Serpentine by Mark Laita William Vollmann

Serpentine by Mark Laita (Author), William Vollmann (Introduction). Photographer Mark Laita unveils a pantheon of spectacular snakes on this electrifying collection. Inciting each attract and alarm, shining pastel pythons and vibrant green vipers slither throughout the pages. An illuminating essay by William T. Vollmann accompanies the pictures, delving into the associations with snakes that hang-out our collective imagination. From the iridescent blue Malaysian coral snake to the sweet-cane-striped albino Honduran milk snake, the aptly named stunning pit viper, and the gleaming black mamba, the world’s most harmful and gorgeous snakes are pictured in Serpentine, displaying off their fascinating colors and textures-in addition to the sensual types their motion creates. Through Laita’s lens, there may be nothing they will do, no place they will take, that fails to be something however mesmerizing. This can be a staggeringly lovely book.

Each of the ninety-six illustrated snakes is represented by a single full-page image (aside from a number of double-page spreads), photographed in opposition to a plain black background, as shown in Amazon's replica of the mud-jacket. This plain background allows the beauty of the snakes' markings and lithe, sinuous our bodies to be appreciated with out the distraction of extraneous detail.

At the back of the e book each image is reproduced as a thumbnail, together with primary data regarding the snake. I'm no skilled, so I am unable to comment on the accuracy of the text and even the identification of the snakes. Nevertheless, for me, what little text there is - and there really is very little - is sort of irrelevant.

If I could afford to, I'd buy a second copy, cut it up, frame the pictures and hold them on the wall. That's how beautiful this ebook is. Nature as art.

Anyone who can recognize reptiles will find this e-book mesmerizing. The photographs are completely stunning. The only reason I didn't give it a full five stars is as a result of there's a picture of a snake with an alligator wherein the snake is incorrectly said to be a Reticulated Python...it's really a Boa Constrictor. That apart, I extremely advocate this glorious book. 

Serpentine

Mark Laita (Author), William Vollmann (Introduction)

200 pages

Harry N. Abrams (February 26, 2013)

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