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Inaugural Winner, The Center for Documentary Studies/Honickman
First Book Prize in Photography
A startling, mesmerizing series of photographs of prairie fires, On Fire transports us from moments of almost apocalyptic splendor to the stillness of near abstraction. For over a decade Kansas-based photographer Larry Schwarm has been making extraordinary color photographs of the dramatic prairie fires that sweep across the vast grasslands of his native state each spring. Based on this stunning and extensive body of work, Schwarm was chosen from over 500 submissions as the inaugural winner of the CDS/Honickman Foundation First Book Prize in Photography. With publication of On Fire, Duke University Press, in association with the Center for Documentary Studies and The Honickman Foundation, launches this major biennial book prize for American photographers.
Fire is an essential element of the ecosystem. Every spring, the expanses of tallgrass prairie in the Flint Hills of east-central Kansas undergo controlled burning. For photographer Larry Schwarm, documenting these fires has become a passion. He captures the essence of the fires and their distinct personalities—ranging from calm and lyrical to angry and raging. His photos allow us to see the redemptive power of fire and to remove ourselves from its tragic elements. Through Schwarm’s lens, the horizon takes on new meaning as we view the sublime, mystical, and sensual character of the burning landscape. Schwarm connects the enormous power and devastation of fire to what can only be identified as another kind of creation—the creation of beauty.
Published by Duke University Press in association with Lyndhurst Books of the Center for Documentary Studies
The Center for Documentary Studies/Honickman First Book Prize in Photography is open to American photographers who use their cameras for creative exploration, whether it be of places, people, or communities; of the natural or social world; of beauty at large or the lack of it; of objective or subjective realities.
First Book Prize in Photography
A startling, mesmerizing series of photographs of prairie fires, On Fire transports us from moments of almost apocalyptic splendor to the stillness of near abstraction. For over a decade Kansas-based photographer Larry Schwarm has been making extraordinary color photographs of the dramatic prairie fires that sweep across the vast grasslands of his native state each spring. Based on this stunning and extensive body of work, Schwarm was chosen from over 500 submissions as the inaugural winner of the CDS/Honickman Foundation First Book Prize in Photography. With publication of On Fire, Duke University Press, in association with the Center for Documentary Studies and The Honickman Foundation, launches this major biennial book prize for American photographers.
Fire is an essential element of the ecosystem. Every spring, the expanses of tallgrass prairie in the Flint Hills of east-central Kansas undergo controlled burning. For photographer Larry Schwarm, documenting these fires has become a passion. He captures the essence of the fires and their distinct personalities—ranging from calm and lyrical to angry and raging. His photos allow us to see the redemptive power of fire and to remove ourselves from its tragic elements. Through Schwarm’s lens, the horizon takes on new meaning as we view the sublime, mystical, and sensual character of the burning landscape. Schwarm connects the enormous power and devastation of fire to what can only be identified as another kind of creation—the creation of beauty.
Published by Duke University Press in association with Lyndhurst Books of the Center for Documentary Studies
The Center for Documentary Studies/Honickman First Book Prize in Photography is open to American photographers who use their cameras for creative exploration, whether it be of places, people, or communities; of the natural or social world; of beauty at large or the lack of it; of objective or subjective realities.
- GenresPhotography
128 pages, Hardcover
First published September 1, 2003
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August 25, 2023Contains the iconic cover photo for Cormac Mccarthy's 'Blood Meridian'
December 4, 2025
Mostly a collection of Schwarm’s photography on prairie fires in Kansas, with a nice forward & few words from Schwarm himself.
Amazing photos is an understatement. I’ve been obsessed with controlled burns for the last year & I’m excited to dive into his work more.
Amazing photos is an understatement. I’ve been obsessed with controlled burns for the last year & I’m excited to dive into his work more.
June 9, 2014
Medium-format color photos of the Flint Hills burning at night. I saw this book years ago, and every spring think about driving out to Kansas just to see grass on fire. Schwarm taught photography at Emporia State and took these images over about ten years of stalking natural and controlled prairie fires. Used to be a common sight all over the West and Midwest, now pretty rare.
One definition of the Sublime is the beauty that is about to destroy you. Schwarm gets that, yet is a master of understatement. Intense, but not fantasy-calendar landscape porn or kitsch nostalgia, like photo books about Kansas tend to be.
One definition of the Sublime is the beauty that is about to destroy you. Schwarm gets that, yet is a master of understatement. Intense, but not fantasy-calendar landscape porn or kitsch nostalgia, like photo books about Kansas tend to be.
July 5, 2009
All I can say about this one is WOW
January 28, 2010
some great fire photos - mostly brush fires
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews