.Review by Lee Daley. Photographs by Robert Holmes.
Crossing the Thar Desert, Rajasthan, India, 1985
Famed photographer Robert Holmes has published PASSAGES a collection of his favorite photographs from the past fifty years along with the stories behind them. Despite having photographically illustrated well over fifty books, and published frequently in every known travel magazine, this collection of 270 images is the first that reflects Holmes’ own personal favorite images and the extraordinary life passages that have accompanied his work.
Not one drawn to the flash of superficiality, Holmes artistic drive goes deep. “As a photographer, I seek out the authentic, quintessential soul of a place,” he says. PASSAGES demonstrates that ethic dramatically in its portraits and landscape images from a myriad of destinations around the world.
Looking at the two images below, one of a young nomadic girl, another of a hauntingly beautiful older woman, I felt drawn in and immediately wanted to know more. I felt a connection between the subjects, the photographer and myself.
In Nepal, a young nomad girl looks with wonder at her world.
Poignantly beautiful older woman, Hoi An, Vietnam
Landscapes draw the viewer into the experience as well.
Olive Groves and Vineyards, Tuscany, Italy, 2016
PASSAGES tells the story of life as art. The author brings the reader in as he shares his life’s journey from early days in a rural English village to a lifelong exploration of the world and its people through the art of photography. Eventually moving to America and reaching National Geographic photographer status, Holmes has earned international recognition accompanied by multiple awards. Continuing to travel on assignment, Holmes also generously shares his photographic expertise, along with his ever present wit and passion, via international travel photography workshops through his company Lumaria Workshops.
Centro de las Artes de San Augustin, Etla, Oaxaca.
Gift: This stunning collection of photographs along with the dazzling destinations depicted, makes the perfect gift for yourself or a loved one.
PASSAGES by Robert Holmes
Sprinkled throughout PASSAGES are accolades and comments from fellow photographers and colleagues. Pulitzer Prize-winning Photojournalist Dianne Fitzmaurice writes: “He has a great eye for nuance, color, light and for sophisticated compositions. He’s photographing a subject, but he’s always looking for the layer behind it and making it multidimensional.”
More: From the 1975 British Everest Expedition to the vineyards of the world, Robert Holmes’ career as one of the world’s most successful and prolific travel photographers has extended more than 40 years. He was the first photographer to be honored twice by the Society of American Travel Writers with their Travel Photographer of the Year Award and he is the only photographer to be given the award 5 times, most recently for 2017.
Holmes has illustrated over 50 books and has regularly been one of the elite group of the world’s 100 best photojournalists invited to participate in the acclaimed “Day in the Life” series. He authored and photographed The Traveler’s Wine Guide to California that won a prestigious Lowell Thomas Award. More recently Bob has added film production to his talents and in partnership with Andrea Johnson has been producing videos for clients in the wine and hospitality industries.
Bob is a Fellow of both the Royal Geographical Society and The Explorers Club.
