Untamed (Hardcover)

~ (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In this extraordinary collection of full-color images, wildlife photographer Bloom (In Praise of Primates) surveys a dazzling diversity of fauna and landscapes from all six continents, with extended photo essays on such endearing species as dolphins, polar bears, elephants and parrots. Bloom combines the obsessive patience of the nature photographer (he lurked in a boat for 17 days to capture a single picture of a great white shark leaping from the water in pursuit of a seal) with a painterly feel for color, texture and composition. Images include a swirling, impressionistic photo of a sprinting cheetah; a starkly lit, hyper-real shot of two bald eagles locked in midair combat; a misty, chiaroscuro view of a giraffe browsing at dusk; a grim picture of lions playfully savaging a helpless young hippo; a character study of Japanese macaques, their florid faces and shrewd, searching gazes giving them a startlingly human visage; and a haunting existentialist tableau of a solitary penguin seated on an ice floe, looking out at the bleak Antarctic seascape. Bloom appends a few words decrying the environmental despoliation that is destroying nature faster than he can photograph it, but these ravishing pictures are the best conservationist argument he could possibly muster.
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Product Description

For more than ten years, wildlife photographer Steve Bloom traveled all over the world, roaming through the jungles of Borneo, the African savannahs, and the frozen banks of Antarctica to assemble this dazzling collection of photographs of animals in their natural environments. With an international range that is rare in books of animal photography, the 200 photographs in Untamed bring to life a vast panorama of animal diversity, and of the landscapes, climates, and habitats in which they live.

Here we see the serene gaze of a gorilla relaxing in the trees, a shark jumping in midair to catch its prey, a Siberian tiger traipsing through the snow in search of food, and penguins congregating on an ice floe. Bloom's anthropomorphic approach reveals rage, tenderness, and even humor in his subjects, capturing those fleeting moments when the gap between animal and human seems to disappear altogether. These amazing images, augmented by a personal account of Bloom's unforgettable career as a wildlife photographer, make Untamed an essential volume for all animal and photography lovers. AUTHOR BIO: Steve Bloom is an award-winning wildlife photographer who also founded his own wildlife stock photo agency and fine print gallery in the mid-1990s. His first photography book, In Praise of Primates, has been published in ten languages. His other publications include Thank You for Being a Friend! and We Are Family! .

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 424 pages
• Publisher: Harry N. Abrams (November 1, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 081095611X
• ISBN-13: 978-0810956117
• Product Dimensions: 14.7 x 11.6 x 1.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (21 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #161,865 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Stunning! , December 10, 2004

By	Whippet "voracious reader" - See all my reviews

This book is a revelation. It comprises a collection of the best, most deeply original wildlife photography either my wife or I have seen. Truly outstanding.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fabulous!, January 30, 2006

By	Teri Soares "terids" (Fairfield, CA United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

There's no fluff or filler in this book. The images are breathtaking. Whether you're a photographer (like me) or an animal lover (like me, too) this book will capture your attention over and over. There are straight documentary shots as well as those with the artistic touch. Just beautiful.

I especially like the cheetah and her cub and the elephant and her calf in the Africa section. Then there is the Penguin population explosion on the beach in Antarctica. And, then... There aren't any page numbers to interrupt the pictures so I can't tell you which pages, but you'll know them when you see them. Also, the image of facing zebras outside the 4 page spread was quite a catch.

Speaking of 4 page spreads, what a treat to open up a nearly 4 foot wide wildebeest/zebra migration (among many others)! WOW!

In short, I love this book!

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars National Geographic, December 23, 2004

By	D. Meifert "camerachic" (USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

As a professional commercial photographer with many friends working at NoGeo I have been exposed to countless images of wildlife. I found this book to be a fantastic compilation of imagery that individuals will fall in love with. As for the negative review written below I question his motivation. Buy the book, go thru it with your kids and let's all find the next Jane Goodall.