Stone Canyons of the Colorado Plateau (Hardcover)

by Jack W. Dykinga (Author), Charles Bowden (Author), Robert Redford (Introduction)

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal
Straddling the Utah/Arizona border, the Escalante River system and Paria Canyon were among the last areas of the continental United States to be mapped. Dykinga and Bowden, who have teamed up before (The Sonoran Desert, LJ 10/15/92), work well together. Both are residents of Tucson and share a love of the desert Southwest. Dykinga's spectacular color photographs and Bowden's overview of the natural history of the remote and rugged area make for a stunning coffee-table book on a little-known area. Also included is a brief but very beneficial annotated bibliography, most welcome because there is such a dearth of information on the region. Highly recommended for all regional collections.?Tim J. Markus, Evergreen State Coll. Lib., Olympia, Wash.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Description
The red rock country of the high desert Southwest is among the most stark and beautiful natural wildernesses in North America. Now, Pulitzer Prize-winning photographer Jack W. Dykinga and writer Charles Bowden travel to the Escalante River system and Paria Canyon on the borders of Utah and Arizona to reveal a land endowed with historic and natural gifts.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 128 pages
• Publisher: Harry N Abrams; First Edition edition (April 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0810944685
• ISBN-13: 978-0810944688
• Product Dimensions: 12 x 10.8 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #745,996 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An exquisite exploration of the Colorado Plateau, October 30, 2002

By	Jerald R Lovell (Clinton Township, Michigan United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Stone Canyons of the Colorado Plateau (Paperback)

The number of photographic works exploring the nuances of the Colorado Plateau is seemingly endless. Many can be browsed once and left behind. This book is the scintillating exception.

Jack Dykinga's photographic work is simply exceptional, and beyond the pale. Each color photograph appears as exquisitely crafted as a piece of fine crystal, beginning with very cover of the paperback edition. One can only envy his great patience and expertise in composing each work.

Much of the photography comes from the Paria Wilderness, an area of the Plateau not usually treated to any degree in most works, and the novelty is refreshing. A particularly enjoyable facet of the book is that use of a telephoto lens has been largely eschewed, leaving a series of scenes that the enterprising tourist can find and view with his or her own eyes, just as depicted by the book.

Charles Bowden's accompanying text is evocative and hearkens a wild diffusion of images and memories of the fascinating region.
It is an apt companion to Dykinga's superb work.

If you are limited to five or less books about the Colorado plateau, let this be one of them. I enjoy it more every time I read it.

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Best Landscape Book, December 24, 2002

By	Jeff Grimm (Bedford, TX United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Stone Canyons of the Colorado Plateau (Paperback)

In 1998 I'd seen a photo on a calendar of the Vermillion Cliffs in Utah, but had no idea where exactly it was located. I teach photography and my students and I had done some research to find it, but discovered it was a very large area. When I found Mr. Dykinga's book I was even more determined for my students to see and photograph the area. Needless to say, the book is truly inspirational thanks to Jack's remarkabe work.!
If you know a photographer or a traveller - this is the book for them! Enjoy the treat yourself as well.

Jeff Grimm
Bedford, TX

4.0 out of 5 stars Don't photo the Great SW landscapes without it, November 2, 2008

By	Randall Stewart (Vancouver WA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Stone Canyons of the Colorado Plateau (Paperback)

This is one of several photo books by this author, which are detailed guides to exactly where to locate specific subjects for landscape photography in the geographical areas covered by each book - there is some overlap between the books. There is some discussion of specific photo techniques, mainly addressing the issues imposed by the unique areas and subjects, including non-photo advise on how not to hurt yourself in what is mainly desert country. Primarily, this is a collection of directions in the nature of what landscape features are out there and how find them, with some comments on best techniques, lighting, and types of equipment to consider. Some caution might be applied to use of the guide to avoid mere duplication of the author's experience or photos. Prior to discovering this and its related guides, I have personally "been there and done that" over much of the same geography. I later bought the guides to plan new trips and found them well worth the cost and time invested. These guides are a great resource for planning if your time on the ground is limited and you want to maximize your experience.