I arrived home from my most recent trip this past Sunday and received an incredible birthday gift from friend and colleague Frans Lanting – the beautifully packaged and presented Collector’s Edition of Bay of Life, Frans & Chris Eckstrom’s epic book chronicling the rejuvenation of California’s Monterey Bay.
An area ravaged by rampant utilization by man during the gold rush which stripped the area of life and resources, Bay of Life documents the resilience of nature and the ways in which like-minded people can come together to help restore an ecosystem to not only a state of recovery, but one in which it thrives.
This message of hope and rejuvenation speaks directly to me. If you’ve caught any of my recent talks regarding my own projects, you’ll know the emphasis I put on describing how wildlife populations in many areas are beginning to recover after an initial decrease due to the influence and reach of man.
Though our climate situation remains dire, nature’s ability to rejuvenate when coupled with human awareness, consideration, and conservation efforts is remarkable. This book project not only documents this significant symbiosis between nature and man – it also helps educate and fund future endeavors to protect this beautiful habitat via the Bay of Life Project.
Red alert for fans & collectors of wildlife books! There are a couple titles that I am involved in that I want to highlight that are either being funded or published this week. While they are different in their subject matter and approach, they both deserve your consideration and support.
Remembering Wildlife is now funding Remembering Leopards, their eighth in the Remembering series which has raised over $1.3 million for wildlife conservation. My photo of a leopard is a featured print in the limited edition book, of which there will be fifty copies. The aim of the creators is to make the most beautiful book ever seen on the featured species and to use that to not only raise awareness of conservation issues but also, more importantly, to raise funds for organizations working for its protection. The Kickstarter for this book is now live. You can pre-order the book (as well as grab many other rewards) to give the producers the cashflow to make it happen!
Being published this week is author/photographer Graeme Green’s The New Big 5: A Global Photography Project for Endangered Wildlife. Over five years ago he contacted us about an idea he had about creating a new Big Five of wildlife photography. The Big Five was a term coined by game hunters and includes the African lion, leopard, rhino, elephant, and buffalo. Graeme took this phrase and has turned it on its head. In his book being published on April 4th, he has brought together 165 wildlife photographers (including me) and conservationists to raise awareness of the crucial issues facing the world’s wildlife. Order your copy today!
I receive a fantastic gift in the mail today – a beautiful high-quality book encompassing the award-winning photographs of Dutch photographer Marsel van Oosten’s work over the past 15 years, and much more.
It stands to reason that a book chock full of award winning photos has plenty to look at, but the detail and design of this book is art in itself. It leaves a stunning first impression, with a textured cover and a gorgeous owl-pattered endsheets.
This is a large-format gorgeous book. Aside from Marsel’s award-winning photos, it also features his favorite images from the past decade and a half, with a wide variety of atmospheric and moody images of the natural world.
Not only that, but purchase of the book supports a great cause. From Marsel’s website:
“Part of the proceeds of MOTHER will be donated to The Canopy Project. Their aim is to improve our shared environment by planting trees across the globe. In 2020, The Canopy Project has a goal of planting 7.8 billion trees – one tree for every person on earth. For every book sold, 5 trees will be planted. For every Collectors’ Edition sold, 50 trees will be planted.
The paper used for MOTHER contains no wood.”
This is a fantastic high-quality book full of amazing images, and supports a great cause. What is not to like?! Marsel, thank you so much for the gift – now with it’s own place on Art’s Bookshelf!
Today is World Book Day, so it seemed appropriate to repost the list of my Top 10 personal favorite book projects of my own! If you missed it the first time around, an early edition of Tequila Time covered this topic. It’s interesting to see how Tequila Time has evolved over the past year! Without further ado, the list!
It’s been a while since I’ve done an Art’s Bookshelf – but I’m much overdue on posting about my good friend Denis Glennon’s book which documents the great shores of Australia from the air – a country Truly Girt by Sea.
Not only does the book include gorgeous aerials – of which you all know I am a fan, mainly due to the wonderful abstractions they create – but it also documents the mindset of Tony Hewitt and Denis Glennon as they set about to document the coastline of Australia. Reminiscent of a bygone age of exploration, their expedition revealed much more than they could have ever imagined – new wonders abound in their own home continent!
If you’re interested in finding out more about the project check out their website – GirtBySeaProject.com, and visit their online store to order your copy of this unique book!
Last week on Tequila Time and the blog, I discussed ten books in my collection that I found influential and inspiring to me by other artists and photographers. Viewers were also curious about the ten books of my own that I’d pick out as my favorites and we delivered last night!
Here are ten (in no particular order) of my personal books that I’m most happy with. If you want the details, you’ll have to watch the video! Also, watch til the end for a special promo code for 25% off books in my online store, valid until midnight PST this Sunday!
Welcome back to Art’s Bookshelf! Last night on Tequila Time with Art, I discussed some of the books that have influenced and inspired me over the years. It’s a list of 10, but they are in no particular order. I find that as an artist, it’s difficult to choose “favorites” – any shred of inspiration you can find is simply invaluable and incomparable. Do yourself a favor and buy yourself something nice, whether it’s one of MY books, or these fantastic volumes by other authors. Looking at images online is amazing and convenient, but there is something about picking up a heavy book and immersing yourself in it’s pages with no distractions.
Without further ado – 10 influential books from my bookshelf! For the details, I discuss them all on Tequila Time Episode 5!
Enjoy the list and hopefully the episode of Tequila Time. If you’re not joining me at 5:30 on thursdays for our live chat, you’re missing out! Follow me on Instagram and Facebook (The Insta audio/video is much better quality!) and join the conversation, submit questions, and catch me in some candid predicaments.
As usual drop your comments below and include your Instagram handle for a follow!
I create books in large part because I know how impactful and inspirational they can be to the right audience. Sometimes all it takes is finding the right perspective to instigate an idea, a project, or even a lifestyle change. What might just be a picture and technique book to one person fills in the gaps for others and can send them down a creative rabbit-hole.
To that end, I make it a point to highlight books that either come across my desk or that I am referred to by friends, peers, and clients (often one in the same!) that leave an impression on me or that I think might be helpful for the photographer who follows my work.
Today I am honored to discuss fellow Tales By Lightalumnist and kindred spirit Peter Eastway’s recently released book, The New Tradition. As a fan of both the traditional photographic works of staple legends like Ansel Adams and Edward Weston as well as the idea that photography can be its own self-contained conceptual art form, this book echos and expands upon this idea. Filled with hauntingly beautiful photographs, each one is accompanied with techniques and anecdotes that help describe Peter’s process and approach.
This is an important book that comes at a great time for photography enthusiasts. Digital photography has in recent years finally shaken many of the stigmas attached to it, and The New Tradition illustrates just that – a new way of approaching photography while capitalizing on the technology we have available rather than shrinking from it simply because it’s not how things were done “back in the day”. We have the ability and opportunity to push things beyond anything these historic innovators ever could, and I can’t help but think if they were still working they would be taking every technological advantage they could find IF it helped convey what they were hoping to communicate with their captures.
I can’t recommend this book highly enough! Order it today as an amazing gift for the photographer and artist in your life!
Every now and again I like to take a break from promoting my own books (Elephants! Human Canvas! – I’m shameless. Oh well – I tried!) to share my recommendations of the works of others with you. Sometimes they are simply educational, while others are inspirational. . . and in this case, both. World culture and tradition has always been as fascinating to me as wildlife. As I have accrued decades of world travel and come to identify the similarities and differences in our cultures, Ive only come to appreciate them that much more.
In Divine Encounters: Sacred Rituals and Ceremonies of Asia by Hans Kemp, we have an excellent photo book that explores the many varied esoteric beliefs of the region both prevalent and obscure.
“The breadth and scope of Hans Kemp’s superb photography captures the expansive yet intimate nature of Asia’s ancient and thriving spiritual traditions.”
-Art Wolfe
I found this book to be inspirational and highly motivating. It’s spawned so many ideas for possible future trips and projects. If you’re planning any trips to Asia in the near future and are looking to fill up your schedule, if you have an interest in world cultures and rituals, or if you simply want to check out some excellent photography, give it a look! Grab your copy on Hans’ website!
Photographer William Neill is now in the final design stages of his amazing new book release, “Photographer, A Retrospective”. I have seen the layout and it is going to be a beauty! In a week, he must have all the final book drafts in place and will be closing down all pre-orders and the benefits they bring. If you want to take advantage of this pre-order, you need to act now!
Pre-Order Benefits:
Collectors cover
Your name printed within the book
Special editions with original signed prints
Slipcase versions
Reduced pricing
Advance delivery by months
Click here for more information on the book and how to pre-order it!
I arrived home from my most recent trip this past Sunday and received an incredible birthday gift from friend and colleague Frans Lanting – the beautifully packaged and presented Collector’s Edition of Bay of Life, Frans & Chris Eckstrom’s epic book chronicling the rejuvenation of California’s Monterey Bay.
This is a large-format gorgeous book. Aside from Marsel’s award-winning photos, it also features his favorite images from the past decade and a half, with a wide variety of atmospheric and moody images of the natural world.
It’s been a while since I’ve done an Art’s Bookshelf – but I’m much overdue on posting about my good friend Denis Glennon’s book which documents the great shores of Australia from the air – a country Truly Girt by Sea.
