Join the conversationon Joe Cornish – Reader’s Questions
These interviews and Q&A podcasts are not only very enjoyable in their own right (like listening to a radio discussion), but also excellent to listen to while scanning or post-processing images. Thanks Joe for introducing the two wildlife photographers you mentioned: they produce different but equally inspiring and unusual work. Adam [...]
- Adam Pierzchala, 22:12 11th Febon Put Your Questions to Hans Strand
Yes, medium format will have a tough future. Though there are still people (including myself) who think it is worth the extra cost to get an extra edge. The difference is more obvious when you make large prints. A one meter wide print from medium format will convince you about [...]
- Hans Strand, 20:37 1st Febon Samantha Gibbons
Hi Samantha, it was great to see your images and to read how you feel about photography! I like what you say, "how beautiful the landscape around us really is.. It’s almost religious", as I feel almost the same! Your vistas have this subtle but intriguing light but I also like [...]
- Beata Moore, 10:09 30th Jan
Book reviews
Tim Parkin
Your humble editor, ex-mathematician, A&R for U2, web developer to the Queen, guitarist and general geek-boy.
Other articles by Tim Parkin
Simply, Peter Dombrovskis
The only book readily available from Peter Dombrovskis is ‘Simply’ which although reaching the end of it’s print run, can still be bought from a couple of places in Tasmania (see Peter’s website for details) – I bought mine from Book City in Australia.
The book is a gem and many of the pictures look like they could have been taken yesterday. A few pictures in the book stand out for me though, in particular the Myrtle Tree and the long shot of Bathurst Harbour, both seen below.
Myrtle Tree
Bathurst Harbour
The short entries by various botanists (at least I presume they are botanists – there are no descriptions of who these people are) seem shoehorned into the book in order to demonstrate Peter’s environmental credentials. Not that they aren’t interesting but seem decoupled from the book as if an afterthought. The preface and essays (by Patricia Sabine, director the Wilderness Gallery, Tasmania and Gael Newton senior curator of photography at the National Gallery of Australia) provide a quick background on Australian photography of the era and of Peter’s work in particular.
The Quiet Land, Peter Dombrovskis
The Quiet Land is Peter’s first publication and this shows in some of the photographs, however many of the pictures demonstrate the unique view that he was developing, particular personal favourites are Four Peaks from Thwaites Plateua, Forest Floor and Weindorfer’s Bath Hut (shown below).
Four Peaks from Thwaites Plateau
Forest Floor
Weisendorfer’s Bath Hut
The book combines poetry with the images, a very 70’s / 80’s thing to do and something I can’t really assess as I’m not really the poetry sort. I do like a particular quote from Peter’s introductory text ..
“I took photographs for the simple pleasure of recording objects and places that were important to me, and because the discipline of photography increased my awareness of Tasmania’s beauty and made me appreciate more clearly the value of the wilderness.”
Well put..
“The Quiet Land” can be bought through second hand book brokers, Abebooks or Alibris for about £50 for a fairly good copy (although you will probably have to buy internationally – postage is cheap though). I shall hopefully be getting hold of a couple more of Peter’s books at some point in the future and will add reviews of them as and when..
Also you can view the video below which features Joe talking about Peter’s work and some of his books..
Joe Cornish talks about Peter Dombrovskis from Tim Parkin on Vimeo.
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Thanks Tim for bringing to my attention that the print run is reaching its end – just ordered a copy of ‘Simply’. I’ve long been a fan of Peter and have been putting off getting this book. Thanks to Joe also as he is the source from which I first heard of Peter Dombrovskis in one of his books.
Both Tasmania and Peter Dombrovskis have had a major part to play in my landscape journey. This site likes ‘epiphanies’, and like Joe I can trace my first to Operation Raleigh (tall ship Zebu, 1987).
The second came a year later on a world trip of over a year, particularly during a long walk in Tasmania. Peter’s images (yes, postcards) were in every NP centre and milk bar, giving a tantalising look at what I thought was the most other-worldly series of landscapes I’d ever seen. In time I’ve come to see Tasmania as the best small mountain landscape on Earth and Peter Dombrovskis will forever be the man to reckon with in capturing its beauty and detail.
For those interested, also take a look at Dennis Harding, – http://www.dennisharding.com.au/ – another Tasmanian local wilderness photographer not averse to lugging wooden cameras for days on end to get his shot. His books are also superb at revealing the magic in this stunning place.