The Splendor of Birds
Art and Photographs by National Geographic
A radiant Great Egret creeps through the shadows of a mangrove swamp. Convivial macaws socialize at a clay lick in the Peruvian rain forest. A Wandering Albatross flexes its expansive wingspan. Revel in these extraordinary sights and more, captured in The Splendor of Birds, a sumptuous visual celebration of the winged wonders that share our world as they have been explored, displayed, and revealed throughout the years by National Geographic artist and photographers.
Organized chronologically, this magnificent book reflects our expanding knowledge and changing awareness of birds over the past 130 years. Vivid and compelling, each chapter illustrates new aesthetics and technological advances, as well as the dawning of na environmental consciousness and the urgency to protect species at risk. The stories behind these avian images are equally fascinationg, blending adventure and art, courage and recklessness, politics and passion--whether classic illustrations by Louis Agassiz Fuertes, historic moments witnessed by Jane Goodall, or bold portraits by Joel Sartore from his celebrated Photo Ark project.
Now, collected into one exquisite volume, this elegant treasury displays the irresistible beauty, grace, and intelligence of our feathered friends, discovered and portrayed by the world's finest artists and photographers. {cover copy}
If you can't tell from the photo, I like birds. I mean, what other reason would I have for owning four of them if I didn't think they were pretty much the coolest species in the animal kingdom. So when I was sent this book to review, you might understand better how absolutely delighted I was to have it in my possession. And I'll be honest, I came for the photos. But as usual, Nat Geo hooked me with the reading portion as well. What I love about this book is that it feels like a bunch of bird-related Net Geo magazines rolled into one place, with all the info and stories in an easy to find central location, rather than a bunch of magazines. I'm sure this is not actually what they did, mind you, but it has that feeling like you are getting all the best content from the inception of the magazine till now. Though I was more drawn to the later photographs, I think the earlier ones and the stories that go along with them are fascinating. It was really cool to see the evolution of capturing the images of birds (whether that be painting, drawing, or photograph) as well as what we know about them and how we as humans interact with them. But listen, even if you don't read a single word of this (and you'd be missing out, so I don't recommend it), this book is spectacular.
A radiant Great Egret creeps through the shadows of a mangrove swamp. Convivial macaws socialize at a clay lick in the Peruvian rain forest. A Wandering Albatross flexes its expansive wingspan. Revel in these extraordinary sights and more, captured in The Splendor of Birds, a sumptuous visual celebration of the winged wonders that share our world as they have been explored, displayed, and revealed throughout the years by National Geographic artist and photographers.Organized chronologically, this magnificent book reflects our expanding knowledge and changing awareness of birds over the past 130 years. Vivid and compelling, each chapter illustrates new aesthetics and technological advances, as well as the dawning of na environmental consciousness and the urgency to protect species at risk. The stories behind these avian images are equally fascinationg, blending adventure and art, courage and recklessness, politics and passion--whether classic illustrations by Louis Agassiz Fuertes, historic moments witnessed by Jane Goodall, or bold portraits by Joel Sartore from his celebrated Photo Ark project.
Now, collected into one exquisite volume, this elegant treasury displays the irresistible beauty, grace, and intelligence of our feathered friends, discovered and portrayed by the world's finest artists and photographers. {cover copy}
If you can't tell from the photo, I like birds. I mean, what other reason would I have for owning four of them if I didn't think they were pretty much the coolest species in the animal kingdom. So when I was sent this book to review, you might understand better how absolutely delighted I was to have it in my possession. And I'll be honest, I came for the photos. But as usual, Nat Geo hooked me with the reading portion as well. What I love about this book is that it feels like a bunch of bird-related Net Geo magazines rolled into one place, with all the info and stories in an easy to find central location, rather than a bunch of magazines. I'm sure this is not actually what they did, mind you, but it has that feeling like you are getting all the best content from the inception of the magazine till now. Though I was more drawn to the later photographs, I think the earlier ones and the stories that go along with them are fascinating. It was really cool to see the evolution of capturing the images of birds (whether that be painting, drawing, or photograph) as well as what we know about them and how we as humans interact with them. But listen, even if you don't read a single word of this (and you'd be missing out, so I don't recommend it), this book is spectacular.
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