Overview
The images of early west photographer William Henry Jackson capture a Colorado landscape both pristine and already dramatically affected by the onslaught of western civilization. Standing exactly where Jackson stood, and pointing his own camera in precisely the same direction, John Fielder has rephotographed Jackson's Colorado images to capture the often startling change that has occurred over the last century. The result is both breathtaking and stark, hopeful and disquieting. Jackson's and Fielder's photography is accompanied by thoughtful and provocative essays by respected experts in the environmental field: Roderick Nash, America's foremost wilderness historian and author of Wilderness and the American Mind; Ed Marston, journalist and publisher of High Country News; and Eric Paddock, Curator of Photography at the Colorado Historical Society. John Fielder describes the profound experience of traveling the state and seeing the landscape from Jackson's perspective, and reflects upon the changes of the last 130 years.Synopsis
The images of early west photographer William Henry Jackson capture a Colorado landscape both pristine and already dramatically affected by the onslaught on western civilization. Standing exactly where Jackson stood, and pointing his own camera in precisely the same direction, John Fielder has rephotographed Jackson's Colorado images to capture the often startling change that has occured over the last century. The result is both breathtaking and stark, hopeful and disquieting. Jackson's and Fielder's photography is accompanied by thoughtful and provocative essays by respected experts in the environmental field: Roderick Nash, America's foremost wilderness historian and author of Wilderness and the American Mind; Ed Marston, journalist and publisher of High Country News; and Eric Paddock, Curator of Photography at the Colorado Historical Society. John Fielder describes the profound experience of traveling the state and seeing the landscape from Jackson's perspective, and reflects upon changes of the last 130
Booknews
Expansive (16.5x12.5<">) like the land it depicts, this attractive, faux-leather-bound book pairs historical b&w landscape photography by Jackson (1843-1942) with contemporary color rephotography by Fielder. Chapters by Coloradoan journalist and environmentalist Ed Marston describe events that passed during the 130 or so years between the photos<-->most are anecdotal decriptions of land management or development policies, environmental transgressions of mining and oil companies, the demise of rural western towns, and Marston's experiences as a publisher and editor in western Colorado. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)