Photo album satisfies on visual, literary levels

Deseret News (Salt Lake City), Oct 16, 2005 by Dave Gagon Deseret Morning News

RED ROCK YELLOW STONE, Edwin Firmage, Frimageditions, $34.95, paperback, 108 pp., four-color photographs

Edwin Firmage's new book, "Red Rock Yellow Stone" is a visual and literary effort that ultimately succeeds on both levels.

As a journey through America's Western parks, Firmage's large- format photographs are inspirational by virtue of their strong composition, varied texture, vivid color and subject matter. This alone would make "Red Rock Yellow Stone" worthy of a look, but when joined with passages of Japanese haiku, the book becomes a series of sublime snippets of time and place.

"The idea of combining haiku and photographs of America's Western parks derives from my interest in Zen, both as a way of life and as a philosophy of art," said Firmage. "Red Rock Yellow Stone" has more than 50 classic haiku -- some written by the four masters, Basho, Buson, Issa and Shiki -- as well as 20 written by Firmage.

Haiku is an unrhymed verse form of Japanese origin (latter half of the 17th century) having three lines containing usually 5, 7, and 5 syllables respectively. It is always short, and according to Firmage, if well done, "is sweet beyond anything you'd expect in just 17 syllables."

Like photography, haiku celebrates one's being present in the moment. "Haiku," Firmage said, "is an almost photographic rendering of experience." The photographs and haiku in "Red Rock Yellow Stone" are "in fact like music written in counterpoint. Each has its own melodic line; together they create something more interesting than either alone."

Every page in the book -- also designed by Firmage with Zen-like flair -- combines a splendidly printed photograph with a haiku written both in English and in Japanese. The verticality of the Japanese is often superimposed over the left-to-right of written English, or juxtaposed in perfect harmony on the page.

The printing quality of the 11-by-13 1/2-inch book is high and the typography is stunning.

Firmage, who says he actively meditates through his camera, has delivered a perfect coffee-table book in "Red Rock Yellow Stone," a book that will, once again, delight readers on a visual and literary level.

If you go . . .

What: Edwin Firmage, book signing

Where: Ken Sanders Rare Books, 268 S. 200 East

When: Friday, 7-9 p.m.

How much: Free

Phone: 521-3819

E-mail: gag@desnews.com