Customer Reviews

Night Vision: The Art of Urban Exploration

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I thought this collection of Paiva's night photos much better than his previous 2003 book Lost America: The Abandoned Roadside West mainly because Lost was issued by Motorbooks, a publisher of picture books rather than photo books which unfortunately meant that Paiva's images were mixed together with text in rather bland spreads. Chronicle Books are much more sympathetic to creative endeavors and with 'Night Vision' they give these remarkable photos the presentation they deserve.

All the photos pages are black which certainly enhances their appeal and air of desolation but it also throws up Paiva's use of colored spots which, by now, is clearly his trademark. The five photo chapters reveal a wonderful selection of man-made abandonment. Chapter five featuring photos of the Aviation Warehouse at El Mirage, California is my favorite. To my mind nothing looks so dead and poignant as scrapped jetliners with miles of cabling, spars and struts from a half dismantled fuselage and cockpits with dust covered instrument clusters. The twenty-six photos capture all this so well.

The four other chapters cover: the abandoned Byron Hot Springs Hotel between Oakland and Stockton, California; Desert; Southern Pacific's Oakland train station in all its crumbling splendor and decommissioned military bases. This last photo section could easily make a separate book with plenty of abandoned bases across the US.


In the front of the book Paiva writes about his photo technique and adventures as a solitary nighttime snapper. He also writes a short intro to each photo chapter. The layout and printing are fine (with 175 screen) though I thought the blue captions on each page are rather hard to read in a domestic lighting environment.

'Night Vision' delivers some wonderful images in a format they deserve rather than the bland presentation that weakened the photos in 'Lost America'.

***FOR AN INSIDE LOOK click 'customer images' under the cover.

This book is a great book for those times when you're waiting for someone or when you just have a lazy afternoon to peruse through the pictures. The photography is excellent. I would have liked a little more history and detail about each location, but other than that this book is great.

This book is great! The photos are beautiful and surreal. If you like this book you might also check these out. Some of the creepiest urban exploration photos around:
Broken Places Volume IBroken Places Volume II

Both of Troy's books are great. This one, his most recent, puts you along side for a ride into the desert night. Being from New England, these places are very alien to me and to be able to experience them through this book is fun. This book has a good balance of imagery and descriptive history/commentary. I've loaned this book out to several people who have all commented how unique and interesting it is. If you like this one, grab his older one "Lost America" if you can still find it! It's well worth owning.

This is a great book, it's very inspiring and gives you so many ideas and new ways to see the abandoned junk around you.

An excellent depiction of a bygone are of America thru the lens of a camera at night!!
if you love old places, cars, planes all falling apart in desolated areas scattered across the nation then this book is for you.

Urban Exploration is the art of sneaking into abandoned or off-limits factors, aviation ' boneyards', and other derelict ex-military or industrial centers to photograph abandoned holdings, and NIGHT VISION captures these Urban Exploration results, comes from one of the foremost photographers of the phenomenon, and offers a blend of night photos and special lighting effects. A powerful art guide highly recommended for any contemporary art collection.

The book is great to have if you are looking for ideas to shoot photos at night or just to have as a nice coffee table book. For fans of Urban Exploring or fans of night photography this book is great to have.

Very pleased with this book as I have been a follower of his Flickr photos!

Anyone who's followed Troy Paiva's Lost America work will know what to expect from this book. Lavishly realised images of fascinating relics, awe-inspiring sights, and Troy's personal perspective on the world of discarded infrastructure.

This is the sort of book you'll find yourself insisting friends, relatives, and workmates look through. Buy a spare copy :)