The Landscape by Paul Wakefield | My Photo Bookshelf
After hearing so many recommendations for this landscape photography book by other collectors, I had to see what all the fuss was about and I’m glad I did. In this Photo Bookshelf post, I’m talking about The Landscape by Paul Wakefield.
The synopsis
THE LANDSCAPE is the latest book by British photographer Paul Wakefield. A long-awaited monograph that includes photographs of both epic proportions and intimate detail. Natural landscape is presented through five different sections: Shorelines, Rockscapes, Drylands, Woodlands and Snowscapes.
Paul’s work combines a classic landscape tradition with a contemporary sensibility and reflects his lifelong passion for the natural world. Paul was born and grew up in Hong Kong and has worked continuously on his own landscape projects while using his vision of landscape on advertising commissions. He has published four books previously, three of which were with Jan Morris, renowned author of travel literature.
My thoughts about the book
The first thing I realised when I purchased this book was its size. It’s a big one. So big in fact that it doesn’t fit on my bookshelf! But here’s the thing, having spent time with the book, ready and studying the photos, I can’t imagine it working any other way now. The larger photos look stunning and with the extra real estate, the borders are still a good size meaning even though they are bigger, each photo can stand alone and be allowed to breathe without feeling awkward or cramped on the page.
The book starts with a foreword by Robert Macfarlane and an introduction by Wilton, both written beautifully with a host of quotes and metaphors as they describe Paul’s work and offer their interpretation of the photos.
As mentioned in the synopsis above, when the photos start, they are presented in five different sections: Shorelines, Rockscapes, Drylands, Woodlands and Snowscapes. Within each section is a collection of mostly intimate landscape images with a few wider vistas intertwined. The book flows beautifully and the high-quality paper used suits the imagery perfectly.
For any landscape photographer, this timeless book is a must have. I’ve had the book just a few months and already read it twice and I know for sure, I’ll be drawing inspiration from it for years to come.
Book Details
Hardcover
Size: 290mm x 363mm
Pages: 128
Photos: 80
Availability at the time of writing: Still in print and available from the author’s website at https://www.paulwakefield.co.uk/the-landscape