10 GORGEOUS BOOKS ON BEAUTIFUL FISH NOW
As we finish up our time in Pisces this week, we are celebrating Beautiful Fish. We’ve gathered 10 positively magnificent books, filled to the brim with spectacular images, fascinating information, and important perspectives to share with you.
1. REEF LIBRE: CUBA - THE LAST, BEST REEFS IN THE WORLD
As a result of generations of isolation, Cuba’s coral reefs are perhaps the world’s best preserved.
Photographer Robert Wintner shares the pristine beauty of these reefs in Reef Libre: Cuba - The Last, Best Reefs in the World. As the nation is just beginning to open up to the Western world, we wonder: Can Cuba preserve it's beautiful reefs? Wintener tackles the issue of conservation as he shows us just what exactly is so worth preserving.
Reef Libre: The Movie is a mini-documentary which encompasses this pivotal moment—from the streets to the reefs.
Watch the Reef Libre movie trailer.
Taylor Trade Publishing (2015)
2. THE LAST FISHERMAN: WITNESS TO THE ENDANGERED OCEANS
Humans are destroying this planet’s oceans by polluting and overfishing them.
In The Last Fisherman: Witness to the Endangered Oceans, underwater photographer Jeffrey Rotman uses his beautiful images to help make and emphasize the point that we must take action to preserve our oceans as well as the beautiful fish and other life within them.
"Rotman...transform[s] information about the catastrophic changes in the ocean into a poignant personal narrative."
— Publisher's Weekly
"Looks at the beauty and the tragedy."
— Chicago Tribune
"Otherworldly stunning."
— Chicago Tribune
Abbeville Press (2014)
3. FIRE IN THE SEA
One of the most beautiful consequences of the darkest depths of the ocean is the evolution of fish and other sea creatures that glow. Bioluminescence is one of the animal kingdom's most beautiful features.
Fire in the Sea: Bioluminescence and Henry Compton's Art of the Deep, by David A. McKee and marine biologist Henry “Hank” Compton, show us incredible glowing dragonfishes, greeneyes, viperfishes, mirror bellies, lanternfishes and more.
Compton not only photographed this strange otherworldly lot, he then painted them in stunning watercolor renditions. Compton dubbed the series of deep-water paintings “Fire in the Sea.”
Professor, researcher, and author David A. McKee presents Compton’s work, which was discovered in cardboard boxes following his death, and offers us additional information about the biology of bioluminescence.
Texas A&M University Press (2014)
4. BENEATH COLD SEAS
Photographer David Hall uses state of the art equipment and special lighting to create underwater photos of an unparalleled beauty.
Hall’s book, Beneath Cold Seas: The Underwater Wilderness of the Pacific Northwest, draws focus on the Pacific Ocean, Hall brings to the reader a gorgeous array of fish and other sea life, from the most minute alabaster nudibranch to giant Pacific octopi, from tiny, candy-striped shrimp to orchid sea stars to white-sided dolphins.
Writer Sarika Cullis-Suzuki starts this book off right with a frank discussion of the current issues faced in our quest to preserve the ocean environment.
"Hall has consistently managed to capture patterns, textures and colors . . . as if they were created on an easel. David Hall is an inspirational master who clearly hasn't yet gotten all of the recognition that he deserves."
— Peter Symes, X-ray Magazine
"The level of consistency and standard of imagery is quite exceptional and it captures the wild spirit of this corner of the planet page after page. . . . It is difficult to imagine that there will ever be a better collection of photographs to come out of this area."
— Peter Rowlands, Underwater Photography
University of Washington Press (2015)
5. BLUE HOPE
In Blue Hope: Exploring and Caring for Earth's Magnificent Ocean, Sylvia A. Earle, along with and other marine experts and celebrities, provides stunning photographs and poignant, lyrical, prose, giving us a most magnificent view.
The focus is simple. The Ocean does not stand alone, not only for fish, but all life depends on it, including ours.
The book offers a clear and hopeful message: We can all play a role in keeping the heart of our planet alive.
"Whether you are new to understanding all the problems the oceans face, or you need an injection of joy and positivity about conservation, this book is a must-read."
— Mother Nature Network
National Geographic (2014)
6. SHARK: FEAR & BEAUTY
Sharks can be scary, no doubt. But they are also beautiful. Jean-Marie Ghislain demonstrates this in her book, Shark: Fear & Beauty.
In order to overcome her own fear of water, Ghislain tried swimming with sharks. Brave lady! She shares her experiences, wisdom gained, and her very beautiful intimate photographs of these fascinating fish.
Thames & Hudson Ltd (2014)
7. THE FISH IN THE FOREST: SALMON AND THE WEB OF LIFE
All species provide a crucial link in the web of life. In The Fish in the Forest: Salmon and the Web of Life, Dale Stokes carefully documents the connection between the salmon of the Pacific Northwest and nearly every other ecosystem in the world.
With beautiful color photography by Doc White, and Stokes’ fascinating insights, it is easy to see, through even just one fish, how important, and fragile, the interconnected global ecosystem is.
University of California Press (2014)
8. FLYING FISH
With sleek bodies and wing like fins, flying fish sail over the sea to escape their predators. And they make a stunning show of it. They are beautifully colored -- sometimes called “ocean butterflies.”
In The Amazing World of Flyingfish, Steve N. G. Howell tells us lots about these amazing species and offers more than 90 gorgeous photos of their beautiful flights.
Princeton University Press (2014)
9. TWO CHEFS, ONE CATCH: A CULINARY EXPLORATION OF SEAFOOD
Chefs Ron Oliver and Bernard Guillas show off their masterful ways with fish in their second book, Two Chefs, One Catch: A Culinary Exploration of Seafood (Flying Pans). Check out their elegant recipes, a brilliant follow up to the success of their self-published first book, Flying Pans:Two Chefs, One World.
You will find 120 recipes organized by species of fish, shellfish and crustacean, like Ahi Tuna Tiger Eye with Spicy Cashew Sauce, Shrimp Andouille Lollipops, Leek Parsley Coated Halibut with Oven Roasted Tomatoes, and more.
Each dish is beautifully photographed in full color by top photographer Marshall Williams.
Lyons Press (2014)
10. SCHOOL OF FISH
Another amazing cookbook, School of Fish, imparts the wisdom of Michelin starred chef Ben Pollinger of famed restaurant Oceana.
With over 100 recipes, organized by technique from the easiest to the most advanced, you get quite a culinary education as you work through dishes from Fish Fumet to Thai-Style Bouillabaisse.
Gallery Books (2014)
Read more about Beautiful Fish, as they relate to Arts/Design, Nature/Science, Food/Drink, Place/Time, Mind/Body, and Soul/Impact.
Enter your own images and ideas about Beautiful Fish in this week’s creative Photo Competition. Open for entries now until 11:59 p.m. PT on 03.07.15. If you are reading this after that date, check out the current BN Creative Competition, and enter!
IMAGE CREDITS:
- Photo: by Robert Wintner. Cuban Reef.
- Image: Courtesy of Taylor Trade Publishing. Reef Libre.
- Image: Courtesy of Abbeville Press. The Last Fisherman.
- Image: Courtesy of Texas A&M University Press. Fire in the Sea.
- Image: Courtesy of University of Washington Press. Beneath Cold Seas.
- Image: Courtesy of National Geographic. Blue Hope.
- Image: Courtesy of Thames & Hudson. Shark: Fear & Beauty.
- Image: Courtesy of University of California Press. The Fish in the Forest.
- Image: Courtesy of Princeton University Press. The Amazing World of Flyingfish.
- Image: Courtesy of Lyons Press. Two Chefs, One Catch.
- Image: Courtesy of Gallery Books. School of Fish.