I have come across a coffee table photography book that is like no other I have ever seen till now.  "100 SUNS"  doesn’t even have an author because the only writing in it are the notes and captions in the back.  100 SUNS is a collection of images taken during 100 tests of nuclear weapons, both in the desert and the South Pacific between 1945 and 1962. Images in both color, and black and white, many seldom if ever before published. We probably will all agree that the destruction these weapons cause if horrific, but many of the images in this book are stunningly beautiful. Mushroom clouds with golden halos all around, and other clouds that create their own lightning bolts. Fireballs that turn night into day, and others that look like some cosmic embryo being born.  The books name comes from a portion of the Bhagavad Gita that ends with,,, "I am become Death,,, the destroyer of worlds."   This 11x13" hardback book is published by Alfred A. Knopt Publishing and retails for USD$45.00.
(Reviewed March 2004)

 

This one is a collection of the most beautiful seashell images, from all over the world, that I have ever seen published in one book. All you have to do is take one look at the cover and you will know what the rest of the book looks like. Many shells are familiar, while others look more like glass sculptures, and then there are those that are photographed in a fine art style. If you buy this one for a gift, you’d better buy two of them because after you see it you will not want to give it away.

This hardback book is about 11x13 inch, with 144 pages and retails for only US$50.00. Distributed by BULFINCH Press at:  www.bulfinchpress.com      
I Rate it:  A+++  (Reviewed Dec. 2005)

This a book of the many images Rania Matar has taken of Labanon. Born and raised in Lebanon, then moving to the United States in 1984, Matar is the perfect observer to a country of people who intertwine the culture of the consumer West and the Islamic East. Her images, mostly portraits of the women and their lives, convey the variety of conditions and styles across Lebanon. There is one image showing a young woman dressed in a tight sequined, tiny-t-shirt getting her eyebrows done by a woman, presumably her elder, dressed in a conservative head scarf. Another image shows a war created hole in the wall, serving as a frame to the image of another building across the street. Matar’s goal was to create a perspective for Westerners to see the humanity and individual lives that are determined to prevail in a war torn country. The images are proven to be a success because of her ability to pass on to the viewers her intimate connections with her subjects. Looking through the images of this book give any photographer or non-photographer a better understanding of the lives of women and children in the Middle East, specifically Lebanon.

Text: A+
Layout: A+
Photography: A+
User: All Photographers and Non-photographers
(Reviewed by EP April 2010)

For those who live, or have lived in the northeast, or Pennsylvania, you will like this new book just out, Our Pennsylvania. This large 9.5x12 inch, hardback book is full of great images of one of my favorite states to photograph. It covers the state from old to new, mountains to valleys, and most great photo subjects in between. This book will make one great source for finding places to photograph, other than all of the well-known ones like Gettysburg and the Amish areas. With 150 color photos on 128 pages, it makes for a real pleasant way to pass time reading it. This book retails for US$19.95 and is published by Voyageur Press. If you need the same kind of book for another state, and some major cities, you can check out what is available at   www.voyageurprress.com       
I Rate it:  A+  (Reviewed Feb. 2005)

I was immediately attracted to Audrey Heller’s images when I saw her booth at the Cherry Creek Arts Festival in Denver, Colorado. She has taken plastic people in miniature scale and placed them in every day settings of the natural scale. The juxtaposition of different sizes tells a visual story. One of her images, titled Lifesaver, is a miniature female swimmer amongst life-sized Lifesaver mint candies on a reflective blue background. Another image includes a lady dressed for her housekeeping duties sweeping up giant crumbs from a piece of cake. The images suggest photojournalism and call for recognition of these little people’s daily dealings with a giant world. A great book to have on your coffee table to flip through and stare at or to create conversation with others.

Text: N/A
Layout: A
Photography: A+
User: All Photographers and Non-Photographers
(Reviewed by EP November 2009)

Over the Rivers: An Aerial View of Geology
By Michael Collier

Michael Collier uses his skills as an aerial photographer, a geographer, and a Cessna pilot to compile a collection of images documenting North America’s geography.  Collier discusses the science behind the many incredible rivers including the Mississippi, the Rio Grande, the Snake, and plenty more. This book is the second in a series—the first titled Over the Mountains—about the transformation of our land. Collier is an award-winning photographer and well-recognized geographer whose images and expertise have been included in many publications.