A century-old botanical journal interpreted anew through sumptuous dutone photography.The market for books on botanical subjects is very strong, from volumes that reproduce antique drawings to books of contemporary botanical photography. "Flowers in Shadow offers the best of both worlds in an innovative package. BRIn the pages of this artful volume enclosed in a beautiful cloth case with a debossed image, photographer Zeva Oelbaum at once captures the beauty of a century-old botanical journal found in a tiny antiques shop in New England and interprets it anew through sumptuous duotone photography. By layering the original journal pages, using natural light to bring out the subtle textures of the pressed plants and paper, then photographing them, she has created a memorable collection of botanical images. BREvery photograph is a unique composition, featuring a different plant and displaying the notations of the young botanist who created the original journal. Each plant is accompanied by an informative description by Sara Stein as well. With an evocative foreword by Susan Orlean, an introduction by Stein on the nature of botany during the Victorian Era, and the author's preface that relates the history of the journal, "Flowers in Shadow is an informative and stunning volume that will delight lovers of fine art photography, gardeners, and fans of botanical imagery and Victoriana.BR
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Zeva Oelbaum is a New York-based still life and food photographer. Her work can frequently be seen in The New York Times Magazine, House Beautiful, and many other magazines and books.
Staff writer for The New Yorker since 1992 and has also written for Outside, Esquire, Rolling Stone, and Vogue. She graduated from the University of Michigan and worked as a reporter in Portland, Oregon, and Boston, Massachusetts. She now lives in New York City and can be reached via the internet at www.susanorlean.com
