Photography, Travel, Far East Shopping
Photography, Travel, Far East
Broughton Coburn
Everest
by National Geographic (Paperback) (Release Date: 2003-04-01)
John Berthold
Bhutan: Land of the Thunder Dragon
by Wisdom Publications (Hardcover)
In Bhutan, progress is measured in terms of "Gross National Happiness" and Thimphu, the capital city, has no traffic lights. This mesmerizing book captures the beauties of this remote kingdom, the only independent country to support Buddhism as the official state religion. Readers are transported to ancient fortresses and temples, colorful festivals, and religious ceremonies, as well as to isolated communities along the roof of the world. Featuring photographs taken over the course of three years, the book guides readers through areas normally off-limits to Western visitors, and encompasses a wide range of landscape, portrait, and editorial photographs.
Matt Alt, Hiroko Yoda
Hello, Please! Very Helpful Super Kawaii Characters from Japan
by Chronicle Books (Paperback)
A menagerie of mascots and characters inhabit the islands of Japan, cheerfully guiding citizens through all sorts of daily activities and situations. Hello, Please! collects photographs of hundreds of the these cute (or kawaii) creatures in their native habitats, which are virtually everywhere: from public street signs to supermarket shelves, in doctor's offices and instruction manuals even emblazoned on the sides of Tokyo's emergency vehicles. Authors Matt Alt and Hiroko Yoda explore the cultural context of these ubiquitous, hard-working critters and their relationship to anime and manga, commercial characters like Hello Kitty, and the cult of cute, while introducing readers to a host of adorable new best friends they never knew they had.
Paul van Riel
Kimono
by Hotei Publishing (Hardcover)
Any first-time visitor to Japan will be struck by that most beautiful symbol of its ancient culture: the kimono. This book contains a selection of the numerous encounters photographer Paul van Riel had with people wearing kimono all over Japan. Although its popularity has dwindled somewhat over the last 25 years, the national garment of Japan is still deeply rooted in Japanese culture, as these photographs testify. Liza Dalby describes the kimono's transformation from daily clothing to formal wear over the course of the 20th century. Her personal experiences give us a glimpse of the meanings the kimono has for the geisha. Introduction and captions by Liza Dalby, photographs and text by Paul van Riel.
China Williams
The Asia Book (General Pictorial)
by Lonely Planet (Hardcover)
Asia: a continent of candid contradictions, unmatched mayhem and mystery, where just one experience will never quite articulate the magic of the place. A fisherman's song at dawn on the banks of the Mekong, a chaos of color on the ghats of the Ganges, the silence of the vast steppes of Kazakhstan, a marching mile of red hats along the Great Wall road: Asia is all this and more. From the tropical beaches of Bali to the frozen slopes of Everest, The Asia Book draws together a definitive collection of the sights, sounds and tastes of this captivating continent.Here's how to start - open at any page and begin your own journey. Track the voyage of Lawrence of Arabia, hear the stories of the Silk Road trail, or plan an island-hopping itinerary. Settle back and discover the fascinating people, radical ingenuity, humbling hospitality and inspiring spirit of each country. Let Lonely Planet's photographers, authors and travellers lead you through five regions, 46 countries, and more than ...
Homage to the Himalayas
by "Harry N. Abrams, Inc." (Hardcover)
Those who believe an unfathomable experiential chasm exists between the West and the East would do well to consult Olivier Föllmi's photographs. In this remarkable collection, Föllmi demonstrates that the distance between cultures, no matter how great physically, is one of perception only. Once the official photographer of the Dalai Lama, Föllmi has been training his lens on the Himalayas for more than 25 years. Here he captures the essence of the region and its people as no one else could-its dizzying peaks, treacherous climate, and spiritual serenity. Images of Buddhist holy places are counterposed with portraits of ordinary people, their ruddy faces worn to leather by snow and wind. This is a breathtaking collection by a great artist whose subject is nothing less than our shared humanity.
Matthieu Ricard
Tibet: An Inner Journey
by Thames & Hudson (Hardcover)
A moving journey into the heart of Buddhist spirituality and into the daily life and festivals of people in the Tibetan interior."Matthieu's spiritual life and his camera are one and the same, and it is from this unity that these fleeting yet eternal images spring."—Henri Cartier-BressonMatthieu Ricard has lived in Nepal for over thirty years. During this time he has forged close ties with some of Buddhism's greatest spiritual masters, from Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche to His Holiness the Dalai Lama, for whom he is the official French interpreter.Ricard's status as a monk and his knowledge of the Tibetan people and culture have opened many doors to him: he has been able to follow pilgrimages made by the great lamas of eastern Tibet; to bear witness to the artistry of wood-engravers at the gigantic, mysterious Dege printing press; and to meet hermit monks in extremely remote regions of Kham. These experiences and many others are recorded here in 191 sublime color photographs.
Diane Durston
Kyoto: Seven Paths to The Heart of The City
by Kodansha International (Paperback)
What better way to see Kyoto than at dawn, when the back streets and alleys of this 1,200-year-old city are still under the spell of the past? Old folks fuss about with their bonsai and laundry poles, pausing to chat on their way to the neighborhood shrine with flowers and morning prayers. Knock-kneed white egrets stalk the stream beds for breakfast, and the giant bronze temple bells awaken the former capital of Japan every morning as they have done for centuries. Through wars, fires, famines, tyrants, and now rapid modernization, the old neighborhoods of Kyoto are the places where the customs and traditions of this fascinating city, with its confusing blend of old and new, have managed to survive. American writer and former Kyoto resident Diane Durston introduces seven must-see precincts of this ancient capital city, including four Historic Preservation Districts. Among them are the world-famous geisha quarter, the kimono textile neighborhoods, the sake-brewing area of ...
Mark Edward Harris
Inside North Korea
by Chronicle Books (Hardcover)
All but closed to outside visitors and influence, its public posture guarded and combative, we see almost nothing from inside North Korea. Award-winning photographer Mark Edward Harris has had rare access to this reclusive country, traveling within its borders as well as documenting life along its northern border with China and the highly militarized DMZ dividing North and South Korea. His images are amazing: the monumental architecture and empty streets of the capital; tightly controlled zones of economic and tourist trade with South Korea; mass games featuring 100,000 choreographed participants. Short essays, extended captions, and a foreword by North Korea expert Bruce Cumings further illuminate a country increasingly at the center of international politics.
William Warren, Luca Invernizzi Tettoni
Thailand: The Golden Kingdom
by Periplus Editions (Hardcover)
Over 140 stunning full color photographs illustrate the history, culture art of this fascinatingly beautiful and diverse land.