Eye to Eye

Frans Lanting is one of the great wildlife photographers of the world. He has published many books showing wild animals but "Eye to Eye" is certainly one of his most famous. It consists of dramatically close-up photographs of animals, always concentrating on the eyes of the subject. The book is divided into three parts: "One on One" shows photographs of single animals, often so close that the frame is filled completely with just the animal's eyes. "Two by Two" usually shows pairs of animals, although there are occasional shots of larger groups. Often the pictures are of mother and child, or mates, but a few shots show conflict. "All in All" shows shots of larger groups of animals. The book also contains a two page section called "Behind the Camera" in which Lanting discusses his photographic philosophy but provides few hints that will allow others to copy his style. Finally, perhaps because the text of the main sessions is limited to species name, there is a section of thumbnails with a brief statement concerning the picture. I found this section to be particularly inadequate since I often said to myself "How did he do that?" but got no help in finding an answer. These are amazing pictures, primarily because Lanting has managed to get so close to his subjects. In a few pictures we can see that that is a result of enlarging and cropping, but in most cases the pictures are sharp enough so that so that we realize he was really close to the animals. Moreover, with a few exceptions, these are not captive animals. I for one would not like to take a picture of a wild lion at a distance of twenty feet. At least one critic has suggested that this book raised the bar for all wildlife photographers, forcing them to get closer to their subjects, and placing more stress upon photographers and subject. There are moments of great intimacy, particularly in the "Two by Two" section, where the pictures of parent and child tug at our heartstrings. It's hard not to see human characteristics in these photos. The book also benefits from its layout, grouping its subjects by actions. Thus there are pictures of a huge flock of butterflies followed by pictures of ibises, penguins, snow geese, zebras and elephants all purposefully on the move to some destination. I also particularly enjoyed facing pictures of a lion and a leopard, moving toward the centerfold in mirror image. These are great photographs because the photographer got so close to his subjects. But they are also mostly documentary. Few of the pictures rise to the level where the form rather than the subject makes them art, although I was particularly struck by a picture of Oryxes carefully treading their way across the Namibian sand dunes. But when I compare Lanting's photographs to the work of other wildlife photographers like Art Wolfe, I can see the difference. The pictures in Wolfe's "The Living Wild" show each animal in its environment, where Wolfe was better able to concentrate on

Amazing photography and a soothing read. If anyone has been on safari in Africa, this will bring back many wonderful memories. If not, this book will inspire you to travel and experience these wonderful creatures in their own environment. EXCELLENT BOOK and a great learning tool for children.

This is one of the most beautifully published books I have ever had the pleasure of viewing. If you love animals, photography, or just high quality book publishing, this one will bring a great deal of satisfaction. Lanting's images transcend mere animal identification shots as he clearly develops a relationship with each of his subjects. When you look at a portrait of a chimpanzee, you see pride and when you look at a photo of a family of Emperor penguins, you feel all the symbolic meaning of parenting on a spiritual level. Full of amazing photographs, this magnificent book makes a great gift (my mom loved hers) and comes highly recommended!

I have the pleasure of knowing Frans and Chris and I believe that this is their finest work to date. Page after page of captivating images trasport you to far away lands and bring you up close and personal with your favorite wild animals and many you have never seen before. The quality of their work speaks to their commitment and dedication. This book is for animal lovers AND for anyone who is the least bit interested in some truly mind-bending photography. This book is to be treasured and is one of two books (both by Lanting) on my coffee table.

This book was beautiful from front to cover. Even the paper that the jacket was made out of awed me. The photos depict our world the way it is supposed to be seen; candid, young, innocent and pure. Treat yourself to this one, it will open your soul.