This sublime shot of a radiant Golden Full Moon maple by Bill Valavanis is one of 281 brilliant full-page photos that appear Fine Bonsai.
I tried but failed. I wanted to put up a fresh post this morning, but, after two hours of stops and starts and general and specific indecision, once again I’m taking the easy way out. Let’s just say it’s still summer and the soft siren song of the great outdoors still beckons…
This one (with some changes) originally appeared almost exactly one year ago. I picked it because it features a remarkable book (and because our Big Summer Book Sale ends tomorrow). Though not everyone I talk to agrees, to my eyes at least, the powerful full-page photos highlight the luminous brilliance of some of the best bonsai in the world. In ways that conventional shots seldom capture. After a whole year I still keep an open copy by my desk.
One of the most astounding books…
This morning Andy Rutledge sent me his well considered and well written review of one of the most astounding books I’ve ever seen. So rather than subjecting you to my same old prose once again, let’s try a fresh voice for a change (note, you can see Andy’s entire review on his Bonsai Journal … you might also enjoy visiting a more multifaceted Andy here).
Andy Rutledge’s review
When my copy of Fine Bonsai arrived I almost dropped it as the delivery man handed it to me. Though large, I didn’t expect the package to be so heavy. At 12″ x 15″ x 1.75″ and almost 10 pounds, this is a large and weighty book. The beautiful slipcase adds even more dimension and almost another pound of weight. When I finally unboxed and perused the book I was delighted to discover that the content, too, was weightier than expected.
Fine Bonsai – Art & Nature is primarily a photo-artistic study of bonsai from public and private collections in North America and Japan, with photos by renowned photographer Jonathan M. Singer and text by the respected American artist, teacher, and publisher William N. Valavanis.
In addition to the bonsai sections which comprise most of the book, beautiful and important bonsai containers and suiseki are featured in discrete chapters. Each is filled with practical and historical information on the depicted works. There’s also an informative section on the various arboretums and nurseries whose trees are featured in this book.
The Good
The photography is stunning. Each of the 281 full-page photos allows the subject its individual due and dignity. The rich, dark background surrounding the bonsai in these photos, combined with elegant and creative lighting, presents each subject in a way that is at once serene and emphatic. Though the dark environment for the photos creates perhaps an uncommon or unfamiliar context for bonsai, the trees seem most comfortable there. They shine like stars on a stage…
For the rest of Andy’s review visit The Bonsai Journal.
