Alex S. MacLean

In my review of Alex S. MacLean's "Designs on the Land," I lament the small size of the book, which leaves many of the landscape-oriented photos too small. That deficiency is overcome in this large-format collection of the photographer's "aerial activism," where the photos are given the requisite size to grasp details within the photos, not just their big-picture effects. Another difference between the two books can be found in the text: "Designs on the Land" includes essays and interviews but no explication within the captions; in "Over" the captions are the main source of information outside of the aerial photos themselves (I'd wager these captions are as important as the photos). Bill McKibben writes an introduction, one indication (along with the title) of MacLean's attempts at using his photographs to sway people in their choices about where they live, work, shop and play. I can't imagine doing what MacLean has done – documenting American from the air for three decades – without coming down as a staunch environmentalist whose photos convey the scale and circumstance of our impact on the land while still portraying its beauty.… (altro)