The city of Vancouver, more so than many other cities, is surrounded by wild landscapes. In this magnificent photographic collection, Graham Osborne's stellar images showcase the giant western red cedars of the rain forest, the snow-covered peaks of the coastal mountains, and orange and purple sea stars in shimmering pools. Other photographs depict the city at night, illuminated by a full moon; spawning sockeye struggling against the river current; and a glorious sunrise flooding the misty Fraser Valley. The rich text by Richard Cannings introduces the animals that live in the diverse ecosystems of this region, including lungless salamanders, horned larks, and bighorn sheep. Cannings also describes the intimate partnership between fungi and tree roots, the role of fire in mountain forests, and the mixing of fresh and salt water that gives the Vancouver coastline its wealth of sea.

"

Richard Cannings is a renowned naturalist, conservationist and lecturer on birds and bird habitats. He works as a consulting biologist assessing endangered species and organizing bird population surveys, and he can be heard on the CBC Radio 1 program BC Almanac as its regular birding expert. He is the author of An Enchantment of Birds, The Rockies: A Natural History, and Birds of Interior BC and the Rockies and is co-author of British Columbia: A Natural History, Birds of Southwestern British Columbia, and the upcoming Birds of British Columbia and the Pacific Northwest. He lives in Penticton, BC.

"

Richard Cannings' profile page

"

Graham Osborne is a photographer and biologist whose previous works include, Rainforest: Ancient Realm of the Pacific Northwest, with text by Wade Davis. His images have appeared in such publications as National Geographic Traveler and Canadian Geographic. He lives in White Rock, BC.

"

Graham Osborne's profile page

p class=review_text>This fine collection of images . . . celebrates the glorious scenery residents of the Vancouver area are privy to most any time they care to look. What makes a photographer exceptional, however, is the ability to see things in fresh ways, and to technically translate that vision into an exposure and, ultimately, a print. Osborne clearly gets around (and up high), and succeeds in showing us how to see . . . Dick Cannings' typically evocative prose complements the visual feast. —Discovery: Vancouver's Natural History Society's Magazine

p class=review_text>Wanderlust doesn't have to be any further than your front door and Graham Osborne shows the way with this amazing collection of photographs all taken in the area stretching from Vancouver to the Southern Coast Mountains. Rich colour images show us sunsets that would rival anywhere in the world. Dynamic mountain ranges, lush forests, expansive ocean views and city scenes all come together to remind you what an incredible region we live in. —North Shore News

p class=review_text>A gorgeous and enlightening photographic journey. —Globe & Mail

p class=review_text>Looking at [Graham's] eye-popping shots of waterfalls, ocean sunsets, and fog-laden rivers, you can't help but wonder if he doesn't whisper a little prayer of gratitude each day that he doesn't live in, say, Sarnia, Ontario. Some of Osborne's photos are almost too beautiful, edging into postcard territory. —Quill & Quire

p class=review_text>Osborne shows us the region looking its very best. And Cannings, who once taught him zoology, provides learned commentary. —Vancouver Sun

p class=review_text>More than 100 of his large-format images grace this stunningly beautiful coffee-table book, each one a masterpiece of the colour photographer's art. They are united and enhanced by biologist Richard Cannings' sensitive descriptions of the various ecosystems that surround the views and wildlife depicted. —Canadian Book Reviews Annual