Native Soil (Hardcover)

~ (Author, Photographer)

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

A Southerner born and bred, Spencer presents a collection of brooding black-and-white photographs of the South that read as richly as color images. His work--portraits that are clearly stage-directed but pull the viewer in, and landscapes mysteriously shrouded with mist or smoke--are technically proficient and unusual. Some images (like his picture of a headless man holding a glistening fish) are even unforgettable. And most importantly, his out-of-the-ordinary photographic printing technique doesn't overshadow the meaning and power of the images. Greiner, a New Orleans-based photographer, focuses his camera on cemeteries, a common camera subject in Louisiana. He makes uncommon images out of them, however, in large part because he shoots them in color rather than the usual black-and-white. These photos are part-landscape shots, part-portraits. Mixing humor, pathos, and deep respect, he captures the tributes that mourners have paid to the deceased and the traces of life they leave behind: flowers, shrines, framed portraits, colored gravel, plastic flowers, dead arrangements on scarecrow-like wreath-stands, potted plants, religious statuary, and, of course, gravestones of every variety. Both books contain good-quality, lively reproductions, and both are recommended for photographic collections.
-Kathleen Collins, Bank of America Corporate Archives, San Francisco
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 158 pages
• Publisher: Louisiana State University Press (October 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0807124753
• ISBN-13: 978-0807124758
• Product Dimensions: 12.3 x 10.8 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.8 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #950,747 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful First Effort!, December 6, 1999

By A Customer

A beautiful collection of photographs of rural Mississippi and some of it's population. Square format, black & white, sepia toned, soft focus images seem to be the style de ju and this book fits that bill! Some images delight and surprise, while others made me yawn. Like great music, only the test of time will prove if this collection of images is noteworthy and special, but for now I think they are!

5.0 out of 5 stars Stunning, November 28, 1999

By A Customer

I had never heard of Jack Spencer until I picked up this book of beautiful photos. His images - atmospheric, shadowy, beautifully printed, heavily sepia-tinted shots of mostly people, are nearly all mouth-wateringly luscious. My only reservation is that a few of the photos just feel a little too staged for style over content. But I hope more people get to know about him fast. For me, the most exciting photographic discovery since Sally Mann.