Botanica Magnifica: Portraits of the World's Most Extraordinary Flowers and Plants [Hardcover]

W. John Kress (Author), Marc Hachadourian (Author), Jonathan Singer (Photographer)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0789210339 | ISBN-13: 978-0789210333 | Publication Date: September 29, 2009 | Edition: 1st Edition

"Botanica Magnifica" features two hundred and fifty stunning photographs by Hasselblad Laureate-winner Jonathan Singer. Inspired by the size and scope of "Audubon's Birds of America", the original edition of "Botanica Magnifica" was published as double-elephant folio. Now Singer's magnificent photos are available to the public for the first time in this edition, a baby-elephant folio. Like the larger edition, this volume is organized into five sections: Orchidaceae, presenting the full diversity of orchids, one of the largest and most exquisite families of flowering plants; Florilegium, portraying the complexity and beauty of flowers; Proteus, named for the shape-changing sea god of Greek mythology because it illustrates plant forms perfectly adapted for survival; Zingiberaceae, a tribute to the ginger family, whose members include both common tropical plants and rarities threatened with extinction; and, Botanicus, a selection of beautiful and bizarre specimens from the renowned botanical research collection of the National Museum at the Smithsonian. Each section is introduced by a gatefold page that displays one extraordinary plant at a luxurious size.

Editorial Reviews

Review

'A greenhouse between two covers' -- Reader's Digest

'A marriage of art and science.' -- CBS Sunday Morning News

'Art aficionados marvel at their painterly quality, and botanists are in awe of how Singer manages to capture them so true to form.' -- Smithsonian Magazine

'Singer would appear to have done the impossible.' -- Vanity Fair

'[These pictures reveal] single blooms on a large scale and exquisite detail, emerging from the shadows in a manner evocative of Old Master paintings.' -- ARTnews

Book Description

"Jonathan Singer has captured some of the world's most endangered flowers in remarkable detail and in a light that evokes the paintings of great Dutch masters. This magnificent work draws attention to the need for protecting its subjects and the ecosystems in which they grow. As a force for conservation, it belongs in the same category as the picture book that inspired it--John James Audubon's Birds of America."

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 356 pages
• Publisher: Abbeville Press; 1st Edition edition (September 29, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0789210339
• ISBN-13: 978-0789210333
• Product Dimensions: 15.7 x 12.6 x 2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #137,223 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

• Due to this item's unusual size or weight, it requires special handling and will ship separately from other items in your order. Read More

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars The printing ruins everything, November 3, 2010

By 

R. Lifton (Wisconsin) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

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This review is from: Botanica Magnifica: Portraits of the World's Most Extraordinary Flowers and Plants (Hardcover)

Sadly, I have sent this book back. I was well aware of Singer's superb photography and had been wanting this book for a number of months. After looking thru it, I kept feeling very disappointed and could not pinpoint the problem. My wife pointed out that the paper was very matt. On the cover of the book is a photo in gloss and it jumps out. The back cover is tremendous, but the same photo in the book is dead.
The gloss makes it come alive and look 3 dimensional. The matt paper makes the photo 2 dimensional and dead. I don't know why they didn't print the inside in gloss, the book is very expensive but I would have gladly paid more to have the gloss paper. You lose all the detail, the fine aspects of the flower and plant are simply lost.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Simply outstanding, November 18, 2009

By 

Wandering boy (Middle US) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

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This review is from: Botanica Magnifica - Deluxe Edition: Portraits of the World's Most Extraordinary Flowers and Plants (Hardcover)

If you take your time once in your life to really look at the beauty in flowers and plants, allow it to be in this wonderful book of photography.
Words cannot describe just how beautiful this photography is.
Buy it, look at it, look at it again and again. Let it sit out so others can enjoy and appreciate the beauty of plants that we normally do not stop to see.
One of the best photography books ever published. EVER.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars MAGNIFICENT, November 12, 2009

By 

photoartcritic "art book lover" (ny,ny) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Botanica Magnifica: Portraits of the World's Most Extraordinary Flowers and Plants (Hardcover)

Botanica Magnifica is the finest photograpy book I have ever owned .I strongly recommend buying the book if you are a flower lover,photography fan or an enviromentalist who loves this planet.What a great book for art lovers and scientists alike. Great job Mr.Singer and thank you for bringing our planets flowers to the forefront to be seen like never before.