dr. Greenberg has captured the imagination and soul of many audiences with his endeavors in the microscopic world. His vision and art are framed in an extremely intelligent perspective about life, the world, and the human relationship to the environment.

What this book represents is the need for the human being to stop, look, listen, and wonder about the natural world. We must thank him for his artistic pursuits and consider how we may each pursue an investigation as simple as this.

I worked with Dr. Greenberg briefly to setup an artistic installation, and was responsible for the sound environment to compliment his exhibit, but have had the opportunity to enjoy his friendship for a some time.

I bought this work for a Mother's Day gift, little realizing how much it would be heartily devoured by its recipient! Shortly thereafter, I was proudly shown some of its dozens and dozens of exquisite micropictographic images along with various insightful and informing passages being read aloud to me.

I was so captivated I had to spend quality time with a copy myself. Its colorful visual content overwhelms my imagination! The accompanying text is very informational in an intriguing and engaging way. I was so impressed that I used it as an adult Sunday School book discussion, even bringing out an old dusty microscope to view some sand samples we'd gathered from past trips to Maui and various Atlantic beaches. People were really buzzed.

A great read, especially for "beach" grazing. Think about projects that can be easily initiated like with summer camps, vacations (those "boring" mantras can be challenged), even Vacation Bible School activities. And, a coffee table book that won't break your pocketbook to boot!

"Grain of Sand" has so opened up my imagination with awe, wonder and respect. I'll never take for granted a walk on the beach again.

I read the original 2008 hardcover edition.

The buying recommendations e-mailed to me from amazon are oftentimes as fascinating as their reasons are funny. Why on earth would I be happy to hear that there is a book with pictures of sand available now? Oh dear! Because they have been taken by Dr. Gary Greenberg and I had ordered two books by him previously. Problem is: There are many Gary Greenbergs. And the president of the Biblical Archaeology Society of New York who has written works such as 101 Myths of the Bible isn't the Hawaiian resident who has 17 patents to the same name for developing micro photography technology. Even though both dig in sand.

In other words, there is no middle man in the information transfer from expert to reader in this book. And curiously, amazon's selling technique worked. But the reason offered should have been: "Hey, you order books all the time about stuff nobody dared to teach you before, because hardly anybody knew these questions existed." I never really thought about sand. Well, think again! This isn't merely an excellent coffee table book, it is also intriguing to actually read.

Ever wondered what sand is made of? Well, eroded rock obviously. But today that may also be eroded plastic garbage. Or intentionally micro-shredded glass to make beautiful beaches and get rid of more garbage with one stroke - in Florida of course, where else? As in ashes to ashes in the origin-of-glass-version, I presume. (For some unbeknownst reason, the book doesn't go into the obvious Ouch!-question.) But making beaches isn't a modern phenomena: Some classic Mediterranean marble sculptures and buildings have turned into grains of sand over the millennia of restauration neglect. Humans aren't even alone in making beaches: a single parrotfish poops a ton of coral sand a year. How and why the fish is doing that you will find in this book as well. Yes, you are right, the very most is about BEACH sand in this book.

But it's also marrying CSI with WWII history. As an Oregonian I always thought, it was this state's coast which was the only continental piece of US land directly attacked by its foes. Wrong again, Montana and Wyoming took the lead in occurrences. And yes, it involved sand...

No less mesmerizing that nature recycles grains of sand: They are already textured in rock in a "predetermined" way to be broken off by erosion, then pressured into new rock and so on and so forth. Science can even make estimated guesses, how often a grain of sand has undergone such a procedure. And when it gets broken into smaller pieces, it will cause you to sink in at the beach.

Of course the main attraction of this book is its major eye candy. With the advantage that this eye candy comes as a revelation, as you can't see it in real life because it's too small (or because you are too big). Usually, the images of the sand are enlarged between 150 and 300 times. Some pictures are offered with different illumination effects for further fluctuations of perception. There are even some 3D effects in this book. For that you have to cross your eyes. Unfortunately, there's no quick guide in this book "Cross Eyeing For Dummies". I was so happy to be able to roll my tongue, that I made myself dizzy attempting to cross my eyes, too. But maybe I'll find a cross-eye-coach on askville. So, this makes even a great party book, I assume. A dinner party table book, in a manner of speaking.

UPDATE: I DID get an askville cross-eye-coach for dummies. However, coincidentally, I have also read Stories of the Invisible: A Guided Tour of Molecules with one 3D image. And this book thought it necessary to explain how to watch such images: "Place the page about 8 inches [20.3 cm] from your eyes, and cross your eyes slightly so that you can see three images. Focus attention on the middle one - in a few seconds, it should become sharp"

Now, that I have read a further book by Gary Greenberg and expressed my primary interest in the New Yorker part of "the" author, I'll probably get another amazon suggestion soon, about a book by a New Yorker author named Gary Greenberg: The Pop-Up Book of Phobias. Yet again, this would be another one, also known as a stand-up comedian. At least in Hollywood they prohibit their artists to use the same name when becoming one...

What a beautiful and interesting book. Dr. Gary Greenberg's stunning micro-photography shows the infinite beauty of biological and mineral sand grains found in sands from around the world. Some photographs show collections of grains, other showcase the exquisite beauty of a single crystal found in sand magnified 200 times, other photographs show artistic arrangements of sand-grained sized sea urchin spines, sponge spicules, and tiny shells.

The book and its photographs tell stories of bountiful and diverse reef environments, glacially eroded grains, the durability and beauty of garnet grains, or the polishing effects of the relentless surf on grains. Looking at the micro-photographs and reading the text opens up a whole new understanding and appreciation of sand.

And personally as a sand collector, I've known how sands vary around the world, but Greenberg's book and his stunning micro-photography really raised my appreciation of the biological and geological stories sand can tell in addition to the showcasing the beauty in minute grains of sand. After seeing and reading this book, you will never walk on a beach without wondering about the history and story the sand grains can tell. A fascinating read with mesmerizing photographs.

This is a stunningly beautiful art book with intriguing subject matter. The photography art in this book is absolutely gorgeous and then to think that each of these gorgeous works of art are actually grains of sand is just mind blowing. The author had invented and developed his own high powered light microscope to photograph different grains of sand from different beaches around the world and the result is incredible. Who knew that grains of sand were so unique and captivating? I would recommend this book to anyone and especially people who love Art, geology, nature, science, the ocean, life, the earth or photography. This also makes a perfect gift for just about anyone and any occasion. This has been a real crowd pleaser on my coffee table lately and all my friends want to look through it.

The Graphis Nudes series presents the best in recent figure photography. This is no exception, and presents many different views of the nude model. Some of the artists emphasize the raw physical presence of the male (p.110, 132) or female (p.37, 118, 229) figure. Others artists address the model as sculpture (cover, p.109, 200) or abstraction (p.12, 60, 188). Yet others display sentiment (p.101, 209,215), passion (p.92-3, 139), or simple appreciation (p.18, 158). And ordinary beauty isn't the only goal (p.148).

It's a worthwhile collection, featuring classic masters like Herb Ritts as well as the newer masters-to-be. I enjoy the collection immensely, don't get me wrong, but I never felt that it demanded a lot of me. Perhaps the commercial purpose of this book, to showcase its artists, encouraged accessible kinds of imagery. I want art to stretch me, at least a little, but this generally stayed well within the common comfort zone. Well, that's not really a bad thing. Go ahead, enjoy.

//wiredweird

Graphis has put out yet another elegant, handsome collection of some of the finest nudes ever reproduced. With over 200 classic and innovative photographs from around the world, this book features exceptional work from some of the most esteemed talents, including Herb Ritts, Sheila Metzner, and Robert Farber--as well as some exciting emerging artists. Editor Nichole Ray did an exceptional job of collecting the best in fine art nude photography today. The elegant presentation will please and inspire you for years to come. A defite BUY for anyone interested in respectful and intriguing photography of the human form.

Graphis Nudes 3 ranks as one of the best photography collections of the year. One of the most impressive aspects of the collection is the editor's decision to include emerging artists alongside some true legends in the field. One of these exciting new voices was the Maine couple of Nancy and Matthew Sleeth who have five (!) photogrphs included in the book. Their passion for the female form, as well as the personal subtext of their work qualifies these pieces as truly exceptional. I had the luck to find a collection by Nancy and Matthew at a wonderful little art gallery in the Georgetown part of Washington, D.C. called Urbanspace. Their work in Grapis Nudes 3 was amazing, but seeing it in person was an extra treat.

great photographs, with a great layout and nice printin

"Nudes 3", Graphis Inc.(1999) ISBN: 1-888001-66-6 is a superb 255 large-sized page presentation of some 200 nudes, mostly female and almost exclusively in B/W monochrome with a rare duotone or color. Publishers deserve praise for this elegant edition.

There is an excellent, quaint but all too short introductory commentary by photographer Barry Lategan who provides a brief digest of the nude form both historically from Biblical and pre-16th Century Irish churche times down to its present-day employment in advertising, girlie magazines and calendars. He provides some reflections on perceived but not totally explained limitations and restrictions governing male nudity. He also gives an interesting explanation of why horseshoes are hung over door ways, a Celtic custom handed down from olden times.

The majority of images are excellent, nicely representative of acknowledged and established photographers of the nude body and I had especial respect for the artisitic works of Herb Ritts (folio of 12 images from "Women Through the Ages"), Barbara Bordnick, Howard Schatz, Barry Lategan and many others. However, I found Suzanne Opton's "Device" (from the midriff tragedies) and Nancy & Matthew Sleeth's "Venus at Thirty" (still no pubic hair?) contrived and of uncertain merit in the context of this book. Nonetheless, "Nudes 3" - Graphis is substantial, and could find place on many coffee tables and open library shelves.

I have the full collection o Graphis Nudes, volumes 1 through 4. The best buy I've made get. They look really cool in my living room...

'Graphis' is the 'Science' magazine of the visual design world, the premiere outlet for the most thoughtful and innovative in imagery and image-makers. Books published by Graphis give every reason to expect the world's best pictures, figure photography in the case of this series of books. Although there's a commercial purpose here as an artists' showcase, this delivers the very finest artistry in praise of the human form.

There's no one mood or style here. There's a mix of color, B&W, and one striking monochrome with just one trrace of color (#58). Some of the photos capture the simple elegance of a figure (#1, 11, 29, 61). Others (#17, 27) create abstractions from utterly literal rendition of the body's line or surface. Others (#87, 91, 96) draw more on classic portraiture. The pictures aren't all about conventional beauty (#6, 23, 64, 66), though many (#49, 51, 93) are. Bare skin predominates, but is sometimes draped (#46, 81, 84), decorated (#18, 30, 82), or complemented with other visual elements (#35). A few image explore techniques of image capture (#48) or printing (#44). Unlike many collections, these photos cover wide ranges of skin tones (#97, 24, 32, 15) and shapes of body, with nearly as many male models as female.

There's a lot more to say, but "writing about art is like dancing about architecture." Only the images themselves can convey their messages. These are messages well worth understanding, and well worth coming back to.

//wiredweird

I love nude art and photography from an artistic and appreciative standpoint. I have several books of nude photography. Most use airbrushed looking models, but this one has a little bit of everything from tiny to large, white to black, male and female, etc. This has definitely put my other books to shame! I just wish they could have included more male pics since most are of women (which honestly probably make more beatiful nude models than males ;-).

Graphis presents a book of excellent fine art nudes. The pages are heavy gauge and the pictures are maximized in the space without going edge to edge. My only complaint is that the information on each photographer is stuffed together in the back. There is plenty of room on the page opposing the photograph for this relevant information.

If you, dear reader, know the Graphis Nudes volumes 1 to 3, buy this one too. It's just as great as the other ones (I now own all 4 of them). If you don't know the series, start saving money, because if you buy one of them you will want them all. I do have a whole shelf of books with nude photography. These volumes are my absolute favourites. If I could take only 10 books with me from my ~1000 book mini-library, all 4 Graphis Nudes volumes would be in there.

Every single photo in this book is beautiful (In most other books I usually am not very fond of 30 to 50% of the pics).
If you are into very provocative photographs, this book might be too quiet for you. Most pictures are black and white or in a limited color palette. The photographers rather concentrate on form and texture of the human body then on provocative poses. The artists in this book play with beautiful lines and curves, strong light-shadow contrasts, or the contrast between a soft human body and rough nature. It is a praise of the beauty of the human body in all its forms. If you like classic black and white photography, get this book, I am sure you will like the color photographs in there too. (Oh, and see whether you can get the other three volumes ;)

Some more facts: The paper of the book is heavy and semi glossy, and the print quality is magnificent. Photographs are on the back and front of the page, so no empty pages (don't worry, no shine-through with this paper). Also the binding is very well done. The book opens easily and lies open flat without having to press down on it. There are many black/white photos, but also dualtone photos and color photos.

I usually do not endorse or praise any products, but with this one (and the whole series) I do. It is definitely worth the price.

This book makes a wonderful gift or a reference to pour over time and time again as it is packed with information about the history of the Lodges of the National Parks, information about their architectural aspects, interviews with individuals involved in their building etc, along with wonderful photos that make you want to see them all, today! And, we understand that there is a NEW Great Lodges of the National Parks coming out in July, 08, along with an accompanying PBS series. If it is anything like this book, I won't be the least bit disappointed

We purchased this book as a thank-you gift for friends, and we were *delighted* with the quality and beauty of it. Truly glorious photos, not a ton of information but enough, and makes a spectacular gift. Highly recommended.

What a treat to find Great Lodges of the National Parks! Not only is the book full of lucious color photographs of the lodges (both inside and out and every season), but historic images and architectural drawings that make you really appreciate the simple fact that they were built in the first place. You also get the full history along with a sense of what the lodges are like today written in a very accessible style. I know people who are trying to go to all of the lodges in Christine Barnes' books. I plan on beginning this summer. (The book also includes Timberline Lodge in Mt. Hood National Forest outside of Portland.)

This book features amazing photos of the Great Lodges along with brief histories of the parks, locations, and lodges themselves. Wonderful illustrations and blue-print depictions are also included. Great gift idea or coffee table book! Will make you long for more travel time!

This is a gorgeous book.
It has 192 pages--loaded with lovely glossy pictures.
Not all of these lodges, however, are located in the national parks.Timberline Lodge is in a national forest and Oregon Caves Chateau is located at a national monument.
The pictures in this book are breathtaking. Historical pictures as well as present day pictures are located in the book.
This book is VERY similar to the Great Lodges of the West book (also by Christine Barnes). Some of the EXACT same pictures that are in the Great Lodges of the West book are in this book!
But this book adds more pictures.
This one has more pages (as compared to 136 pages) and this one has more pictures. Also covered in this one is Belton Chalet and Sperry & Granite Park Chalets (which the other book doesn't cover in full detail).

16 lodges are featured:
1) Old Faithful Inn (Yellowstone National Park- Wyoming)
2) The Ahwahnee (Yosemite National Park- California)
3) Paradise Inn (Mount Rainier National Park, Washington)
4) Timberline Lodge (Mount Hood National Forest- Oregon)
5) Oregon Caves Chateau (Oregon Caves National Monument-Oregon)
6) Crater Lake Lodge (Crater Lake National Park-Oregon)
7) El Tovar (Grand Canyon National Park- South Rim)
8) Zion Park Lodge (Zion National Park)
9) Bryce Canyon Lodge (Bryce Canyon National Park)
10) Grand Canyon Lodge (Grand Canyon National Park- North Rim)
11) Glacier Park Lodge (Glacier National Park- Montana)
12) Belton Chalet (Glacier National Park)
13) Lake McDonald Lodge (Glacier National Park)
14) Many Glacier Hotel (Glacier National Park)
15) Sperry & Granite Park Chalets (Glacier National Park)
16) Prince of Wales Hotel (Waterton Lakes National Park,
Alberta, Canada)

Also in the front and back is a map that shows where these lodges are located.In the back are Preservation Resources and Travelers' Resources (websites, reservation information, etc...)
Although I didn't know that this book would be so similar to the Great Lodges of the West book--(it's just a bigger version), I do not regret buying it. I have them both and the pictures are mesmerizing.

McCabe presents a Greece living now only in the hearts and minds of Yia Yias and Papous but never quite forgotten as this book proves masterfully through the fantastic photography. The reader walks through post-WWII Greece and experiences the simple wonders of the Greek people and land. This book is a journey not to be missed.

The photos in this book are in turn beautiful, warm, moving and joyful. In all of them, McCabe's love of Greece and all things Greek shines through. This book is awesome and wonderful. The reproductions are superb and the images evocative of a time in Greece when life was simpler than today. Find a comfortable chair, open the book, and enjoy the journey!

I have not seen such photography since Cartier Bresson's photos on everyday French life. It brings the people and land to life and presents a marvelous "record" what was and is about to partially disappear. It is a rare work of art. Peter Sichel

This is a spectacular book. Robert McCabe's intimate knowledge of Greece and its people informs the beautiful photographs that are presented in this record of a truly idyllic land. When I first received the book, I did something highly unusual for me: I sat down and went through the entire book, page by page. What a treat that experience was. I recommend this collection of photographs to anyone interested in Greece and to anyone who loves great photography.

Many of these collected black and white photographs, taken with a Rolleiflex in the 8 1/2 inch square format by the photographer during some of his many trips to Greece in the mid 1950's and 1960's, take one's breath away - arresting lansdcapes, portraits, and scenes of life as it was lived then, a vanished era, to quote the author. The pictures were made by someone who undoubtedly knows and loves the people and the country with a passion that shines through. McCabe is not a professional photographer, but rather the best kind of amateur, in the sense of comparing Olympic sports to professional sports. His work has a freshness and vitality that is more amazing considering that the pictures were taken over 40 years ago. The book recalls for me a trip I once made to the Greek Islands. During a night passage, our boat anchored off the coast of Delos, an uninhabited island (then) that is known as a sanctuary and the birthplace of some important Greek Gods and Goddesses. My memory of proximity to the aura of this sanctuary, the way it made me think about history, the ancient Greeks, was summoned back by McCabe's photographs in a way that made clear his understanding of the interconnectedness of people. His pictures make one think about how human intellectual history, our knowledge, began there, in Greece. Whether it is a picture from great height of an amphitheatre where Sophocles' plays were originally performed, or a glimpse of two young girls giggling over a shared secret, the effect of this book is to draw out a fascinating combination of history, landscape and human emotion.