BIRDS OF A DIFFERENT FEATHER: JOEL SARTORE
One of the most beautiful realities about birds is their staggering biodiversity. New research led by the American Museum of Natural History suggests that there are about 18,000 bird species in the world—nearly twice as many as previously thought. And while that means there is a seemingly infinite treasure trove of gorgeous colors, shapes, textures, and songs, many species are threatened or endangered.
Birds of the Photo Ark, a new book by Noah Strycker, with photos by renowned photographer Joel Sartore, presents a collection of stunning images and information, documenting more than 300 bird species.
The book is a spinoff of Sartore’s highly distinguished National Geographic Photo Ark project. Photo Ark, which began in 2005, is an ongoing series in which Sartore aims to photograph every species of animal under human care, an estimated 12,000. He’s already photographed almost 8,000, to date.
Just as Noah’s Ark attempted to preserve each living species, the Photo Ark also hopes raise awareness about the critical importance of preserving biodiversity. Birds of the Photo Ark celebrates the vast spectrum of bird beauty, from tiny finches to broad-winged eagles, from the riotous color of brilliant toucans to the intricate frills of birds of paradise, from the feathered familiars to the other-worldly.
Each bird portrait is taken at close range, highlighting every unique detail, from color to, iridescence, to shape, to plumage patterns to expression.
Sartore’s images rock his mission, to showcase the “beauty of biodiversity in all its forms.” The uniform portrait style, with each bird shot against a stark black or white background, each the same size within the frame, emphasizes the equal importance of each species and it highlights each uniqueness.
Beyond the stellar photo portraits, this book is packed with knowledge about birds, as Strycker shares his impressive birding expertise. In 2015 he set a world record by seeing 6,042 species of birds (more than half the birds on Earth) in a year. He tells the story of each species, and the critical role each plays in preserving our planet -- “the future of birds and the future of us are intertwined more than we know.”
Stryker is also associate editor of Birding magazine and is a frequent contributor to Audubon and other bird-oriented publications.
Birds of the Photo Ark is one of the best coffee table books published in 2018, according to The Washington Post. Leaf through its beautiful pages to marvel at a critically endangered “northern bald ibis” (Geronticus eremita), a “great blue turaco”(Corythaeola cristata), a “hawk-headed parrot” (Deroptyus accipitrinus), a A “wattled jacana,” and hundreds more.
Sartore predicts that it will take him another 15 years finish documenting the targeted 12,000 animal species around the world. But there is no stopping him.
If you are inspired by bird beauty, you can kill two birds with one stone by purchasing a signed copy of Birds of the Photo Ark as well as a signed copy of the original Photo Ark Book. All profits go directly to funding the Photo Ark Project. You can also buy Sartore’s bird and other animal portraits as fine art prints. You can also make a donation via National Geographic Photo Ark website.
Check out Beautiful Beasts Captured Beautifully and These Mothers are More Important Than You Think for more on Sartore. And check out Sartore’s fascinating PBS Series: Rare: Creatures of the Photo Ark.
Read more about Beautiful Birds in Go to Bird Heaven: Kenya, Birds Make Your Life More Beautiful Now and Good Good Good Migrations.
And check out more beautiful things happening now in BN Mind/Body, Soul/Impact, Nature/Science, Food/Drink, Arts/Design, and Place/Time, Daily Fix posts.
