Santa Anita Book Review on Amazon

While monitoring some on-line activity I came across this Amazon review of my Santa Anita book which I really appreciated.  Even though it was a small press run, I still have some copies of the book available for sale.

Review

Laura Rose of Equine Images Magazine wrote: "In his book Santa Anita, photographer William Karl Valentine captures the pulse of this California racetrack with his camera, The images, chosen from four years' worth of photographs, include everything your eye may pick up during a day at the track - from a classic stretch drive to a refreshing horse bath, from a grandstand littered with people and paper to a lost child in the safe grip of a track security officer." "But the photographs of the people of the track tell just as much of the story, and Valentine has captured them not as snapshot figures, but as friends...it's evident that notonly does Valentine know the track, it knows him."

Mark Ratzky of the Daily Racing Form wrote: ""Santa Anita" is a must-see for any fan of this racetrack. The book contains 80 black and white pictures of just about every aspect of an afternoon at the foot of the beautiful San Gabriels, and really manages to capture a day at the races."

Bill Jay - History of Photography Professor at Arizona State University wrote: "...Muybridge was the pioneer: Valentine the progenitor. It is fanciful (but fun)to speculate on Muybridge's reaction to these images made over 100 years later...Muybridge would probably be jealous" -- Publisher Comments

http://www.amazon.com/Santa-Anita-William-Karl-Valentine/dp/0963140019

Harrison Jacobs

I recently did an interview about my work with Harrison Jacobs of the Business Review which should be posted any day now.  I wanted to take a moment and talk about Harrison who is a 2012 Tufts graduate.  Three years out of college he has already written for PDN, Rangefinder, and now Business Insider.  Before we did the interview I looked up his work to get myself prepared and I was impressed.  I particularly liked his Rangefinder article on Jonathan Auch.  http://www.rangefinderonline.com/features/profiles/Street-Photographys-7611.shtml .  His writing has the quality, insight, and understanding of images (& the medium) far beyond his years.  Looking over his web site he seems to still be discovering his path in life, which I think is awesome.  Hopefully he continues writing on photography.  If you love reading about photography his career is one to keep an eye on. 

Lewis Baltz passes away

Becky Senf , from the Center for Creative Photography, posted news this week  that Lewis Baltz had passed away.  I always enjoyed his images and was lucky to have studied under Bill Jenkins, who curated the New Topographics  exhibition which brought to prominence  Baltz's work.  Bill was one of my professors at Arizona State University.  Below are links to the Washington Post article about Baltz's passing as well as another 2010 feature on New Topographics.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/in-sight/wp/2014/11/24/icon-of-new-topography-movement-lewis-baltz-dies-at-69/

http://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2010/feb/08/new-topographics-photographs-american-landscapes