Book Review: Photographs from the Edge {Blogging for Books}

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Photographs from the Edge, Art Wolfe with Rob Sheppard
ISBN: 9781607747819
Hardback, 288 pages
Publisher: Amphoto Books (Crown Publishing)
Retail: $32.00

About the book (from Blogging for Books):
Legendary nature photographer Art Wolfe presents an intimate, behind-the-scenes guide to the experiences, decisions, and methods that helped him capture images from some of the most exciting locations across the globe.

In Photographs from the Edge, you'll discover the secrets behind forty years of awe-inspiring photography from around the world. Wolfe takes you from the mountains of the Himalayas to the sandy shores of Mnemba Island, with stops in the crowded streets of India and the alkali lakes of Africa along the way. You’ll learn the equipment, settings, and creative choices behind each photograph. From endangered species to cultural celebrations to natural wonders, Wolfe brings each subject to life through his stunning photography and the stories he shares in this one-of-a-kind photo safari.

About the author (from the back cover):
Art Wolfe's photographs are recognized throughout the world for their mastery of color, composition, and perspective. He is a recipient of the Photographic Society of America's Progress Medal, the coveted Alfred Eisenstaedt Magazine Photography Award, and the Lifetime Achievement Award from the North American Nature Photography Association. Wolfe's award-winning television series, Art Wolfe's Travels to the Edge, airs on PBS stations throughout the country and worldwide. He is a popular educator and speaker for such companies as Microsot, IBM, and Sheraton Hotels, and is the author of many books, including The New Art of Photographing Nature and The Art of the Photograph.

See more of Art Wolfe's work at his website: http://artwolfe.com

My thoughts:
My first thought was that it was a beautiful book. Then I realized there is a lot more than just photographs in this book. I am not well acquainted with different types of cameras; mainly I use a point-and-shoot (or my phone) for photos. This book has a wide range of cameras and settings being shown (Nikon, Canon, Leica; Canon being most prevalent). It was nice though to read this in the introduction:

"I have no sentimental attachment to my equipment- I'll use whatever I can afford or get my hands on at the time...Truthfully, it's all about the camera you have in your hands: I'm not above shooting with my iPhone while walking through a market square and, yes, these images have found their way into my archives as well." p.6

(I don't have an iPhone but still it made me feel some better.)

For each image we get to read which camera and settings were used, which is nice, but we also get the story behind the photograph. That is why I wanted this book. I like to know the story behind the image. Also, the images range over 30-years-time, so we can see the progression of what was perhaps important to the photographer, from the image and the way he relates the experience.

My daughter grabbed the book to look through before I did and she pored over the images and read through the descriptions. It's a good book to have for aesthetics as well as informative for those who wish to attempt photography of various aspects of nature and people.

Disclaimer: I received this book for free as part of the Blogging for Books program. They give me free books; I give my honest opinion.