Remember when there were books?? In this age of digital everything – including this newsletter – we sometimes forget the feel of turning pages and the beauty of a printed image.
Dr. Wayne Lynch, one of our contributing editors and self-styled “Critter Junkie” is the author of a wide range of wonderful books. He brings his knowledge of entomology, botany and zoology together with his stunning photographs to us, his readers, in his series of books published by Fitzhenry & Whiteside.
I was provided with a copy of “LOONS” to review for PHOTONews. Stunning. I’m done! That was my review! The cover alone is awesome. The common loon flying low seems to float right off the page. The embossed silver title gives the book top-notch appeal. Inside, Dr. Lynch takes us on his journey of discovery, linking a boyhood love of birds and a special affinity for the loon. With stunning images and detailed descriptions of habitat, breeding and range, the loon – all five species of them – comes to life. Did you know that the loon is a close relative of a penguin? When the loons leave our northern lakes, they head to the ocean for the winter and are actually considered seabirds!
Dr. Lynch also has a series of “Nature Baby” books. Baby Loon is a great companion to Loons. Younger readers, from preschool to grade 2, will enjoy the images and accompanying text that describes the life of the young loon.
Naturalist Michael Runtz takes us on a tour through the seasons in Algonquin Park. His book, Algonquin Wild, describes the various flora and fauna that call this amazing park home. Albeit temporarily for some of the migratory species! The tiny blackfly and the massive moose make appearances, as do natural features like the Canadian Shield and the myriad lakes and streams that dot the park. Michael describes how each inhabitant interacts with another and how the environment of this protected space nurtures the biodiversity in this truly wild park. The changing seasons bring changing creatures, blooming plants, decaying leaves and blankets of snow. Michael’s images show us the beauty of each season and how creatures, insects and plants change with the lengthening and shortening daylight hours. A recipient of Carleton University’s Lifetime Achievement Award, Michael shares his intimate knowledge of nature and fantastic photography in this wonderful book.
Moving away from creatures, check out Weather: A Force of Nature. This collection of images is selected from the Royal Meteorological Society’s annual Weather Photographer of the Year competition of 2021. Each image is accompanied by detailed descriptions of the weather phenomenon depicted as well as image information including ISO, shutter speed and aperture. This hardcover book is a must-see!
->Purchase the books on Amplis Store now
By Hayley Ohlig
