Joel Sartore

The Photo Ark: Vanishing is a stunning photo collection that shares portraits of the most endangered animals in the world, some who might even be the last of their kind. These amazing images stand out, Joel Sartore has captured the soul of each animal on a simple black or white background, forcing the reader to look into the eyes of many of the animals that our actions are helping to decimate.
From the foreword, where Elizabeth Kolbert states that E.O. Wilson has dubbed this era the show more Eremozoic, the age of lonliness, I knew that this would be a difficult book to look at. Joel Sartore's introduction, where he recalls photographing Nabire, one of the last northern white rhinoceros' and then later visiting her body, echoes this sentiment. The biodiversity of Earth's fauna graces the pages: snails, corals, fish, frog, lizard, deer, tigers and the chimpanzee's that share 99% of our DNA, showing that the environmental impact of human actions does not discriminate. A few lines of text accompany each photo and state the animal name, classification level through the International Union of Conservation, the amount of the species that are left and what actions have led to their decrease. These few lines serve as a powerful reminder of how small actions we complete everyday impact other animals. Beautifully done, this book will spark viewers into action to save the animals that grace the pages.
This book was received for free in return for an honest review. show less

This book is both beautiful and heart rending. All of the animals in it are either already extinct in the wild or heading towards extinction. Just think about that. The man taking all of these magnificent pictures wants to at least make a record of each one’s existence before it falls from the earth.

Mr. Sartore takes such evocative photos. Even this spider hater could marvel at a two page, oversized arachnid. It almost seems from the looks in the eyes of some of the animals that they knew show more their fate. It is almost overwhelming to page through at times when you stop to consider the book’s purpose but I think it’s something we really must do as it’s man’s fault that these animals are losing their habitat.

It’s a powerful book with a very powerful message. I keep picking it up to marvel at the photography and celebrate the people who have kept some species alive through dedicated efforts in sanctuaries and preserves. There is also a profound sense of loss for those animals that will never be seen again. show less

Native Lincolnite and renowned National Geographic photographer/essayist Joel Sartore's latest book combines his two great creative loves -- interesting photography and thought-provoking commentary. In this spare collection, he pairs iconic and/or quirky images, shot in many different locales (although quite a few of them are from right here in Nebraska), with truly thoughtful essays, both short and long. The images and words are indelibly entertwined, and the topics run the gamut from show more environmentalism, to commercialism to the issues of families and traditions. Though a fairly quick and easy read, I did end up finding myself thinking more strongly about many of the issues Sartore brings up. Ultimately, though, I enjoyed this book for his beautifully captured images. Recommended for fans of photography, and thoughtful prose, especially if you're from Nebraska! [If you enjoy this, you may also wish to try Sartore's Rare: Portraits of America's Endangered Species.]

Originally reviewed for my local library's website: http://www.lincolnlibraries.org/depts/bookguide/srec/staffrec12-01.htm show less

This is an absolutely gorgeously photographed volume that looks at endangered animal and plant species throughout the United States. Joel Sartore is an award-winning photographer for the National Geographic, who is based out of Lincoln, NE. His photos in the magazine are always beautiful, and for this book, his captures of rare and unique species are beautifully rendered, against a stark black or white background. Each photo is accompanied by a little story explaining how the shot was taken show more and offering interesting tidbits about the specific species in the photo. The vast majority of the shots in this book were taken at zoos around the country. Sartore shares conservation information in a moving forward, that includes a photo of a rabbit species that has since gone extinct. This book should be appreciated by animal lovers, conservationists, photography enthusiasts or fans of Nebraska authors! My only complaint is that the size of the book doesn't really do justice to Sartore's highly-detailed photos, but since it is not a "coffee-table"-sized volume, perhaps it will be more accessible to more readers!

Originally reviewed for my local library's website: http://www.lincolnlibraries.org/depts/bookguide/srec/staffrec10-04.htm show less