TONE POEMS - BOOK 1: Opuses 1, 2 & 3 - Tapa dura

This large-format book contains 90 superbly reproduced black-and-white photographs divided into three sections, or opuses.

Opus 1, "Enigmas, Abstractions and Surprises," centers on a variety of images that are alternatively abstract, experimental, and unexpected. They are drawn from figure studies, landscape, architecture, and a variety of other roots.

Opus 2, "Darkness and Despair," is, in essence, a primal scream caused by the loss of an environmental battle, as politicians changed the laws to permit an illegal mining project.

Opus 3, "Lyricism of the Land," shows the magnificence of the natural world in which we live-including man-made alterations-as a celebration of the glories of our life-supporting planet.

The accompanying CD contains 74 minutes of classical piano music played by Judith Cohen and recorded in Seattle's Benaroya Hall. The music was chosen to mirror and expand upon the emotional content of the imagery in each opus.

Also included is an introduction written by world-renowned composer Gerard Schwarz.

Originally published by Photographic Arts Editions, now distributed by Rocky Nook.

Bruce Barnbaum, of Granite Falls, WA, entered photography as a hobbyist in the 1960s, and after four decades, it is still his hobby. It has also been his life's work for the past 30 years.

Bruce's educational background includes Bachelor's and Master's degrees in mathematics from UCLA. After working for several years as a mathematical analyst and computer programmer for missile guidance systems, he abruptly left the field and turned to photography.

Bruce has authored several books, some of which have become classics. The Art of Photography was first published in 1994, now with a successful updated edition in 2011.

Bruce is a frequent contributor to several photography magazines. His series "The Master Printing Class" is featured in each issue of Photo Techniques, and his articles are published regularly in LensWork. Through his workshops, articles, lectures, books, and innovative photography, Bruce has become a well-known and highly-respected photographer, educator, and pioneer.

Bruce is recognized as one of the finest darkroom printers on this planet, both for his exceptional black and white work, as well as for his color imagery. He understands light to an extent rarely found, and combines this understanding with a mastery of composition, applying his knowledge to an extraordinarily wide range of subject matter. His work is represented by more than ten galleries throughout the United States and Canada, and is in the collections of museums and private collectors worldwide.

Bruce has been an active environmental advocate for more than three decades, both independently and through his involvement and leadership with organizations such as the Sierra Club, the National Audubon Society, the Stillaguamish Citizens' Alliance, 1000 Friends of Washington, and the North Cascades Conservation Council.