By Leigh Ballard
The American West, cowboys, and wide open spaces have always captured the imagination. West captures that imagination in an extraordinary coffee table book, put together by two Swedes who were enchanted by the allure of the western U.S. West was created by Lars Strandberg (photos) and Lars Åberg (text), with the help of book designer Ronnie Nilsson. Printed on matte paper with a special cardboard cover, it includes some 300 pictures of people and places out West, digging into both mythology and everyday life.
The photographs portray weathered faces, vibrant and pastel landscapes, with pictorial commentary on the rise and fall of a way of life. Stunning photography captures the magical color in the deserts and mountains of the American west. Old cars, adobe, and road signs are subjects of dreamy photography resembling watercolor paintings. Saloons and old hotels are artistically photographed with a nostalgic sense of loss and decline. The commentary accompanying the photos chronicles the authors’ poetic and mythical journey through a rugged, beautiful landscape and their observations of a lifestyle of free spirit and hard work.
The book jacket reads, “The West is not only a geographic place, it’s a state of mind, a part of people’s imagination.” And this book shows you why.
Lars Strandberg works internationally with both feature and commercial photography. Lars Åberg is a journalist and author, writing for several major Swedish newspapers and magazines. Ronnie Nilsson is an acclaimed art director and designer. Find more information about West at
http://www.midsouthhorsereview.com/pdf/WESTPOSTER.pdf
http://www.gibbs-smith.com/productdetails.cfm?PC=3293
The American West, cowboys, and wide open spaces have always captured the imagination. West captures that imagination in an extraordinary coffee table book, put together by two Swedes who were enchanted by the allure of the western U.S. West was created by Lars Strandberg (photos) and Lars Åberg (text), with the help of book designer Ronnie Nilsson. Printed on matte paper with a special cardboard cover, it includes some 300 pictures of people and places out West, digging into both mythology and everyday life.
The photographs portray weathered faces, vibrant and pastel landscapes, with pictorial commentary on the rise and fall of a way of life. Stunning photography captures the magical color in the deserts and mountains of the American west. Old cars, adobe, and road signs are subjects of dreamy photography resembling watercolor paintings. Saloons and old hotels are artistically photographed with a nostalgic sense of loss and decline. The commentary accompanying the photos chronicles the authors’ poetic and mythical journey through a rugged, beautiful landscape and their observations of a lifestyle of free spirit and hard work.
The book jacket reads, “The West is not only a geographic place, it’s a state of mind, a part of people’s imagination.” And this book shows you why.
Lars Strandberg works internationally with both feature and commercial photography. Lars Åberg is a journalist and author, writing for several major Swedish newspapers and magazines. Ronnie Nilsson is an acclaimed art director and designer. Find more information about West at
http://www.midsouthhorsereview.com/pdf/WESTPOSTER.pdf
http://www.gibbs-smith.com/productdetails.cfm?PC=3293
