Kosi Bay book

Description:

Shoreline - Discovering South Africa's Coast is a coffee table book launched in March by the same team that produced the acclaimed Shoreline series that aired on SABC2 TV.

The book documents an archaeological, historical, and marine journey around the 2 800km South African coast - from the Orange River delta in the west to the subtropical Kosi Bay in the east. A dynamic range of photographs illustrates text that is interesting and captivating yet accessible and informative.

The book centres on themes of diversity and conservation. A study of the history behind the formation of the present coast provides insight into how coastal flora and fauna have adapted to human interaction, climate change and other external influences.

"Bathed by two contrasting oceans that yield distinctly different climates, with four marine bio-geographic regions supporting diverse plant and animal life, peopled by the rainbow nation and its many cultures, South Africa's coast is hard to match."

Shoreline as a TV series was known for its cinematographic value, and the photos accompanying the eloquent text of the book matches the videos. Photographer Rojas was the environmental consultant and he has done a remarkable job documenting the journey in still images as well.

One cannot help but take a deep breath viewing the well-composed aerial photographs of the labyrinth of tidal channels in Langebaan, or the skeletal lines of Kosi Bay fish kraals.

The powerful yet technically challenging use of backlighting in landscapes works particularly well, even though Rojas's stock method of portraying depth and proportion - the lone bird soaring over the landscape - is a bit overused. More attention could have been given to macro-photography, which, aside from a very interesting image of a mudskipper, could have been greatly improved with a simple change in angle, depth of focus and lens selection.

The collection is not limited to landscapes and nature, but also includes the people who live along the coast. Interviews and intimate portraits leave the reader with a strong familiarity with the humans that play a vital role in the sustainability of the coast.

Retailing at about R300, this book is a must-buy for the Shoreline series enthusiast and anyone who has an interest in the diversity, history and culture on offer by South Africa's coastline.

Through images that inspire and illustrate, and words that inform and educate, Shoreline - Discovering South Africa's Coast tells the story of a great adventure. It is sure to make one think twice the next time one hears of a book made from a movie.

The complete Shoreline DVD series is also available for about R300 available in all bookshops in South Africa.