BuzzFlash Reviews
Extreme Nature: Images from the World's Edge (Hardcover Coffeetable Book)
By Bill Curtsinger
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From the publisher:
Lovers of marine life and connoisseurs of photography will delight in this beautifully produced book dedicated to the surprising elements of the "unseen." In Extreme Nature, National Geographic photographer Bill Curtsinger takes us to locations around the globe, from the North to the South Poles, where he reveals in amazing detail the lives of elusive water creatures-some never before photographed-and those that are ubiquitous but rarely observed close up. These images represent some of the best of his thirty-year career, and here he reflects on the subtle elements that make his art so powerful.
The splendid photography in Extreme Nature is the result of a profound sensitivity to the aquatic environment. "I worship the single-minded effort that still photography embodies," Curtsinger says, "the challenge, the solitary immersion in an animal's world and the rewards that are often found in such an adventure." The reader accompanies him on these adventures, plumbing the depths around icebergs and volcanoes, meeting sharks, sea turtles, seals, narwhals, whales, and many others along the way. As he shares his wondrous visions, the author also explains his approach to the photographic artistry. "My goal," he says, "is to immerse myself in an animal's world so that I can extract from those moments a new image, or a new insight into behavior heretofore unseen. I become the creature I pursue, in theory anyway . . ." This elegant book becomes a journey not only into aquatic wildlife but also into the art of photography itself.
From a photographic exhibition of the book:
Many of the species represented here had not been photographed underwater before Curtsinger’s cameras brought them to light. He states that geographically speaking, he’s always been drawn to remote regions and severe landscapes and likes dark, cold places best.
"If I had to pick my favorite place on earth to photograph both underwater and surface subjects, it would be the Antarctic. I have very little interest in the colorful, flamboyant world of coral reefs. I am also attracted to the more ubiquitous species found in temperate oceans and cold water streams, species that have not been photographed much," Curtsinger said.
The challenge of photographing what has not been seen before has been the motivation for much of Curtsinger’s photographic work. He noted, "I try to blend in, go slowly, go quietly, in the hopes that my subject will forget I’m even there, and interact with their own kind or another species in a natural way. Sometimes it works."
Regarding photography, Curtsinger stated, "I worship the single-minded effort still photography embodies, the challenge, the solitary immersion in an animal’s world and the rewards that are often found in such an adventure. I like to think that my work in this show, the hidden natural world will reveal to some how splendid a place our planet is, and instill a sense of wonder and reverence for its natural gifts-especially those that often go unseen."
An online reviewer:
This book is so much more than a book of pretty underwater photographs. Mr. Curtsinger shares with us his view of the world in places where other-worldly things live. Many of these photographs were the first of their kind; from the first pictures from beneath the Antarctic ice, to the first images of many elusive mammals like the leopard seal and the walrus, all in their secretive, hostile marine habitats. What is astonishing and powerful about these images, many now decades old, is that they are more than just documents from a wild unseen, uncelebrated world; they are artful and aesthetically moving images that capture attention in form and composition; they are timeless in their beauty and truth. Weaving the imagery together is a collection of essays which tell the stories of some of the Earth's toughest creatures, as well as Mr. Curtsinger's journey in photographing them. These are not encyclopedia entries, rather, they are deeply personal and honest accounts of one man's experience in the magnificant natural world. Filled with struggles and epiphanies, the book is the confluence of a human story and a celebration of nature, in words and fantastic imagery. More than something to sit on your coffee table or shelf, it is a book you will revisit again and again and share with others. My copy is already well worn.
Another online reviewer:
This astonishing compilation of a life's work left me amazed and grateful. The photographs--some of them already iconic--will fill you with awe, and the accompanying prose adds color and poignancy to this photographic journey. I cannot recommend this book highly enough!
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