Porter, Eliot. The West by Eliot Porter. First edition in cloth.

Little, Brown, 1988.  Good+ ex-library copy, with wear at bottom edges, dust jacket is clipped at base of spine (see photos, please ignore reflection), discard stamp on title page, new dust jacket protector.  Essay by Porter. 87 full page color plates of superb large format camera photos taken in California, Washington, Utah, Wyoming, Arizona, New Mexico, Oregon, Idaho, Texas, Washington and Montana.  Despite faults, still an attractive and usable copy. Summary:

The West (1988) is a landmark color photography monograph by Eliot Porter, one of the artists credited with bringing color photography into the mainstream of fine art. Published by New York Graphic Society/Little, Brown and Co., this first edition cloth volume serves as a definitive retrospective of Porter's lifelong fascination with the American West.

Core Content and Vision

Spanning decades of exploration, the book presents a comprehensive visual survey of the western United States, from the rugged peaks of the Rockies to the arid deserts of the Southwest.

• Beyond the Vista: Unlike traditional landscape photographers who sought "postcard" views, Porter focused on the intimate landscape. He captured the "chaos" of nature—tangled brush, lichen on rocks, and the complex floor of a forest—and found order through color and composition.

• Ecological Witness: The book reflects Porter's commitment to conservation, documenting wild spaces (including the now-submerged Glen Canyon) with a precision that served both art and environmental activism.

Technical and Artistic Style

The volume is a showcase for Porter’s technical mastery, specifically his use of the dye-transfer process.

• Luminous Palette: Porter's color is noted for being subtle and true to life, avoiding the over-saturation common in later commercial work. He used color as a structural element of the photograph, rather than just an attribute of the subject.

• Large-Format Clarity: Shot primarily with an 8x10 view camera, the images possess an extraordinary level of detail, allowing the viewer to "step into" the textures of stone, water, and foliage.

Key Information

• Published: 1988 (First Edition).

• Format: Large-format hardcover in cloth with a dust jacket, featuring over 80 high-fidelity color plates.

• Introduction: Includes an essay by Porter reflecting on his sixty years of photographing the region and his transition from a career in medicine/science to art.

• Significance: This volume is considered a "masterwork" collection, distilling the essence of the American West through the eyes of the man who revolutionized how we see it in color.

Summary: The West is a quiet, monumental tribute to the American wilderness. It remains an essential reference for understanding the evolution of color landscape photography and the preservationist spirit of the 20th century.