New Mexico: Portrait of a State (Portrait of a Place) [Hardcover]

David Muench (Photographer)

Book Description

Series: Portrait of a Place | Publication Date: September 15, 2006

New Mexico is a land of mountains, mesas, and valleys, of exotic desert beauty, of wild rivers and pristine wilderness. World-renowned photographer DAVID MUENCH captures this enchanting land full of history and deep cultural roots, the magical quality of light in the forty-ninth state, and its heartbreakingly beautiful landscape. NEW MEXICO: PORTRAIT OF A STATE showcases the pueblos, cliff dwellings, and petroglyphs of the Ancestral Puebloans, the stalactites and stalagmites in Carlsbad Caverns, the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, and the mighty Rio Grande. In more than one hundred stunning color photos, readers will see a kaleidoscope of hot air balloons floating in a vividly blue sky, the virgin white ski slopes of Taos, the volcanic schooner of Shiprock, and the haunting ruins of the Spanish missions, among many others.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Muench has been photographing America for more than 30 years.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 110 pages
• Publisher: Graphic Arts Books (September 15, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1558689907
• ISBN-13: 978-1558689909
• Product Dimensions: 9.9 x 9.9 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.7 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #711,958 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #54 in Books > Travel > United States > States > New Mexico

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A broad perspective..., August 9, 2010

By 

John P. Jones III (Albuquerque, NM, USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: New Mexico: Portrait of a State (Portrait of a Place) (Hardcover)

David Muench has traveled the miles to present the reader with a broad perspective of the Land of Enchantment. He has been in the "boot heel," traveled north to Ship Rock, over to the snowy peaks of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, and down, literally and figuratively, into the Carlsbad Caverns. He has also photographed the many places in between, in the various seasons, and obviously visited several places in more than one season. The only area that he eschews is the llano, the high plains that form the eastern third of the state, though there is one picture of Fort Union, in Mora County. True, unless you are in search of real "elbow-room," and/or wind, most people skip the llano. And save for two solo skiers, Muench has cropped out all the two million people who live in New Mexico. So, it is, very much, a book dedicated to the landscape and topography of the state, as well as its buildings and monuments.

No question, New Mexico is photogenic. A number of quality photography books have been produced. I think what sets Muench's work apart - and is a message to anyone who aspires to capture their own version of the state - is this: bring the WIDE ANGLE lens. Time and again he has used that lens to his advantage, as well as the readers, starting with the view of Table Mesa on page 8. The other aspect of this book that sets it apart is "la luz," the famous light of New Mexico. Likewise, time and again, Muench has the patience to get the light "just right."

There are numerous favorite pictures in the book, and certainly Muench senses them himself since he devotes two pages to the winter sunrise in the Black Range (p 28-29) and a sunset on the Rio Grande Bosque (p60-61). But the truly astonishing one is the wildflowers at the VLA (the Very Large Array - (p 84-85). Three of the white radio dishes are in the far background, set in a field with a profusion of wildflowers. I've been to the VLA probably 10 times; taken numerous pictures of this inspirational plain devoted to images deep in the universe, but never have I seen the fields abloom like this. Sadly, Muench "doesn't give his game away." All the photos have adequate brief descriptions in terms of location, but he never indicates the time of year, or the hour of the day, nor even the lens used.

At the current eleven buck plus price at Amazon, this book really is a "steal." So, if you live here, and are trying to entice some friends - some true friends that is - here, there couldn't be a better way that to put a copy of this in their mailbox. Likewise, if you are somewhere else, and have heard about our "la luz," this would be an excellent appetizer. A solid 5-star accomplishment.

4.0 out of 5 stars Nice coffee table book, September 3, 2011

By 

XopShed - See all my reviews

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This review is from: New Mexico: Portrait of a State (Portrait of a Place) (Hardcover)

A nice look at New Mexico, we bought 10 copies to give as gifts to friends, etc. Beautiful pictures of the natural landscapes and scenic, iconic, old New Mexico. Unfortunately, it completely ignores the urban parts of the state, hence the 4 stars.

2.0 out of 5 stars Disappointing, July 14, 2011

By 

Maxibleu (Indiana, PA United States) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: New Mexico: Portrait of a State (Portrait of a Place) (Hardcover)

I purchased this book because I love New Mexico's geography, natural beauty, people, history, etc. While the photos in this book are beautiful, I feel they are limited in scope, and the editing of the book seems "scattered." New Mexico is a large state with glorious landscapes, but the author tends to dwell on a few limited areas (i.e., Chaco Canyon). The photographs are randomly placed throughout the book, with no real cohesiveness -- if one is going to do a pictorial on specific areas, I would like to have seen those photos grouped together in a logical order. I wish I could have liked this book; unfortunately, I found myself asking, "what about ..., and where's the photo of ..., etc.?