Friday, September 03, 2021

Short Book Review: Kentucky Wide

Jeff Rogers, Kentucky Wide: Jeff Rogers Panoramics. Lexington, KY: Jeff Rogers Photography, 2006.  ISBN: 0-9772400-0-2.
 
Genre: art and photography
Subgenre: Kentuckiana
Format: coffee table hardcover book
Source: Berea branch, Madison County (KY) Public Library.
 

This is a coffee table art book of Kentucky photography. Jeff Rogers, a Corinth, KY native, went out and took photos in towns and back roads of the state. He states that some photos were done while on assignment, but many were taken as a result of being lost. He hopes that "this book brings you peace and gives you a greater appreciation for the beauty in the world we affectionately call the Bluegrass" (from book's cover jacket). 

The book contains 75 plates (photos). These are wide plates that take up two pages per photo. The result is you get these beautiful wide view panoramic images. This is some high quality photography you can just lose yourself in. Colors are lively and bright. Rogers captures a variety of images in all seasons and goes from rural areas to horse racing tracks. 
 
Other than an author's note at the beginning, there is no text. Each photo is identified by plate number; plates are then identified in the back of the book. That was a peeve for me. They (publisher) could have easily labeled locations under the photos (there is plenty of white space framing the photos) instead of making readers go back and forth to know what you were looking at. It was a fail in book design. That aside, these large photos are a pleasure to admire.

Overall, this is a good book for fans of good photography and Kentuckiana. Libraries in Kentucky should have a copy. Also libraries interested in art and photography should consider acquiring this. 

4 out of 5 stars. 

Qualifies for this 2021 Reading Challenge: 



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