Among the many people who accompany Rob Brown on his frequent trips into the backcountry, the considerable weight and size of his pack is always noted. His pack is so heavy, for on top of the necessary tramping gear and food, he always carries his large-format camera, and the requisite lenses and film. This has been a very fruitful exertion however, as though now considered old technology, this camera has been one of the cornerstones of his career, for it has enabled him to produce the remarkable, immensely detailed and beautifully lit photographs that so distinguish his work. For nearly two decades Rob has been carrying his camera all over the wild parts of New Zealand, and New Zealand: The Essential Landscape is the stunning record of this work. With huge dedication and patience, Rob Brown has set up his tripod in a breathtaking range of New Zealand's most beautiful and spectacular places, returning time and time again until he has produced an image that captures the essence of that place. Consequently this book presents a magnificent roll-call of what can truly be claimed as the essential landscapes of Aotearoa: Fiordland, Stewart Island, the Catlins, Mount Aspiring, Aoraki/Mt Cook, the glacier country of South Westland, the Paparoas, Kahurangi, Abel Tasman and Nelson Lakes National Parks, and in the north, The Tararua and Ruahine Ranges, Taranaki, the volcanoes of the Central North Island, and the coastal landscapes and kauri forests of the upper North Island. A dedicated conservationist, Rob Brown's belief in the ability of wilderness to enrich the human spirit shines out through his photographs. He is clearly one of the finest landscape photographers working in this country, and New Zealand: The Essential Landscape is a superb insight into the power of his work.