Customer Reviews

Horses of the Sun: A Gallery of the World's Most Exquisite Equines

5 star:		(21)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

My experience with Vavra books goes back to the 80s when I first encountered Equus. I happened to open to page 8 and found myself standing there actually wiping my eyes. I had never encountered a person who felt as I do about the nature of the horse. In this, his latest offering, that tradition continues. I have given away several copies now (thank you Amazon) and the recipients and I agree; if you wish to have the spirit of the horse on your living room table, this book is the means to that end. Thanks again, Robert.

Robert Vavra, Horses of the Sun (Morrow, 1995)

Blurbed by James Michener and introduced by William Shatner (and this was before the Priceline days, mind you). Can you get any cooler?

Horses of the Sun reminds me of another book that's crossed my desk quite recently, Barbara Livingston's Old Friends: Visits with My Favorite Thoroughbreds. Maybe if I hadn't read that one so recently, this one would have appealed to me more (but I don't think so). About the only place where Vavra's book doesn't pale in comparison is that he covers more breeds of horses (but then, you expect from the title of Livingston's book she's only photographing one breed for it) and covers each horse with more photographs than Livingston. Other than that, however, Livingston's book towers over this.

As should be the case in two books of photographs, the main thing to compare is the photographs themselves. Barbara Livingston shoots clean, spare shots with an eye for a good background. Vavra's photographs are always very cluttered, and he has a thing for overly-dramatic double-exposure shots. (Oh, my, does he have a thing for overly-dramatic double-exposure shots.) Now, one overly-dramatic double-exposure shot, on its own, is fine (for example, the one that hangs over the entrance to the Kentucky Horse Park). But in a book of over two hundred pages, where you've got at least two for every horse he's photographing, the effect gets to be a bit much. To say the least.

Livingston also gets comparative points for the text in the two books, though it's a bit harder to put a finger on why. Both of them are writing about horses they've loved over the years, and both approach a tone of hero-worship quite often in the text (which, for a book of photographs, is extensive in both). I think, perhaps, it's the same thing as it is with the photographs; Livingston's prose is cleaner, less flowery. It's almost as if, in comparison, Vavra's book is a two-hundred-fifty-plus page Hallmark card.

Nice to look at, but if you're a Vavra fan, check out Barbara Livingston's work. ** ½

I once looked at this book and fell in love with the pictures. Robert Vavra can really capture the true energy of the horse. I love horses and I have never seen such such beautiful pictures in my life.

I recieved this book as a Christmas gift and I fall in love with it every time I open it! I own several American Saddlebreds and I almost never see any pictures of them. Vavra has takes the most beautiful photos. The background colors always look great with the horses. I would frame each one if I could. If you love horses and art, this book is a must for you!

Shipping a heavy 40 dollar book to a foreign country may be a bit much, this is an excellent way of sharing with all my friends the wonders of Robert Vavra's photography and his beautiful models. I'll be ordering this more than once!

This wonderful book was a Christmas present and I can't keep my eyes off it. The photographs of these spectacular animals literally jump off the page. No bridles, no saddles, just the beauty of nature surrounding them. Even without the elegant poetry, this book is a must!

This is by far Vavra's most beautiful book to date. The images of the various horses are magnificent. He focuses on several different breeds - the Andalusian, the Arabian, the Fresian, the American Saddlebred, the Morgan, and the Peruvian Paso. Each equine is photographed in it's natural surroundings, doing everything from posing for the camera to playfully frolicking in the snow. The entire gallery of photographs is a necessity for any horse lover.

I first saw this book wrapped in plastic as I was meandering through a book store, and simply from seeing the cover I was mesmerized by the beauty of the photography. For a year I never forgot that cover or the the name Robert Vavra, and now, finally receiving the book as a gift I have had the privelege of actually viewing the pages, and the photos and words that lie on the inside are 10 times more powerful than I ever could have imagined. I find myself drawn to flip through it multiple times every day.

Overall, I'd have to agree with the reviewer's comments from Lakewood, OH.

Anyone familiar with Vavra's work will recognize his dreamlike, romanticized approach to horse photography. More "artsy" in style, tone and layout - than the straight forward approach.

Lots of soft-focus photography with heavy post-production image editing (layering of horse upon background, and vice-versa). I own two of Vavra's books (this being the second one to "Equus: The Creation Of A Horse"), so whether or not one likes this style of equine photography is a matter of personal taste. Still, this is a beautifully printed and bound book, with some outstanding equine photography.

See my review of "Equus: The Creation Of A Horse" for further reviews of Vavra's work.

Forward by William Shatner (yes, Captain Kirk!).

If you are a horselover and enjoy books on equine photography in general, check out the work of Gabrielle Boiselle, Johnny Johnston, Henry Dallal, Fulvio Cinquini, Jennifer Forsberg Meyer, et al. All have made their career photographing horses, and it shows. Boiselle is a personal favorite.

I WISH I HAD KNOWN ABOUT THIS GUY BACK WHEN I HAD MY HORSE!!
HE MUST LOVE THE ANIMALS BECAUSE, HE PHOTOGRAPHS THEM SO, WELL!! HE FOCUSES ON THE EYES OF THE ANIMALS IN MANY PICTURES AS IF, HE IS LOOKING AT THEIR SOULS!!! I DO NOT REGRET PURCHASING THIS BOOK AT ALL!!!!!!!!! I WOULD RECOMMEND THIS TO EVERYONE WHO LOVES HORSES!!!!!
SHIRLEY GREER