Very Pretty American Landscapes

[David R Munson]

So a friend of mine in Japan sent me this book of gorgeous color landscape images from all over Japan. Fantastic book. Now, I'd like to send her a book to that same end, only with beautiful landscape images from all over the US. Now, I know there are all sorts of fantastic landscape photo books of the US - likely more than of all the other countries. Most of them are fairly specific, though. What I'm looking for are suggestions for general "America" type books. Like, if Aaron Copand had been a color landscape photographer, what book would he have done? If nothing else, I think I may send her one of the Ian Adams Ohio books, but I'd like to find something with a broader variety.

Suggestions? Thanks much.

 

[Aggie]

I can highly reccomend Bruce Barnbaum's Visual Symphonies. It includes a CD that is meant to augment the viewer's enjoyment of the images.

There are many good books on USA landscape photography. It'll be hard to choose just one.

 

[Donald Miller]

Any of the work of David Muench would fit into that catagory. Since your friend sent you a book with color images, she may appreciate color work in return. If you decide to send a book of black and white images, then the "Portfolios of Ansel Adams" would be nice.

Galen Rowell did some beautiful color work but his was not limited to the USA.

 

[Tom Duffy]

I highly recommend McDuff Everton's "The Western Horizon"

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/t...f=sr_1_7/103-7122114-8329412?v=glance&s=books

Excellent 6x17 panoramics shot on color neg film. The shots are spectacular in a "real" way. Not a pumped up Fuji Velvia interpretation.

 

[KenM]

I can highly reccomend Bruce Barnbaum's Visual Symphonies. It includes a CD that is meant to augment the viewer's enjoyment of the images.

There are many good books on USA landscape photography. It'll be hard to choose just one.

You mean Tone Poems...Visual Symphony is out of print, although Bruce may have 1 or 2 left. Regardless, both are good books.

If you can find it, Orchestrating Icons by Hunter Witherill is a very good book. It's out of print, but I know that Carlos Hererra at the Ansel Adams workshops has one copy left. I know, since I picked up the other one a few weeks ago when I was in Yosemite. :-D

Another fine book, and perhaps my personal favourite is Ray McSavaney's book Explorations. Again, this should be available through the Ansel Adams gallery in Yosemite, as I know Carlos was asking Ray for more books. It doesn't show up on the book listing at anseladams.com, tho, so I'm not sure.

There's a ton of choices. Best of luck picking one

 

[jovo]

i concur with the choice of books by David (and his son, Mark) Muench, especially the books that explore the national parks. They're available pretty generally in both Barnes and Noble and Borders. There's also a book by Jack Dykinga on the 'west' which is beautiful. These aren't as much fine art books as they are books of representational images made in beautiful light.

 

[mark]

These aren't as much fine art books as they are books of representational images made in beautiful light.

What constitutes a fine art book?

I appreciate David Muench's composition. His books have both inimate landscapes and grand lanscapes. Stay away for the BW stuff. It is color turned BW on a computer and iMO does not work very well.

Good luck with your search.

I forgot to add that Cole Weston did some really nice work as well.

 

[David R Munson]

Thanks for the ideas, everyone. I'll probably end up with one of the Muench books. I've got a couple at home that I really like. I'd love to send her some of these other books that have been suggested, but they exceed my budget by a good margin.