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Summary: A Quick Phototrip To See The Penguins
Review: Penguin is a book that contains photographs by Frans Lanting and text and commentary by Christine Eckstrom. Lanting is one of the world's best known nature photographers and a number of his photographs are instantly recognizable. The book contains exquisite photographs of the many varieties of penguins in both Antarctica and lower South America. There are large penguins, small penguins, beautiful penguins, ugly penguins (or at least penguins that only a mother could love), and chicks of quite a few species. Some of the photographs are portraits, others show action. Many of the photographs contained in this book are already rather familiar and popular, especially the cover photo of a mother and father penguin with a small penguin chick. We see in these photographs why Lanting is a master nature photographer and why so many of his photographs are featured in magazines such as National Geographic.Everyone will enjoy this coffee table book. Nature lovers will enjoy the majesty of these great birds. Photographers will find inspiration. Certainly after viewing the photographs in this book one may want to travel to the remoter areas of the world to see these creatures, but for those of us who would find the trip to be too cold and cost prohibitive, this book will serve us just fine.
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Summary: In Praise of Penguins from the San Jose Mercury News
Review: Published Monday, December 27, 1999, in the San Jose Mercury News: Warm look at penguins' cold habitat BY LINDA GOLDSTON ABOUT this time last year, I told you about a wonderful book called ``Eye to Eye: Intimate Encounters With the Animal World'' by Santa Cruz photographer Frans Lanting. Today I get to tell you about his newest, titled simply ``Penguin.'' Lanting has spent the last 20 years researching and photographing the worlds of wildlife and his books are gifts to the rest of us. They take us up close to animals in their habitats, help us see in new ways how much we all have in common. The difference, of course, is that we get to learn these things while looking at his books in the warmth of our homes. Lanting goes to the source. ``It hurts to breathe at minus 40 degrees Fahrenheit,'' he writes in ``Penguin.'' ``Even if you are an emperor penguin, you have to hunch and huddle. If you are a human, you have to hide.'' At the time, Lanting lay inside a tent in Antarctica ``holding on to the poles. The blizzard outside has pushed the ceiling down to a few inches above my nose. ``I am uncomfortably aware that only a thin membrane of nylon separates me from conditions I could not survive. Yet outside there are baby birds. They are emperor penguin chicks, and I am here to document their lives.'' As a former photojournalist, I have no problem saying that Lanting's work is very special. From the cover photo of an emperor penguin family to the series of king penguin chicks and numerous others in the book, ``Penguin'' is a celebration of the uniqueness of each bird, no matter how alike they might seem to the rest of us. ``There's a lot more than meets the eye,'' Lanting said. ``A penguin is not a penguin, is not a penguin.'' I've seen two of Lanting's books and quickly added both to my list of favorites. Lanting is a photographer with a purpose. He won the Sierra Club's 1997 Ansel Adams Award for using his photography to further conservation.
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Summary: great
Review: This book is top-notch and amazing, just like anything else you would expect from Frans Lanting. You can just imagine the hardwork the man goes into just get these photos you see, not to mention the ones you don't see. This book made me feel a connection to penguins I didn't have before. You look at the book and you can see how similar these animals really are to people, their behaviors and family and emotions are so human-like, it is scary and quite emotional sometimes. Amazing book.
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