After having purchased 'First Light' and 'Scotlands Coast', a book based upon Northumberland I felt was going to be a hit. Joe is considered to be one of, if not, the best landscape photographer in Britain, and yet despite this 'tag' to his name, this book has left me feeling numb and bored.
The book is no where as descriptive as the others, with a few sections having more detailed text about the areas photographed than others. Otherwise the photographs have very minimal text if not, no text at all.
This really is a picture book in the sense of the words, and yet does not live up to the quality associated with it. Maybe more like 'coffee table book' would be better suited. I can see this book in doctors waiting rooms, rather than being kept carefully in someones photography book collection.
The photographs are printed on a relatively decent paper, however it is not up to the standard of other books. Clarity and sharpness are not quite as expected, and the images do not leap from the pages as with Joe's other books. This obviously is not down to Joe, however, the publishers Francis Lincoln could of achieved a better quality I am sure. This is probably down to the low selling price of the book, and maybe is not being aimed at photography buffs, but rather the general public?
This book doesn't cover camera techniques, filtration, composition etc etc so anyone desiring this will be disappointed, however there are a few pages at the back detailing camera and film choice only.
I don't think this book engages the viewer through the photographs, and many of them are, well, rather boring? Joe is an extremely competent photographer as most know, but there is a slight feeling that even though the book showcases some unpublished work, you come away feeling, what was the real purpose of publishing such a book? It doesn't have the integrity of past works, and the photographs have that 'same, Joe Cornish' style and look throughout. I can't help but feel that this is dull? I desire more from such a well known respected photographer, like monochromes perhaps, just something different than just 'near foreground, 30/70 compositions!
Was this book just for the money? Who knows...It could of been so much better.