Author(s): Art Wolfe

Natural History and Nature

In this revealing book of unconventional animal portraits, esteemed wildlife photographer Art Wolfe turns his lens on one of the animal kingdoms most fundamental survival techniques: camouflage. Wolfes carefully orchestrated portraits show animals disappearing into their surroundings through deceptions, disguises, lures, and decoys meant to confuse the eyes of predators, prey, and photographers alike. In a world where nothing is truly as it seems, a lion blends into the tall grass of the savannah in the late afternoon sun; a baby harp seal disappears against a snowy backdrop; and a mottled green chameleon clings to a moss-covered tree. Mimicking animals ability to hide in the wild, the photographs in Vanishing Act include pastel orchids that are actually praying mantises, tree branches that are really sleeping birds, and brightly-coloured corals that confess to being exotic fish after enough careful observation. At a time when many species are threatened by permanent disappearance due to habitat loss and human encroachment, Vanishing Act showcases the beauty of animals natural abilities to vanish, artfully illustrating the extreme they will go to in order to survive in an eat-or-be-eaten world.