Portraits of Earth

Greg Turko is a policy analyst at the Ontario Ministry of Colleges and
Universities.

This is a book which offers something to a very varied audience. Environmentalists will appreciate Freeman Patterson’s concerns about preservation and his gentle but firm condemnation of environmental “ignorance” and our “willingness to put short-term economic gain above more important interests and values.”

Those who simply like to read a story will find this book an interesting diary as the author has travelled distances ranging from “a short walk” from his New Brunswick home to the Namib Desert in Africa to many points in between.

The techniques and mechanics of his photography are covered for those who are interested in this facet of his work. This often detailed information is not, however, arranged in a technical capsule below the photo, as is often done in photography shots. Instead, it is almost always part of the text. Patterson also discusses his philosophy of photography in several different contexts. Perhaps most interesting to the amateur or non-photographer is his advice to “observe things without naming or labeling them” [his emphasis].

Then there are the photographs, which are taken in many different locations using many different techniques. The photographs are all very dramatic in their colour, emphasis on detail, and their ability to communicate the splendours of Earth (Patterson’s term). These photographs, more than anything else in the book, provide a testimonial to Patterson’s keen sense of beauty and of the majesty of the world that surrounds him.

Reading this book gives us an excellent insight into how an accomplished photographer sees his world. It also gives us cause to reflect upon how we, individually, view our world and what we must do to preserve and appreciate its beauty.