Australia: Reef, Rainforest, Red Heart [Paperback]

Darren Jew (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1999

A photographic essay celebrating the landscape and wildlife of the environments which make up Australia. A mix of scenic, nature, texture and wildlife images are supported by educational captions. There are a few pages of introductory text.

Product Details

• Paperback: 160 pages
• Publisher: New Holland Books (September 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1864363770
• ISBN-13: 978-1864363777
• Product Dimensions: 10.3 x 8.3 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.7 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,247,155 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Australia's Darren Jew has photographed the planet's landscapes and wildlife
from Antarctica to Zambia over his 30-year career- on mountain peaks, desert
plains and beneath the Ocean's surface.

After his photography studies at the Queensland College of Art and work in
darkrooms and commercial studios, Darren found his vocation at the
Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service, where his photographic skill found
harmony with his profound love of nature.

The last two decades have seen Darren pursue his passion for capturing and
sharing the natural World, producing sought-after nature, travel and
scientific images both above and below the water; selling fine art prints;
undertaking magazine commissions and; leading photo tours to the World's
great wildlife, landscape and marine destinations.

A certified SCUBA diver since age 14, his love for the ocean is expressed
through his award-winning underwater images. Darren believes that only
through awareness will come understanding and respect for the Ocean.
Bringing the majesty of the underwater world to the surface and sharing its
wonders with the broader community through photography will heighten this
awareness.

Darren is the author of the book AUSTRALIA - reef, rainforest, red heart;
his images regularly appear in many magazines and books, he exhibits around
Australia and his work is used by conservation organisations world-wide.

His unique vision has seen him named Canon/AIPP Australian Science,
Environment and Nature Photographer of the Year in 2007, 2009 and 2010.

Visit Darren's web site www.darrenjew.com

See an interview with Darren here on the Canon web site:
http://www.canon.com.au/EOS-Professional/Seconds-With/Season-1/Episode1

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Reef, Rainforest and Red heart - the spirit of Australia, September 14, 2001

By 

Jayne Lee (Nottingham, England) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Australia: Reef, Rainforest, Red Heart (Paperback)

I only have one 'coffee table' book, and this is it.

This inspiring and moving book, beautifully captures in words and over 120 full-colour photographs the essence of the isolated continent that is Australia. The author, Darren Jew, was inspired by his father's travels in Antarctica to pursue a career in nature photography, and has photographed much of the world's wildlife and landscapes. However, it is his native Australia, where he grew up and lives, and where he spent 8 years as photographer for the Queensland National Parks and Wildlife Service which is his greatest inspiration.

In this book he takes the reader on a journey from the abundant life of the great barrier reef and tropical rainforests, to the stark beauty of the red centre. Along the way he shares with us his understanding of and love for the unique plants and animals that make this isolated continent their home.

Why do I love this book? I have travelled in Australia many times, and it is a truly magnificent and fascinating place to which I will return again and again. The author has captured this magic with breathtaking images and lyrical yet factual prose. It's clear he knows and understands the land, its plants and animals. The breadth of material is outstanding. You can dive down to the depths of the great barrier reef and swim amongst the beautiful corals and cruising barracuda; sit on a sandy athol watching the sun go down or catch crabs scuttling to their holes; climb the misty ranges of the blue mountains or gaze in awe at the majesty that is Ayers Rock.

Darren's range as a photographer is as wide as his knowledge of the land. His portaits of wildlife are superb - some burstling with action such as courting terns and diving whales, others graphic still lifes -the brilliance of the the colourful cup moth on a palm leaf, the beady eye of the watchful yellow python. They're all here: kookaburras and koalas, possums and platypus, cassowarys and crocodiles. There are over around 60 colour plates of all the well known Australian fauna and a few you won't have even thought of.

And the landscape photographs match the wildlife ones in both quantity and quality. Darren really does 'write with light' and captures the spirit of a place perfectly. You can almost feel the water dripping from the tree ferns in the rainforests, imagine the scent of silver barked eucalypts against the deepest blue sky and feel the parched red desert and sacred rocks.

Just as he captures the spirit of the creatures and landscapes, he too captures the moment. One of my favourite pictures is a glassy wave breaking onto the reef, every drop of water frozen at that moment in time - now where's my surf board?

Whilst many of Darren's pictures are spectacular panoramas, he is also adept at capturing the more intimate scenes: a close up of delicate forest fungi dripping with dew; a tiny turtle hatchling making its dangerous trip back to the ocean.

The words which accompany the images are both inspiring and illuminating - simply but engagingly written, with a vast store of first hand knowledge to draw upon. You can tell that the author loves his home and wants to protect and nuture it.

Whenever anyone asks me what Australia is like, I show them this book. Then they book their Qantas ticket. Really, it's that good.