Melbourne photographer David Neilson’s lifelong quest, chasing after the perfect mountain light, has resulted in this striking collection of 150 landscape and wildlife images from South West Tasmania, Patagonia, Antarctica, Karakoram and the Alps of Australia, New Zealand and Europe.
The text describes the author’s early mountaineering activities and his evolving interest in photographing wild places and their conservation. All the photos are in black & white and reproduced by high quality duotone printing.
David Neilson’s early photography was undertaken on mountaineering and exploring trips and an additional forty photos illustrate these activities. Patagonia and Antarctica are major themes and several of his journeys were by long sea voyages, including sailing on a yacht from Edinburgh to the Strait of Magellan.
The yacht enabled him to photograph remote parts of Tierra del Fuego and to access the start of his crossing of the Southern Patagonian Ice-cap. Later he sailed three times from Ushuaia in southern Argentina to photograph the Antarctic Peninsula and South Georgia in the South Atlantic.
The text begins with his childhood adventures which were the catalyst for his evolving love of wild places and mountains. These adventures led to early walking and rock climbing in South West Tasmania, and later, mountaineering, and photographing in distant parts of the earth. Also described is his interest in using photography to help with the conservation of the natural environment.
The last chapter contains photos of some of the most dramatic mountains on the planet focusing on K2, the second-highest peak in the world. These mountains are situated in the Karakoram range in far north-east Pakistan.
About David Neilson
David Neilson is the photographer and author of four previous books. South West Tasmania: A Land of the Wild highlighted the threatened wilderness of western Tasmania. Wilsons Promontory: Coastal Wildness celebrated the beauty of one of Australia’s foremost national parks. Patagonia: Images of a Wild Land drew on his climbing expeditions to the southern Andes and his most recent book, Southern Light: Images from Antarctica, was the result of six journeys to the Antarctic.
In 1990 and 2004 he received Antarctic Arts Fellowships from the Australian Antarctic Division that enabled him to spend two summers taking photos in East Antarctica. In 2021 he was one of four Antarctic Arts Fellows to be featured on a set of Australia Post stamps.
Praise for Southern Light: Images from Antarctica:
“Southern Light is a blast of beauty. Neilson spreads before us myriad majestic peaks and icy plains in images that seem lit from within. His animal close-ups are latter-day Audubons – exquisitely observed portraits brimming with character. A love letter in the form of a coffee-table book.” REBECCA P. SINKLER – The New York Times Book Review
CHASING the MOUNTAIN LIGHT: A Life Photographing Wild Places by David Neilson
Hardback, 305 mm x 325 mm, portrait, 264 pages, 190 black & white photos reproduced in duotone, 8 vertical double page images viewed by turning the book sideways, 50,000 word text, 5 maps. Published by Snowgum Press. Distribution to the book trade by Peribo Pty Ltd. $89. Publication October/November 2022
Published as a co-edition in the United States by New York fine art and illustrated book publisher Abbeville Press.
For further information, to arrange an interview or to receive a review copy of the book please contact: David Neilson M: 0409 383 306 E: [email protected]
