Lovers of marine life and connoisseurs of photography will delight in this beautifully produced book dedicated to the surprising elements of the "unseen." In Extreme Nature, National Geographic photographer Bill Curtsinger takes us to locations around the globe, from the North to the South Poles, where he reveals in amazing detail the lives of elusive water creatures-some never before photographed-and those that are ubiquitous but rarely observed close up. These images represent some of the best of his thirty-year career, and here he reflects on the subtle elements that make his art so powerful.The splendid photography in Extreme Nature is the result of a profound sensitivity to the aquatic environment. "I worship the single-minded effort that still photography embodies," Curtsinger says, "the challenge, the solitary immersion in an animal's world and the rewards that are often found in such an adventure." The reader accompanies him on these adventures, plumbing the depths around icebergs and volcanoes, meeting sharks, sea turtles, seals, narwhals, whales, and many others along the way. As he shares his wondrous visions, the author also explains his approach to the photographic artistry. "My goal," he says, "is to immerse myself in an animal's world so that I can extract from those moments a new image, or a new insight into behavior heretofore unseen. I become the creature I pursue, in theory anyway . . ." This elegant book becomes a journey not only into aquatic wildlife but also into the art of photography itself.
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About the Author
Bill Curtsinger was born in Philadelphia in 1946. After college he became a member of the elite Navy photo unit, The Atlantic Fleet Combat Camera Group, during the Vietnam War. Specializing in underwater subjects, he has photographed for National Geographic magazine, plus dozens of publications worldwide. Curtsinger currently lives in Maine and is a founding member of the Maine-based art group "10 x 10."
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
First and Finest Looks at the Hidden and Extreme World,
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This review is from: Extreme Nature: Images from the World's Edge (Discovery) (Hardcover)
This book is so much more than a book of pretty underwater photographs. Mr. Curtsinger shares with us his view of the world in places where other-worldly things live. Many of these photographs were the first of their kind; from the first pictures from beneath the Antarctic ice, to the first images of many elusive mammals like the leopard seal and the walrus, all in their secretive, hostile marine habitats. What is astonishing and powerful about these images, many now decades old, is that they are more than just documents from a wild unseen, uncelebrated world; they are artful and aesthetically moving images that capture attention in form and composition; they are timeless in their beauty and truth. Weaving the imagery together is a collection of essays which tell the stories of some of the Earth's toughest creatures, as well as Mr. Curtsinger's journey in photographing them. These are not encyclopedia entries, rather, they are deeply personal and honest accounts of one man's experience in the magnificant natural world. Filled with struggles and epiphanies, the book is the confluence of a human story and a celebration of nature, in words and fantastic imagery. More than something to sit on your coffee table or shelf, it is a book you will revisit again and again and share with others. My copy is already well worn.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Extreme Nature by Bill Curtsinger,
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This review is from: Extreme Nature: Images from the World's Edge (Discovery) (Hardcover)
I loved this book of photographs and suggest it ought to go on everybody's Christmas and Hannukah lists. Curtsinger was one of the pioneers of underwater photography (he's shot something like 35 National Geographic articles and six covers), specializing in the strange and marvelous polar regions. The cover alone is worth the price of the book. It's a shot of two penguins, not cuddly tuxedoed stuffy toys, which we've seen a lot of lately, but two rockets jetting down through the water amid a stream of bubbles. Amazing. Curtsinger is a wonderful writer, too, so after looking at the pictures, plan on spending plenty of time on the text.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Extreme Nature:Extremely well done,
This review is from: Extreme Nature: Images from the World's Edge (Discovery) (Hardcover)
Bill Curtsinger has not only shown us remote places with his camera but he generously shares his life and thoughts.This is not only an incredible visual feast but a wonderful read.Treat yourself.
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