Searchings: Secret Landscapes of Flowers, Vol. II [Hardcover]

Barbara Bordnick (Photographer)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 1, 2004

In Searchings: Secret Landscapes of Flowers, Volume II, photographer Barbara Bordnick continues a journey she began when she idly turned her new camera on a few flowers she had in her studio. At the time, she had no particular purpose, other than to see what the results would be. As she put it in a recent interview, "To me, photographing flowers was a sign that retirement was just around the corner." Two years later following the 2003 publication of Searchings, her first volume of flower photographs, Bordnick now acknowledges that "photographing flowers was meant to be." In this second volume of her work, she enters a new stage in the evolution of her unique relationship to her subject. On the one hand, she has equipped herself with the newer, more technically superior camera. On the other, she has over the course of this work refined her perception of what is, at heart, a flower's basic nature: its infinite variety of being. Reflected through the lens of her camera, the images are as much about this perception - and the photographer's sense of her own existence - as they are about the flowers themselves. As Bordnick describes it, "My photos have nothing to do with describing flowers. The photographs have to do with an emotional experience and a personal voyage."

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Barbara Bordnick is an internationally renowned fashion photographer who has been published in Harper's Bazaar, Life, Vogue Francais, The New York Times Magazine, and GEO. Her work is also in many private and public permanent collections, and she is a widely sought-after teacher and lecturer.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 126 pages
• Publisher: Welcome Books; 1st edition (April 1, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1932183043
• ISBN-13: 978-1932183047
• Product Dimensions: 14.3 x 0.8 x 9.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.8 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #323,237 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Exploring the Sensual Landscape of the Flora, July 1, 2006

By 

Grady Harp (Los Angeles, CA United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Searchings: Secret Landscapes of Flowers, Vol. II (Hardcover)

Barbara Bordnick is a fine photographer who has investigated every aspect of flowers with her camera. In Volume I now out of print the images were more uniform of the individual flowers. In this Volume II, she comes in for an even closer look at the petals, the serrations, the stems, and the stamens and pistils, allowing us, the voyeur viewer, to appreciate the 'sexuality' of the flowers.

The color is extraordinary and the 'anthropomorphic' suggestions she creates in the placement of the flower parts on the page suggest, or rather depict, the means by which flowers are propagated. The results are some very sensuous images along with the magnificent beauty of bud to full performance of the blooms she selects to share. Bordnick wisely keeps the commentary to a minimum and that allows the viewer to travel through the flora kingdom undaunted by verbal descriptions. This is a very beautiful coffee table book! A perfect gift for gardeners or for anyone who loves the transient fragility of blossoms and buds: Bordnick's art arrests time for us. Grady Harp, July 06

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Incredible Photographs, June 14, 2004

By 

"kahunah" (Chester, NJ USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Searchings: Secret Landscapes of Flowers, Vol. II (Hardcover)

Barbara Bordnick's photographs gives the viewer a new and extraordinary view of flowers. Though these have always been a part of our life, the view that Ms. Bordnick gives us is incredibly beautiful. I thought her first book was great but in her second book, Searchings II, she shows the reader even more beauty and detail. This book is an absolute must if you are a fan of exceptional photography, Flowers, extraordinary detail or Beauty in general.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Gorgeous Images, February 24, 2006

By 

Jennifer Yotko - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Searchings: Secret Landscapes of Flowers, Vol. II (Hardcover)

This is an excellent book for photographers interested in botanicals. Barbara Bordnick is an extraordinary floral photographer. She uses extreme close-ups of flowers to create unique, abstract landscapes. Her vibrant flowers show she has an impressive eye for color. I would definitely recommend any of her photography books.