Portrait of Houston

I recently moved to Houston from overseas and have tried to learn as much as I can about the city and after reading a review in a photography bulletin board I thought this book would be a worthy acquisition. I thought I'd kill two birds with one stone and buy the book both to get to know the city and also to help seeking "inspiration" for my own photography projects.My standard to determine the quality of a coffee table (photo) book is how energized I feel afterwards to grab my camera and go out to shoot. Upon finishing "Portrait of Houston" I was hardly inspired to do much except o come here to write this short review.There are amazing pictures in this book, like the one with the a group of kids in cowboy outfits at the rodeo with their backs to the camera (page 42), Katy Prairie (page 35), flags at San Jacinto Battleground Sate Historic Site (page 51), Pumpkin House (page 57), Kemah (page 101) and the Gus S. Wortham Memorial Fountain (page 110). But precisely, there lies the problem. Those were the only pictures that made me do a double take. While all other pictures do an excellent job in offering a complete view of the city (including places rarely depicted in similar books) one comes away with the sense that the editors didn't try hard enough to make a good selection of the author's work. As to the photographer, she delivers completely and consistently when it comes to tight shots (the Galleria Waterpark (page 10), Downtown (page 90)), but most if not all of the wide-angle pictures leave the reader confused as to what she really wanted to convey (Rice University (page 17), Japanese Gardens (page 19), Ally Theatre (page 40), to name a few).In conclusion, this book offers an excellent narrative of the city and its surroundings but it doesn't quite deliver as a photography book.

Houston is a dynamic and diverse city, firmly entrenched in the American south, it offers great hospitality to residents and guests alike. Houston shines as an ethnic melting pot that is constantly changing and growing, without seemingly fazing its natives. Gary and Kathy Clark have captured a small sense of the variety that Houston and its fingerling communities have to offer. I love the contrasts between the old and new, the artwork, the nature, the fine arts, the history and the diversity revealed in this edition. I especially love all the nature photos in the book. Many outsiders overlook the fact that Houston is a very green city, with loads of parks and outdoor activities for young and old. It offers a vast array of entertainments for visitors and residents alike. The book was an eye opener to me in all the things I've yet to discover about my home. I've lived in Houston, on and off, for almost 32 years in total. I thought I knew pretty much everything there was to know about the city, but that just isn't the case. This book just goes to show, you never really know a city unless you see it through another's perspective. Great job to the Clarks, you've added a wealth of locations, and some history too, for investigating in the coming years.

Stunning photography and informative narrative combine to create a lovely picture of our city. I have lived in Houston for 40+ years (all of my adult life), but I know little about the history of our city or the details of the how or why places and things have come to be built or named. Kathy captures the photos, and Gary captures the factual as well as the folklore in his narrative of each photo. I know the book is not intended to be a "how to photograph Houston" book, though I would love to have the EXIF (photo) information for each shot to study. Nonetheless, I am proud to have the book on my coffee table. And I think it is going to be a great holiday gift for a couple of friends and family as well. And following in the footsteps Kathy and Gary have created, I think I will do some exploring of our fine city, as Houston has a lot to offer.Debbie

Although I have lived in Houston for over twenty years, I found places I have yet to discover in this wonderful new book by Kathy Adams Clark. She captures with an artist's eye the many personalities of our fair city, from the lush natural beauty of the land to the rich architecture, from the bustle of the city to the many ways Houstonians spend their leisure time. Whether you're a native or visiting for the first time, Kathy's award winning photography will have you reaching for your tennis shoes and car keys to get out and see the sites.

This book contains beautiful photographs along with descriptive narratives by Kathy's husband, Gary. I purchased several, some as gifts for my native Houstonian friends.I highly recommend this addition to your library and/or table top.It's a tresure!