Sahara - La Llamada del Desierto

by Philippe Bourseiller

Sprawling over 3.5 million square miles, from the Atlantic Ocean to the Red Sea, the Sahara is a mythical land, enchanting not only for its extreme beauty but also for its complex culture. Wrapping its arid terrain around Africa, this vast desert is shared, and sometimes fought over, by some dozen countries.Enraptured by the desert's magical light and amazingly diverse terrain, its spectacular dunes, stone fortresses, and Edenic oases, photographer Philippe Bourseiller embarked on the first truly comprehensive photographic exploration of this enormous territory. Here, in 200 compelling images ranging from the white sands of Arguin (Mauritania) to the colorful banks of the Niger river (Mali), from the rock paintings of Tassili n'Ajjer (Algeria) to the lakes of Ennedi (Chad), Bourseiller communicates his powerful experience of the desert. A series of texts by Sahara specialists deepens our understanding of the history, people, and landscape of this fascinating area. An invitation to travel the Sahara, this beautiful book will attract fans of the region, of photography, and of world exploration.

Genres: Geography, Africa, Travel

Hardcover

First published January 1, 2004

About the author

Always in search of a magical light that gives all its value to a landscape and to the people who inhabit it, Philippe Bourseiller travels the great natural spaces of the planet with his Canon. For nearly forty years now, he has been working on the great nature of our planet to create a true photographic memory of the Earth. These landscapes never stop changing and photography, as a form of memory, is one of the best instruments to follow their evolution and better understand their upheavals and the permanent adaptation of the people who live there.

In 1983 he joined the staff of France Soir Magazine. It was his first approach to color, all subjects are covered: news, people, sports, expeditions…. From 1987 to 1990 he became a member of the magazine department of the Sygma agency and gradually moved towards what would become his favorite field: nature. In 1991, he decided to become a freelance photographer in response to his desire to specialize in nature and environmental subjects. His first report on the eruption of the Pinatubo volcano in 1991 oriented an important part of his work towards the world of active volcanoes.

Philippe Bourseiller is a field photographer, knowing how to be at the same time a mountaineer, a speleologist, a diver…, his experience allows him to evolve easily in the extreme universes he is in contact with, and to bring us back rare images. Recognized worldwide for his mastery of light, color and composition, his work has been awarded several times by the prestigious World Press prize and a Visa d’Or at the International Festival of Photojournalism in Perpignan. He regularly collaborates with major magazines: Géo, Paris Match, Figaro Magazine, Stern, Life, National Geographic…. and has published more than twenty books translated into several languages.

Several large exhibitions have been presented in the world.

Reviews

[Tweedledum · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stunning photography alternates with fascinating articles on the history, geology, sociology, anthropology etc etc of the area. I could look at these photos for hours. All adds up to a much deeper understanding and respect for the Saharan peoples.