Through the Lens: National Geographic's Greatest Photographs
by:
Bendavid-Val, Leah (Editor)
Publisher:
National Geographic
Published:October 1, 2003
ISBN:079226164X
Format:Hardcover
Pages:504
Description:
Amazon.com
Since the 10.5 million images in National Geographic's possession won't fit in a book, the 250 in this moderately glossy, minimally costly collection will do nicely. Through the Lens is a stunning collection of photos judiciously apportioned
to represent the regions of the earth, the sea, and outer space; humans and nature; and even the history of the medium--a few historic black and whites contrast dramatically with the eye-popping modern color shots that dominate the book. As ever, the
esthetic key to their impact is the use of big, emotional pictures with witty little captions, and whenever possible, startling juxtapositions. A Boston matron's faux-fur coat looks just like her pet Dalmatian (the caption identifies them as "spots
fans"). The world's widest street (in Buenos Aires) by night looks great next to a grassy highway overpass for grizzly bears in Alberta. The famous green-eyed Afghan refugee poses in a purple burkha with her 1985 National Geographic cover. A Moscow
shopper tries on a snowsuit, oblivious to the huge face in the ad on the wall behind him, whose nose he obscures and smile he bisects. A fuzzy shot of a 1907 inventor testing a multiwinged "Katydid" flying machine contrasts with a crisp 1974 shot of
Skylab soaring far above fluffy clouds. Often, what's striking is the juxtaposition of ideas. An Arctic wolf making an impossible leap between ice floes arcs in midair, only its reflection hitting the frigid water. A 1935 Model T "surfs" a steep dune in
White Sands, New Mexico. Chorus lines of stuffed cane-toad corpses with surreally clothespinned snouts perform on a taxidermist's shelf. Newborns are lined up like bread loaves in Shanghai. A woman in a white chador sits in the Tripoli airport, the white
lines of fluorescent ceiling bulbs radiating behind her head like a saint's halo. This isn't the fanciest photo book of the season, but it certainly is a good deal. -Tim Appelo
Product Description:
For more than 100 years, National Geographic
has set the standard for nature, culture, and wildlife photography. Now, in Through the Lens, 250 spectacular images-some famous, others rarely seen-are gathered in one lavish and beautiful volume.
Through the Lens is divided into geographical
regions-Europe, Asia, Africa and the Middle East, the Americas, and Oceans and Isles-with a special section devoted to space exploration. Each geographical section features an outstanding array of photographs that exemplifies the area's unique people,
wildlife, archaeology, culture, architecture, and environment, accompanied by brief but informative captions. From Barry Bishop's heroic Mount Everest climb in the 1950s to the glorious wildlife of Asia and Africa, from ancient Maya culture to the Afghan
girl found 17 years after her piercing green eyes captivated the world, these are some of the finest and most important photographs ever taken.
Featuring master photographers from the late 1800s to today, including Frans Lanting, David Doubilet,
David Alan Harvey, Jodi Cobb, William Albert Allard, Nick Nichols, and Annie Griffiths Belt, Through the Lens is an extraordinary photographic celebration of some of the greatest the world has to offer.
Track your book collections, book libraries with our software:
- tiny libraries, personal book collections: try our simple book organizer
- for small libraries we offer small and powerful library software for Windows
#commissionsearned
PrimaSoft, as an Amazon Associate, receives a commission from qualifying purchases made on the affiliate links we share.