|
| Through the Lens: National Geographic's Greatest Photographs | 
| Creator: Leah Bendavid Val
Publisher: National Geographic
Category: Book
List Price: $30.00
Buy Used: $2.76
You Save: $27.24 (91%)
New (38) from $11.00
Avg. Customer Rating:  26 reviews
Sales Rank: 5852
Media: Hardcover
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 504
Shipping Weight (lbs): 6.1
Dimensions (in): 10.4 x 10 x 1.9
ISBN: 079226164X
Dewey Decimal Number: 779
EAN: 9780792261643
ASIN: 079226164X
Publication Date: October 1, 2003
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
|
| Similar Items:
|
| Editorial Reviews:
Amazon.com Review
Since the 10.5 million images in National Geographic's possession won't fit in a book, the 250 in this moderately glossy, minimally costly collection will do nicely. Through the Lens is a stunning collection of photos judiciously apportioned to represent the regions of the earth, the sea, and outer space; humans and nature; and even the history of the medium--a few historic black and whites contrast dramatically with the eye-popping modern color shots that dominate the book. As ever, the esthetic key to their impact is the use of big, emotional pictures with witty little captions, and whenever possible, startling juxtapositions. A Boston matron's faux-fur coat looks just like her pet Dalmatian (the caption identifies them as "spots fans"). The world's widest street (in Buenos Aires) by night looks great next to a grassy highway overpass for grizzly bears in Alberta. The famous green-eyed Afghan refugee poses in a purple burkha with her 1985 National Geographic cover. A Moscow shopper tries on a snowsuit, oblivious to the huge face in the ad on the wall behind him, whose nose he obscures and smile he bisects. A fuzzy shot of a 1907 inventor testing a multiwinged "Katydid" flying machine contrasts with a crisp 1974 shot of Skylab soaring far above fluffy clouds. Often, what's striking is the juxtaposition of ideas. An Arctic wolf making an impossible leap between ice floes arcs in midair, only its reflection hitting the frigid water. A 1935 Model T "surfs" a steep dune in White Sands, New Mexico. Chorus lines of stuffed cane-toad corpses with surreally clothespinned snouts perform on a taxidermist's shelf. Newborns are lined up like bread loaves in Shanghai. A woman in a white chador sits in the Tripoli airport, the white lines of fluorescent ceiling bulbs radiating behind her head like a saint's halo. This isn't the fanciest photo book of the season, but it certainly is a good deal. Tim Appelo
Product Description
For more than 100 years, National Geographic has set the standard for nature, culture, and wildlife photography. Now, in Through the Lens, 250 spectacular imagessome famous, others rarely seenare gathered in one lavish and beautiful volume. Through the Lens is divided into geographical regionsEurope, Asia, Africa and the Middle East, the Americas, and Oceans and Isleswith a special section devoted to space exploration. Each geographical section features an outstanding array of photographs that exemplifies the areas unique people, wildlife, archaeology, culture, architecture, and environment, accompanied by brief but informative captions. From Barry Bishops heroic Mount Everest climb in the 1950s to the glorious wildlife of Asia and Africa, from ancient Maya culture to the Afghan girl found 17 years after her piercing green eyes captivated the world, these are some of the finest and most important photographs ever taken. Featuring master photographers from the late 1800s to today, including Frans Lanting, David Doubilet, David Alan Harvey, Jodi Cobb, William Albert Allard, Nick Nichols, and Annie Griffiths Belt, Through the Lens is an extraordinary photographic celebration of some of the greatest the world has to offer.
|
| Customer Reviews: Read 21 more reviews...
 Great to see pro hotos June 6, 2008
I am an aspiring photographer. I was actually in the book store the other day just browsing and I picked up this book as well as the other 2 in this series (which are on there way). I was very impressed so I came home and got on Amazon. I got mine used (in great shape) for 10 bucks shipped...How can you go wrong there.
The reason I purchased this book is because I think it is really good to see what has made it to print and to get a feel for what a huge magazine deems good for print in it's pages...that alone is worth studying and again 10 bucks shipped, is a killer deal!!!!!! Also another great thing about this book is that it has photos from 80 years ago and for those photographers wanting to gain that feel in their photos, it offers a great place to reference to see how it was done in print (not on some tute from the internet).
Another great aspect to this is that if you ever entertain and have this on the coffee table it is great for guests, creates conversation and also makes you look very well versed! ;-)
 Through the Lens: National Geographic's Greatest Photographs January 18, 2008
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
We were highly disappointed in this book. The photos were grainy and certainly not National Geographics greatest! We have seen absolutely stunning shots from them in the past and not one was included in this book. It was a great disappointment.
 Fast shipping, great book! January 18, 2008
0 out of 2 found this review helpful
Fast shipping, love the book, but the front cover was tattered on the edges. Thanks!
 Mediocre January 5, 2008
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
For such a large book, the images that are exceptional are few. I was disappointed, given the huge assortment of excellent NG photos from which to choose, that these were deemed "greatest." Worth the $20, but not much more.
Don't buy this one-buy In Focus November 13, 2007
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
I came across 3 National Geographic photo books while doing some Christmas shopping. The first one a found was In Focus, which is a history of portraits. I also found this book and the Wide Angle book. After carefully researching the reviews and looking at them in a bookstore, I bought IN FOCUS. I agree with other reviewers that this book and Wide Angle are too grainy, not top quality photos. Wide Angle was actually boring photos with no information in the captions to help romanticize the photos. IN Focus has better quality photos. It will make a great gift for someone who loves National Geographic but may not impress the aspiring photographer. The captions aren't fantastic, but if you love National Geographic, you don't need someone to spell out for you what the beauty of each picture can show. My complaint is that the caption isn't always on the same page as the picture. You may have to flip forward or backward to find out what you are looking at which is some what distracting to the flow. Point is, it is a coffee table book. Would make a great book for a lobby of a business where people have to wait and need something to look at.
|
|
|
Wildlife, nature and the Environment
Sponsored Links
Learn how to get your own Amazon Book shop | |
