Oregon: Then & Now [Hardcover]

Steve Terrill (Author), Thomas Robinson (Author), John Daniel (Author)

Book Description

Series: Then & Now (Westcliffe) | Publication Date: June 2003

Following in the footsteps of famous Western photographer Benjamin Gifford, and standing in precisely the same locations, Oregon's own Steve Terrill has rephotographed more than 100 of Gifford's images taken in the late 19th century. The result is a stunning portrayal of growth and development-or lack thereof-in Oregon. The photographs can be both reassuring and unnerving, illuminating Oregon's past and challenging the reader to think about its future. Oregon: Then & Now encourages readers to appreciate and reflect on nature, history, and photography as we move into the next century.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Joining the photography of Steve Terrill and Benjamin Gifford is the skillfully researched and written text of Thomas Robinson, one of the state's foremost photographic historians. Thomas delves into Gifford's life and photographic methods, and offers a historical perspective on the dramatic changes that the then-and-now images so clearly illustrate. Bringing the book to a close is renowned essayist, poet, and environmental journalist, John Daniel, who explores the path Oregon has taken during the last century and proposes a route for the future97one that will preserve the stability and integrity of Oregon's unique landscape. REVIEW: By comparing the historic photographs of Benjamin Gifford with Steve Terrill's contemporary images, the reader is taken on a journey of discovery-a journey guaranteed to encourage thinking- and debate- about where Oregon has been, where it is now and in what direction it's heading. And if in the course of this examination of how and why we have changed, the reader is challenged to examine his or her own beliefs regarding growth and development, so much the better.

Don't be surprised if reading Oregon: Then and Now becomes a contagious habit. With 105 pairs of historic and contemporary black-and-white and color photographs on display in this beautifully designed 13-by-10 inch hardcover book, it's tempting to pick it up and thumb through it again and again. And if your family and friends are anything like mine, they won't want to put it down either.

Perfectly complimenting the photography, the book's illuminating essays provide insights into the life of Benjamin Gifford and how things have changed in Oregon since the days when he traversed the state with his tripod, view camera, and 8-by-10 inch glass plates. Thomas Robinson's fascinating biography of Gifford looks at the many accomplishments and innovations of a man whose work, according to one reviewer in 1907, breathed "the very spirit of the outdoors" and helped attract more settlers and farmers to Oregon. 96Northwest Travel

Product Details

• Hardcover: 192 pages
• Publisher: Westcliffe Publishers; First edition (June 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1565793803
• ISBN-13: 978-1565793804
• Product Dimensions: 14.4 x 10.9 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.9 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,629,681 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating!, October 20, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Oregon: Then & Now (Hardcover)

This is a beautiful book which will interest anyone researching Oregon history. The photographs are large and colorful and explained with great care. As a matter of fact, any history buff might enjoy looking through this book to see what time does to place.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Candid Camera, March 21, 2001

By 

west - See all my reviews

This review is from: Oregon: Then & Now (Hardcover)

Beautiful and provocative on several levels, this book shows the varied environments of Oregon at two points in time. The book constitutes an important historic document. Comparisons of the photos also lead the reader to ponder the effects of growth and development on the landscape and to wonder about the future of The Beaver State. Let's hope that when a future photographer sets up a camera at the same benchmarks, he or she records the effects of good decisions Oregonians make about growth and land use today.

5.0 out of 5 stars Oregon: Then and Now, September 22, 2010

By 

Granny Smith - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Oregon: Then & Now (Hardcover)

Wonderful book! The pictures show how Oregon loooked in the past and how it has changed.