Waves [Hardcover]

Steve Hawk (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 21, 2005

Any ocean lover knows the transformative power of the ocean wave and its perfect confluence of energy, water, and light. Waves offers a mesmerizing collection of photography that explores the many faces of the singular ocean wave, whether it is the quiet rush of a crystalline wavelet over tropical sand or the deadly slam of storm surf against Oregon cliffs. Former editor of Surfer magazine, Steve Hawk has selected photographs from New Zealand to Newfoundland, from Fiji to the Aleutians, and paired them with insightful ruminations on the science and poetry of waves. With work from world-renowned photographers such as Art Brewer, Jeff Divine, Wayne Levin, and Joel Meyerowitz, Waves will captivate all those with a passion for the sea.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Steve Hawk is a journalist and lifelong wave-rider. He lives near Half Moon Bay, California.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 132 pages
• Publisher: Chronicle Books (April 21, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0811845176
• ISBN-13: 978-0811845175
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 9.9 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.9 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #93,124 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #84 in Books > Arts & Photography > Photography > Collections, Catalogues & Exhibitions

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A brief comment, November 6, 2005

By 

magellan (Santa Clara, CA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Waves (Hardcover)

This is a very beautiful photo book on a very specialized topic--the photos are exclusively those of ocean waves. There aren't even any surfers in the photos, although there is one or two with a pod of dolphins, and various backdrops are sometimes used, but the waves themselves are truly the protagonists in most of the pictures. The photos show surfing and beach locations all over the world, including famous places like Weimea Bay in Hawaii as well as those I was less familiar with, such as the location in Tahiti, which has very beautiful waves and was featured in a number of the photos.

One striking aspect of the photos is how much the colors of the waves vary, from light sky-blue to a deep marine and saphire blue to a dark, mossy green color. I don't know if this is more from the light or the type of photo emulsion used, or both, but just the spectrum of color possibilities is as varied and diverse as the waves themselves. Not all the waves are big; some are just beautifully shaped or symmetrical, or they are shot with an interesting subject in the background or foreground--such as the one showing San Francisco's Ocean Beach with a lone wave breaking in the background.

This book will be of interest to anyone who appreciates nature photography or the beauty and power of the sea, as reflected in the awesome power of the waves themselves. The text is well written and there is even a brief discussion of the physics of waves and how the power in mechanical foot-pounds of a wave can be calculated, which was developed by a famous oceanographer. (Most of the text isn't nerdy though). :-)

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful Photos, January 11, 2007

By 

kls_katidid "kls_katidid" (Durango, CO) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Waves (Hardcover)

I bought this book because I saw it for sale when I was in Hawaii, but didn't want to carry it home with me and risk the chance of it getting banged up in transit. The photos are beautiful. The only thing I don't like about this book is that some of the photos run from one page to the next, which means that there's a big crease down the center of some of the really great photos. It's a great coffee table book, especially for those of us who live far from the ocean and need a reminder of its beauty.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars 'Behold the Sea Itself...', December 9, 2006

By 

Grady Harp (Los Angeles, CA United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Waves (Hardcover)

Walt Whitman's strophe to the ocean could well be applied to this exciting book that captures the noise, the majesty, and the seduction of the sea - with a special emphasis on the waves. Writer Steve Hawk is a committed wave-rider and has collected a varied group of photographs of the challenging waves that seem at once threatening and exhilarating: the viewer can easily imagine the constant call of the sea to surfers within these pages.

Just as there is an infinite variety of ocean waves, both at sea and as the waves meet the shore, so is there a spectrum of photographs here, photographs that surprise not only in the obvious challenge of those who captured them, but also in the spectrum of colors that light and wind and mists alter their beauty and majesty. The photographers include the well known such as Art Brewer, Wayne Levin, Jeff Divine, Wayne Levin, and Joel Meyerowitz as well as lesser well-known but equally impressive artists. The locations for the photographs are from all around the planet and the variation in the quality of light and perspective is beautifully related to these different vistas.

For the most part Hawk allows the images to speak for themselves, but being a journalist he also interjects some interesting facts and poetry that variably enhance the book. WAVES is a must-have book for those already committed to the sea, but it is also a fine volume of images for those who continue to marvel at the power of nature. Grady Harp, December 06