Roaming the natural and urban world with a camera for over 16 years, often alone, on foot and keeping a low profile, Ed Panar has repeatedly been caught in the act of photography--not by other people, but by a random assortment of familiar animals: cows, cats, frogs, dogs, turtles, deer, geese. The animal sees Ed; Ed sees the animal. An unspoken message passes between them. If the photographer is lucky, the moment is captured on film, cataloged and tagged for future reference. In Animals That Saw Me (Volume One), Panar brings together the first collection of his most surprising and unexpected encounters with ordinary beasts--a brief, beautifully deadpan field study of the uncanny moment of recognition between species. What exactly have these animals seen? Panar's photographs serve as a reminder that we must appear at least as strange to them as they do to us.
Featured image is reproduced from Ed Panar: Animals That Saw Me.
PRAISE AND REVIEWS
T: The New York Times Style Magazine
Yuri Chong
Ed Panar's latest photo book, "Animals That Saw Me", depicts isolated creatures in empty environments: a critter version of "Unhappy Hipsters." In each shot, a furry subject makes eye contact with the viewer. Captured scenes include a forlorn golden retriever gazing out from a cement watchtower, an un-shepherded lamb watching over a field and a poodle hiding out in a car - all humorously (or creepily, depending on how you digest these) staring right back at you.
"Lately I’ve been thinking how, to me, all the pictures I’m trying to take are just like the animal pictures. From very early on I have been drawn to spaces, objects and the evocative atmosphere that they seemed to emit. I like to think that you can make a “portrait” of a landscape, or of any object of any size. We look at humans or living creatures differently than the objects surrounding us—but to me, there’s an equal footing for those things. That’s why I’m thinking that “Animals” could be seen as a kind of decoder ring for some of my other projects. I think if you get that sense of humor, maybe it can carry over to some of the other pictures."
- Ed Panar, excerpted from a conversation with Dan Abbe, published in the October 26, 2011 issue of American Photo Magazine.
FORMAT: Hbk, 8.5 x 7 in. / 80 pgs / 40 color / 2 b&w. LIST PRICE: U.S. $29.95 LIST PRICE: CANADA $35 ISBN: 9780982365342 PUBLISHER: The Ice Plant AVAILABLE: 11/30/2011 DISTRIBUTION: D.A.P. RETAILER DISC: TRADE PUBLISHING STATUS: Out of print AVAILABILITY: Not available TERRITORY: NA LA UK EUR ASIA AFR ME
Roaming the natural and urban world with a camera for over 16 years, often alone, on foot and keeping a low profile, Ed Panar has repeatedly been caught in the act of photography--not by other people, but by a random assortment of familiar animals: cows, cats, frogs, dogs, turtles, deer, geese. The animal sees Ed; Ed sees the animal. An unspoken message passes between them. If the photographer is lucky, the moment is captured on film, cataloged and tagged for future reference. In Animals That Saw Me (Volume One), Panar brings together the first collection of his most surprising and unexpected encounters with ordinary beasts--a brief, beautifully deadpan field study of the uncanny moment of recognition between species. What exactly have these animals seen? Panar's photographs serve as a reminder that we must appear at least as strange to them as they do to us.
