Woodland Sanctuary by Simon Baxter & Joe Cornish | My Photo Bookshelf
You may have noticed that I enjoy a bit of woodland photography. In fact, I just enjoy the woodland and spending time exploring my local forest camera in hand or not. So, when two well-established photographers joined forces and released the Woodland Sanctuary book to accompany their exhibition to showcase the trees and woodland of the North York Moors, I jumped at the chance to own a copy. I don’t say this lightly, but Joe Cornish and Simon Baxter have both significantly influenced my landscape and woodland photography over the past few years, so, owning a book and experiencing more of their work in the printed form was an exciting prospect.
Author’s Synopsis
Trees and Woodland of the North York Moors
Woodland Sanctuary is a joint exhibition between photographers Simon Baxter and Joe Cornish. The work was gathered over the last six years, all of it within the North York Moors National Park.
This book is its hand-held equivalent. It is a record of the pictures and words from the exhibition. It also contains a few pictures for which there was insufficient space in the gallery! Arranged in a series of artistically inspired themes, we hope the photographs convey a sense of joy and wonder, and sometimes other complex emotions that can be triggered by looking at trees, and walking through the woods.
My thoughts about the book
I wasn’t able to attend Simon and Joe’s Woodland Sanctuary exhibition in person and although I thoroughly enjoyed the videos they released, there is no substitute for being there in person to view their work hanging on the wall, so I guess this book is the next best thing.
For the £20 I paid, this softcover book is packed full of 90+ beautiful woodland photos, organised by themes, including taken alongside rivers, scenes shaped by humans and 7 others. It’s such a unique and effective way to present their work, aligning them to a narrative that has a deeper meaning than just the aesthetic of the scene itself.
The book starts with an introduction by Joe Cornish, who provides some of the background to the work, the artists and the exhibition. This is followed by an artist statement from them both, talking about their own journeys that led them to create their own, deep connections with the woodland.
It goes without saying that the work presented in this book is on another level, but what I like even more is how distinct the work is between the two artists. As I flicked through, I would instantly recognise Simon’s or Joe’s work without the need to look at the text underneath. Although these two photographers have their own distinct style, the thoughtful sequencing allowed them to place their photos harmoniously side by side with a nice flow throughout each chapter.
To own some of the best woodland photography I’ve seen to date for as little as £20 is quite unique. This is a book I’ll return to time and again for inspiration.
Book Details
300gsm fine uncoated softcover
Size: 300mm x 240mm
Pages: 92 Litho printed on170gsm Silk Art Paper
Availability at the time of writing: In stock and available from Simon Baxter’s website https://baxter.photos/shop/woodland-sanctuary Also available on Joe Cornish’s gallery shop website here.