Creatures Close Up - Softcover

Watts, Gillian

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1770857826 ISBN 13: 9781770857827

Publisher: Firefly Books, 2016

Synopsis

Philippe Martin creates his close-ups by "stacking" images inside his computer. To create one picture, he takes dozens of photographs, each time focusing the camera on a slightly different part of the subject. Then, using computer software, he combines the images into one perfectly focused composite image. Finally, he cleans up the image pixel by pixel.

The result is almost three-dimensional photographs of animals and plants, with such sharpness and brilliance that they appear to leap from the page.

Creatures Close Up includes a selection of amazing photographs of flora and fauna -- snakes, frogs, insects, spiders, lizards and other creatures. Many of these creatures are on the endangered species list in Madagascar, where Martin spent a month shooting in the rainforest.

These large, hyper-realistic images bring the viewer face to face with tiny creatures and plants, where the smallest details can be examined. This is nature photography as never seen before. It will fascinate children of all ages and a wide range of interests.

About this title

About the Author:

Gillian Watts, a writer and editor for more than 30 years, has great knowledge about a vast number of things natural.

Philippe Martin is an ecologist, photographer, including underwater subjects, and author of numerous books with a career spanning more than 40 years. His book Hyper Nature Tropical received the First Place "French Book Prize" 2014.

Review:

It will appeal to all ages. Highly Recommended. (Gail Hamilton Canadian Review of Materials 2016-12-23)

A stunning rainbow locus, a mesmerizing praying mantis, and a gorgeous lined day gecko are just a few of the amazing subjects that nature photographer Martin has captured for this book... Children will be entranced as each creature appears to jump off the page. A short but highly informative summary by Watts accompanies each image and will be sure to spark curiosity. A section on close-up photography and the hyper focus process is included for those intrigued by the technique... Pair this book with Martin's equally striking Hyper Nature for more up-close nature photography. (Joy Poynor School Library Journal 2016-12-27)

Small animals and insects pop off the page in stunning, up-close detail... Every page spread will likely grab the reader's full attention... The pictures truly shine and will have readers combing the pages over and over again. For anyone interested in photography or wildlife, this is a winner. (Erin Linsenmeyer Booklist 2016-12-15)

Browsers will be wowed by the pictures. (Mary Melaugh Youth Services Book Review 2016-12-23)

This amazing book takes a stunning look at nature using a revolutionary method of extreme close-up photography... The resulting photographs of animals and plants are almost three-dimensional and look so real they nearly leap from the page. Readers come face-to-face with tiny creatures and plants, allowing the smallest details to be examined. (Jane Muller City Parent Toronto 2016-11-30)

A laborious technique described in some detail at the outset renders each portrait a study in both rich color and microscopically fine natural detail. Presented in no particular order, the subjects, all of which were photographed alive, include a fuzzy garden dormouse, a giant tropical millipede, and a common cicada, among other showy, small creatures. Brightly hued insects such as the rainbow bush locust and Pygora beetle seem to shimmer, and for that otherworldly look it would be hard to better the extravagantly knobby weevil or a lime hawk-moth pupa that is as creepy and enigmatic as any movie alien. An accompanying note identifies each creature, usually mentions its locale, and sometimes adds a photographer's comment. Appetites piqued by this introduction may be sated by examining Martin's Hyper Nature, for adults. Hyper-realistic delights for young naturalists. (Kirkus 2016-11-01)

About this edition

• Publisher: Firefly Books
• Publication date: 2016
• ISBN 10: 1770857826
• ISBN 13: 9781770857827
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 64