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Review by Lizzie Guilfoyle
A PHOTOGRAPH for every day of the year is just one aspect of
Philip Plisson's latest book, The Sea/Day by Day.
A highly-acclaimed marine photographer, whose work has spanned
more than 25 years, Plisson's images capture the sea in all its
many moods - from glassy cobalt to frenzied white.
It's all there - in the treacherous swells of Cape Horn, or the
storm-tossed waters of County Kerry's Mullet peninsular; in the
tranquil sea off Portofino, or the flat calm of the oyster farms
at Trinite-Sur-Mer; not forgetting, of course, the icy waters
of Patagonia.
But more than that, Plisson's images explore man's eternal fascination
with the sea, both as work place and playground.
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Hence, we see Theodore Malgorn, one
of the last lamplighters on the seas, checking the lens of the
Kereon lighthouse before turning on the light at dusk; the Claymore
Piper Platform, off Aberdeen, weathering a Winter storm and the
launch of a strike bomber from a now retired aircraft carrier.
While in total contrast, there's a skiff regatta in Martinique,
a surfer in Tahiti, and sunbathers on the beach at Biarritz.
Some images, though, exist solely for their artistry - the seagulls
viewed through a lighthouse window; the shadows in the rigging
on a tall ship's sail; the 'pilot' dolphin at a freighter's bow,
or the ganet keeping watch over its prey - beautiful and evocative,
they epitomize the sheer enchantment of the sea.
Accompanying each image is an informative and fascinating text.
For example, did you know that if the oceans suddenly evaporated,
the world would be covered with a layer of salt almost 114ft (35m)
thick? Didn't think so.....
The Sea/Day by Day is a book that, by the simple turning
of a page, will transport you to another world. It's a must for
all who love the sea, while for the rest, it might just hold a
surprise or two.
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