The Cotswolds: Spectacular Images Showing the Ever-changing Seasons

THE COTSWOLDS 

ISBN 9781874192794



The Cotswolds: Spectacular Images Showing the Ever-changing Seasons Nicholas Reardon





REVIEW:

"The Cotswolds" which I was fortunate to have won from Goodreads Giveaways is a breathtaking exploration of the natural beauty of the countryside throughout the seasons. With a treasure trove of photographs Nicholas Reardon guides us from the past to the present, from the modern to the historic, and from wildlife to pastoral scenes, giving us a yearning to discover the beauty and majesty of this beautiful place for ourselves. The images don't need words to bring home hidden wonders like water pouring from the mouth of a crocodile head, fearsome gargoyles encrusted with age or the grandeur of ancient ruins and stately old homes. With clever dexterity he juxtaposes images against one another giving depth to his perception, like the antiquities of a museum, the natural simplicity and clarity of the moon against a man-made church or snow-kissed weeds frozen amid the frost bitten rocks in winter. I loved the contrast of colours throughout the seasons especially the stark frozen beauty inherent in winter. This book brings to life the splendour of the Cotswolds and I'm thrilled to let visitors to my home sample the experience for themselves. These glorious hills, rightly described as an area of outstanding natural beauty, contain a treasure trove of spectacular views, along with flowers and wildlife just asking to be photographed. In the following pages I take you through the seasons, offering just a taste of what can be seen, in the hope that it will tempt you to explore this wonderful countryside for yourselves. From hidden gems like the stone crocodile head on a fresh water spring in Compton Abdale, and fearsome gargoyles staring down at you from ancient churches, to the grandeur of castles and the splendour of stately homes, I hope to bring the Cotswolds alive for you with the help of my camera. So as not to spoil the images with excess wording I have let the pictures speak for theirselves but at the back of the book you will find a page-by-page explanation of the photographs, along with the locations.


Review:

Through The Lens: This month's book feature is a splendid example of how a local photographer can show the effects of the changing seasons on a landscape. The Cotswolds (ISBN: 9781874192794) is a large coffee table book featuring one of England's areas of outstanding natural beauty. 
Lying between Stratford-upon-Avon to the north and the City of Bath to the south, the famous Cotswold hills have long been a place where photographers have attempted to capture the atmosphere of villages where time has stood still. 
This book is a fine example of how a local photographer with extensive knowledge of the area can reveal features, normally hidden in plain sight, to the casual visitor. We can fully recommend this book to all our readers and the signed copy we were sent for review will now be added to our selection of competition prizes.
 The Gloucestershire Echo The Cotswolds By Nicholas Reardon Cheltenham photographer publishes book of beautiful Cotswold scenes By Aled Thomas Beautiful and quirky landscapes in the Cotswolds have inspired a keen photographer to produce his own book.
 Nicholas Reardon has published a book of photographs entitled The Cotswolds, drawn from his shots taken throughout last year. Mr Reardon, who lives in Cheltenham and runs his own publishing company, said: "I'm always going all over and I like to take pictures and my wife Sally said I was doing it for lots of other people, so why didn't I do it myself? "This is my very first photo book and the pictures are just what I see when travelling about the Cotswolds." The 96-page book shows taken from all over the Cotswolds and slightly further afield, in broadly chronological order. It opens with spring, which was very cold right into April, allowing Nicholas to capture images of daffodils in full bloom with a cap of snow. Despite the area being something of a favourite with photographers, Nicholas has aimed to capture its beauty from lesser-known perspectives. 
He said: "There are pictures of Gloucester Docks on a summer's evening when they're completely deserted, or Sudeley castle from across it's lake, which no-one ever sees. There's a picture of a row of cottages in Bibury with cows in the foreground just across the lane and if you look carefully there's an electric fence to keep them from crossing the lane to the houses." Nicholas, who previously designed David Wilson's books on the notebooks written by his great-uncle Edward Wilson during his Antarctic journey, said he wanted images rather than words to be the focus of The Cotswolds. "I have let the pictures speak for their selves, but at the back of the book you will find a page-by-page explanation of the photographs, along with the locations," he said. 
He added: "The book was made possible by the help and kindness shown to me by the various attractions, allowing me to roam freely over their properties in search of interesting views, fascinating artefacts and plentiful wildlife."


Format: Paperback
The Cotswolds are on my bucket list of places to visit. This exquisite book of photos through the seasons makes me even more anxious to go there soon. The big problem will be deciding on the time of year to visit. I love the way the pictures are unspoiled by writing and captions. Instead the pictures are identified at the end. I highly recommend this book to anyone who just loves photography or is thinking about visiting the area like myself. This book is a rare and beautiful find. I wish to thank Nicholas Reardon for providing me a copy to add to my collection of materials to help prepare for our eventual trip.
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Format: Paperback
Have just had the 'delightful' pleasure of purchasing a copy of this 'Cotswolds Treasure'. What a super production and quite apart from the flavour of the Cotswolds themselves, the quality of pictures and the actual production make this a real gem to have.
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Format: Paperback
Such a beautiful book with an amazing collection of photographs to showcase the Cotswolds. It would certainly entice you to visit the area or would make a superb souvenir to take home.
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