$60.00
Turning his camera to the world of birds, Creature photographer Andrew Zuckerman has created a new body of work showcasing more than 200 stunning photographs of nearly 75 different species. These winged creatures—from exotic parrots to everyday sparrows, and endangered penguins to woody owls—are captured with Zuckerman's painstaking perspective against a stark white background to reveal the vivid colors, textures, and personalities of each subject in extraordinary and exquisite detail. The ultimate art book for ornithologists and nature enthusiasts alike, Bird is a volume of sublime beauty. Click here to view video footage of Zuckerman's photo shoots at the National Aviary and other locations.
What drew you to photographing birds in particular? Did you have the idea for Bird in mind already while you were working on Creature?
Many years ago my fascination with animal photography began while on a walk on the beach. I started to bring specimens into my studio, like bones and then an ant farm, until eventually I started working with larger animals and their trainers. Most of this work culminated in the book Creature which was released in 2007. The recent project with birds grows out of that work. Animal photography has a rich tradition with many variations, but rarely do we see animals devoid of their context. Seeing them in their natural habitats is often considered the only genuine way of experiencing them. Without ignoring the obvious benefit of understanding their habitats, my interest is in forcing an unobstructed view of the animals in the most reduced way. Birds, with their speed and their vast mobility, are the hardest of all to see exactly as they are, which became both my challenge and my reward. Over the years I have developed a simple process of clarity and reduction, and I bring that to wherever I may go, whether it is an aviary or the South African bush. Each bird is seen in exactly the same context—or to be exact, no context at all. What we're left with is the extraordinary variation in species, the colors of the feathers and the beaks, the expressions in the eyes. I think this gives us a new way of looking at the birds, so that even the ones most familiar to us look new and surprising.
Some moments in your behind-the-scenes videos look a little chaotic. Was this shoot more challenging than others you've done? Did you know what to expect going into it?
One of the many lessons learned over time making pictures of animals is that it is extremely important to control ones expectations—it would be ridiculous to become frustrated by a bird's inability to follow my orders. The sessions required much patience and a level of stamina unlike other scenarios I had been involved with.
Do you have a favorite animal? Is there anything you wish you could photograph that you haven't been able to?
My favorite animal is usually the last one I worked with. There are many animals (and humans) that I hope to work with. My current priority is endangered species for obvious reasons—time is running out unfortunately.
Win a signed copy of Bird!
Five Art & Design newsletter subscribers will win a signed copy of Andrew Zuckerman's stunning photography book, Bird. Simply email webmaster@chroniclebooks.com with the subject line BIRD. Thanks for reading our monthly news, and please email us with any suggestions or comments about what you'd like to see here.
|
ShareThis
