Customer Reviews:
 Vital reading, or should I say study May 27, 2008
This is vital reading for anyone looking to improve their landscape photography. If you are reading this then I assume that photography is your hobby and that you have heard of Joe Cornish.
The book needs to be looked at time and time again, and it can be surprising how much is missed by just browsing, rather than careful and close study of the images.
Most of us want to get better at capturing our wonderful landscape, and it can seem as if this level is unattainable, but with effort I found that the book had indeed influenced how I view scenes and work the light.
If I would have a criticism of this, and every other photography book I have read, it would be that, whilst each image capture is explained at the end of the book the time of capture is not recorded.
I began looking at images that I knew I could find where I live, the first thing I asked myself was what time of day the image was taken and this I feel is vital to unlocking the ability to take images like this. The absence of sunsets is both a relief and again something that needs to be understood, many of the images must have been taken during gorgeous sunsets but the camera is turned to show what is lit by the setting sun.
Along with "The Northumberland Coast" I consider this to be great reading and value.
 Great pictures, but... January 8, 2008
1 out of 2 found this review helpful
Joe Cornish is one of Britain's best landscape photographers and his talent has been recognized in many books. I have his 2002 publication, Light and the Art of Landscape Photography, and bought this one unseen because of that.
The pictures certainly live up to my expectations, with richly coloured, razor-sharp explorations of the amazing Scottish coast, complete with dramatic skies that shows he worked hard to get it right.
My only complaint it this book is not so much for serious photographers. Unlike Light and the Art of..., there are no detailed captions explaining how each picture was made. Sure, there are what Cornish calls "field notes" at the end, but they are far too brief and it's annoying to have to skip back and forth from picture to field note. Because of this, I would recommend Scotland's Coast for non-photographers only.
Superb book, savour every page! August 1, 2005
75 out of 76 found this review helpful
This is not a book just to flick through. Some of the images do have immediate impact, the "wow" factor, but more require a more detailed examination to really appreciate. By Joe Cornish's own admission, many of the photo's in the book are not taken in "ideal" conditions (read the text to understand why!), but these photos can still be just as compelling as those "wow" factor photos, if you take the time to look at them.
The book is well presented, I have seen many of the photos at a gallery in London (and I have listened to Joe Cornish talk about the photos and his experiences making them), and the book presents a very good reproduction... although they do have greater impact when printed at A1! This book is also an excellent read! Joe Cornish has added his own commentary to accompany the photos, which in some ways makes the photos seem more "real". Take the time to read each page of this book and you will be rewarded for it.
Flick through it and no doubt, those photos with the "wow" factor will impress, but you will be missing a great deal. A highly recommended book, and a worthy successor to "First Light".
|
