Bay Area Book Signing, The National Parks: Our American Landscape

Scott Kirkwood, editor for National Parks Magazine, sees thousands of images of national parks each year. “As much as I enjoy spending time reviewing images of Acadia’s cliffs, Zion’s peaks and everything in between, there’s a point where I start to think seen it. When the magazine sends a photographer on assignment to Glacier National Park, he’s got to execute a shot that not only screams ‘Glacier’ before the reader even sees a caption, but also whispers something new to those who have visited the park dozens of times. Like painting a still life that reveals something more than just a bowl of fruit, it’s not easy to do. But Ian Shive does it. I’m still trying to figure out how.”

Being a photographer myself - who wants to go beyond the average image but struggles - I admire greatly the person who delivers something special, something more in their photographs. Compared to Ansel Adams, award-winning photographer Ian Shive will be in San Francisco to sign copies of his first book, The National Parks: Our American Landscape.

Shive's images have appeared in many publications spanning the globe including Time Magazine, U.S. News & World Report, National Geographic, Popular Science, The Los Angeles Times, San Francisco Chronicle, Popular Photography and Outside Magazine.

Supporting our national parks is more important than ever, especially with what we know now about the impact of global warming. A portion of the proceeds from book sales will go to the National Parks Conservation Association.

Stop into any of these locations, meet the photographer and get your beautiful autographed copy of this amazing book.

Saturday, September 26 - 2:00pm
Borders Union Square
400 Post Street
(between Mason St & Powell St)
San Francisco, CA 94102

Sunday, September 27 - 2:00pm
Borders San Rafael
588 Francisco Blvd.
San Rafael, CA 94901

Monday, September 28 - 5:00pm
Barnes & Noble
1725 Arden Way
Sacramento, CA 95815



The National Parks: Our American Landscape (Earth Aware Editions, August 2009) presents a wonderfully updated photographic survey of the nation’s greatest treasures. Seen through the eyes of the National Parks magazine photographer and International League of Conservation Photographers member Ian Shive, America’s National Park System comes to life through a collection of more than 200 new photographs.

Sponsored by the National Parks Conservation Association and the International League of Conservation Photographers, Shive’s first book of photography is a journey to the places that have long inspired him. “Since my youth,” Shive writes, “I’ve seen the national parks as the last authentic vestiges of America’s wildest places — symbols of its one-of-a-kind spirit.”

by sfcphotography

And on September 27, on Public Television will be the start of the new Ken Burns series The National Parks: America's Best Idea a six-episode series directed by Ken Burns and written and co-produced by Dayton Duncan.

[Above is one of my favorite pictures. I took this photo from inside the gorgeous Ahwahnee Hotel in Yosemite National Park, California.]