Archipelago: Portraits of Life in the World's Most Remote Island Sanctuary

by David Liittschwager, Susan Middleton

For this project, Middleton and Liittschwager gained unprecedented access to photograph on and around these protected islands that are otherwise completely off-limits to people. Home to nearly seventy percent of our nation's coral reefs, known as the "rainforests of the sea," the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands is a remarkable ecosystem that supports a vast array of interdependent native plants and animals that have evolved in this habitat over millions of years, many existing nowhere else on the planet.

The result is Archipelago. With its more than 300 stunning images, the book illustrates the spectacular diversity of these ocean and island creatures, as well as profiles many of the people dedicated to the preservation of this habitat. The inaccessibility of these islands and the need to protect them means that few people will ever be able to visit them in person, though now, for the first time, the area's inhabitants are available for all the world to see through this important body of work. In conjunction with the publication of Archipelago, exhibitions of these photographs will be mounted in Honolulu and Washington, and will then travel to venues around the country throughout 2006.

Genres: Photography, Nonfiction, Animals, Reference, Nature

264 pages, Hardcover

First published October 4, 2005

About the author

David Liittschwager is a freelance photographer who grew up in Eugene, Oregon. Between 1983 and 1986, he worked as an assistant to Richard Avedon in New York City. After working in advertising, he turned his skills to portraiture with an emphasis on natural history subjects.

Now a contributing photographer to National Geographic and other magazines, Liittschwager is also a successful book author. In 2002 he produced the books Skulls and X-Ray Ichthyology: The Structure of Fishes for the California Academy of Sciences. Liittschwager’s books in collaboration with Susan Middleton include Archipelago, Remains of a Rainbow, Witness, and Here Today.

Recipient of an Endangered Species Coalition Champion Award for Education and Outreach and a Bay & Paul Foundation Biodiversity Leadership Award, Liittschwager lectures and shows his work in both fine art and natural history contexts. His photographs have been exhibited at many museums, including the American Museumhere of Natural History in New York City; the National Academy of Sciences in Washington, D.C.; the Honolulu Academy of Art in Hawaii; and currently at the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco.

Liittschwager was honored with a 2008 World Press Photo Award for his article on marine microfauna, which appeared in the November 2007 issue of National Geographic magazine. He lives in San Francisco.

Reviews

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the third Liittschwager and Middleton book I've spent time with. The subject is the flora and fauna of the remote Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. This note by Middleton about the quarantine procedures unveils some of the thoughtful beauty behind the photographs:

"complying with the rigorous quarantine procedures began a process of understanding the uniqueness and fragility, and indeed the value, of the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. In the past, when I worked in museums, I exercised a similar care and attention in the handling of precious cultural objects; I realized that the assemblages of life on these islands were no less precious and no less a part of our heritage."

My favorite pictures are ones where animals are photographed in a portraiture style: subject removed from its environment and allowed to fill the frame with unique features - its life - and "person"-ality. Such photography can reveal the heroic beauty of a cone snail. And the separation from its surrounding also reminds one of how threatened these subjects are, how their environments are disappearing.

[Kathleen Messmer · Rating 5 out of 5]

First of all, I didn’t even know the Hawaiian Island chain extended as far as it does. Great book. Very insightful. That said, I also was unaware of the impact of marine debris on the fragile ecosystem and wildlife of these islands. Shameful. Seriously, we need to devise a huge, long term solution to this problem.

[Allyson Ota · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful imagery from Papahānaumokuākea (North Western Hawaiian Islands)

[Preeti · Rating 5 out of 5]

I picked this one up prior to my trip to Hawaii. Archipelago explores the remote Northwestern Islands of Hawaii, so not exactly where I'd be heading, but it was a photography book, about animals, and about Hawaii, so that's a pretty good combo for me.

This book is full of stunning photography. Hats off to Liittschwager and Middleton for their exceptional work. Most of the photos come from their studio setup, which included a tank, lighting, and a black or white background. While this doesn't show the species in its actual habitat, their reasoning for this type of aesthetic was so that they could highlight and glorify the animal itself. I have no problem with this. There were also photos of some animals and plants, especially the various bird species, in their native habitats. This was because it was often difficult to bring those species into a studio setup.

The book was also filled with a lot of text, which I didn't expect but was happy to see. Instead of just looking at the photography, it was really great to read about their work to shed more light on this area and its inhabitants. I also enjoyed reading about the work of the scientists that are on these islands. I think it's important that more people learn about places like these and the impact that our actions are having on the environments and the species. I can totally understand the pairing of these beautiful portraits with this text, to convey the immense loss we could be experiencing soon if things don't change.

I'm definitely looking forward to checking out more books from this pair. I also did some Googling and found some of Liittschwager's recent work, in particular, his One Cubic Foot project which is really freakin' cool. I just love discoveries like this and also, I can't believe I hadn't seen this earlier.

The end of the book is filled with mini species profiles, detailing facts about each of the animals/plants photographed. I've been trying to read through each of these, but it's hard to read more than a few at a time. Also, this book is not exactly portable, so I finally decided to just write this review as I try to go through the rest of the profiles.

[Shawn · Rating 5 out of 5]

my most favorite photograph collection ever - every animal is photographed like it is the most precious and loved creature there has ever been.

[Erin · Rating 5 out of 5]

The pictures were amazing! And the pictures of the harmful impact of mankind on nature were truly disturbing. It's amazing how man can destroy nature and kill animals even on a secluded island.

[Barbara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pictures of wild creatures! Miracles of creation!