Beautiful Whale

by Bryant Austin

Photographer and conservationist Bryant Austin's breathtaking photographic project Beautiful Whale is the first of its It chronicles his fearless attempts to reach out to whales as fellow sentient beings. Featuring Austin's intimate images--some as detailed as a single haunting eye--that result from encounters based on mutual trust, Beautiful Whale captures the grace and intelligence of these magnificent creatures. Austin spent days at a time submerged, motionless, in the waters of remote calving grounds waiting for humpback, sperm, and minke whales to seek him out. As oceanographer Sylvia A. Earle says in her foreword to the book, "As an ambassador from the ocean--and to the ocean--Bryant Austin is not only a source of inspiration. He is cause for hope."

Genres: Photography, Science, Nature, Animals, Nonfiction

124 pages, Hardcover

First published April 1, 2013

Reviews

[Dawn · Rating 5 out of 5]

The intimate and detailed photographs of whales in this book is very impressive. I especially enjoyed the eye composites of the Humpback, Sperm, and Minke whales. I believe he also captured their unique personalities in his photographs. That's no easy task to accomplish when you're photographing wildlife. I also applaud Mr. Austin for respecting the environment of the whales and allowing the whales to come to him on *their* terms. I have seen Humpack whales from a distance on various boat trips, but Mr. Austin's life-sized photos make me realize how much of these creatures we don't see up close. The detail (such as the ridges, eyes, etc.) is amazing. If you love wildlife photography and/or have an interest in these amazing creatures then I would highly recommended this book. I thank Mr. Austin for his patience and perseverance in attaining the photographs for this book. Hopefully it will inspire us to take better care of our oceans and all of the magnificent creatures that dwell in it.

[Artemis · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful book about whales and their willingness to engage with us and see us eye to eye.

The photos are gorgeous and this is a book I will be featuring on a favoured shelf, to be brought down time and again to remember the beauty that we get to be a part of.

[Teodora Norris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing book!

[Jeanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stunning and amazingly beautiful and well detailed photos of 3 species of whales.

[Erika Westman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bryant Austin's book Beautiful Whale is a treasure. Austin's photography of whales climbed to the highest level after a mother whale touched him gently on the shoulder as he was floating in the water next to her baby. He was inspired to create life-size portraits of whales and exhibit them in Norway and Japan, the only countries that chose not to participate in a global whaling ban. Austin meets the whales on their own terms, not as objects, but as individuals. He develops trust with them and closely observes the relationship between himself and the individual whales he photographs. Huge creatures that have the size and strength to break his spine come to him in the water to explore that relationship too. Austin's rewarded when whales come to within three or four feet of him. One young whale wraps his four-foot fin gently across Austin's chest in an embrace.

This closeness allows him to get the high resolution images he needs to create composite life-size portraits. It also gives him the strength and sense of wonder he needs to carry on with his project, which requires that he sell his house and just about everything to fund years of field research and custom build a computer large enough to handle the high resolution images he makes. He expects controversy when he exhibits the photos first in Norway, which has defended its hunting industry and tradition against a world committed to protecting whales. No one in Oslo challenges him. They are only curious about his time with the beautiful whales.

[Mary Jane · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely love this book! I was so fortunate to get to hear a talk by Bryant Austin at our local museum. His stories were amazing and touching and funny. He conveyed his wonder and awe from his encounters with the whales to his audience so well. At different times during his talk I had goosebumps, tears well up in my eyes, and many moments of deep awe and respect for these amazing giants.

His photography is beautiful and his stories are just amazing. I'm thrilled to have an autographed copy of the book.

[Tamsin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such an amazing book. Austin's descriptions of his encounters with whales and how this book came about are very moving, from being "tapped on the shoulder" by a mother whale to the painstaking process of stitching his photos together to produce life size prints. His contemplations on whales' longevity (a brain that has been evolving for 5 million years) are awe inspiring. Everyone needs to read this book.

[Hilary Lang Greenebaum · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is visually stunning and emotionally overwhelming. Yesterday heard artist Bryant Austin speak at the library about his life's work enabling us to actually see whales' close up portraits. I can not imagine what it would be like to walk by a whale's life sized printed photograph over 65 feet long! Moreover can not imagine hanging out with them either - completely alone - as he does to take photos. His work is so unusual, so interesting, and deeply moving.

[Clare · Rating 5 out of 5]

I reviewed this book here: http://www.learntodivetoday.co.za/blo...

[Jeannine Winkel · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a beautiful book, amazing photographs and amazing stories about being close-up with the largest creatures on this planet. A must-read for anybody who loves whales.