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The Kaufman Field Guide Series
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What is a field guide? Although the term is often misused, a true field guide is a compact book designed for quickly identifying things in the field. It may not have room for much extra information about the subject but it is organized to help the user to recognize things quickly. The "things" in my field guides are living things, elements of nature.
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The Houghton Mifflin Company of Boston, publishers of books by such luminaries as Henry David Thoreau, Rachel Carson, Jane Goodall, and Roger Tory Peterson, has long been known for its prestigious line of books on nature and the environment. In October 2000, Houghton Mifflin continued this tradition by launching the Kaufman Guides, a new series of nature identification guides with a revolutionary approach.
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| Field guides in the past had been illustrated with drawings or paintings (usually) or with photographs, and each approach had its limitations. The first Kaufman Guide, Birds of North America, introduced a totally new method of illustration. All of the images in the book started out as photographs, but then all were extensively edited by Kenn Kaufman, using digital photo-editing software. This process made it possible to clean up shadows and reflections, correct colors and sizes, and ensure that all important field marks were visible in each image. The results were hailed as producing the most accurate and lifelike illustrations ever published. |
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| The example below shows the original photo of a Greater Shearwater in flight compared to the digitally edited version. Shearwaters are seabirds, and photographic conditions at sea are often very difficult, with harsh light and reflections and the motion of the boat all adding to the challenge. With digital editing, the markings of the bird become much easier to see in the final version. The photo is by Rick and Nora Bowers of Bowers Photo; digital editing by Kenn Kaufman. |
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Photo copyright Rick and Nora Bowers / BowersPhoto.com. All rights reserved. Edited version copyright Kenn Kaufman / Hillstar Editions LLC.
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| The hallmark of all of the Kaufman Field Guides is that they are designed for ease of use. Although we go to great lengths to ensure that the books are accurate and complete enough to be trusted by experts, the number one goal is to make the books accessible and understandable for beginners, so that newcomers to natural history will be able to take their first steps with confidence. For more on the philosophy and approach of this field guide series, click here; for more information about individual titles in the series, click on the titles or cover images below. |
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Mammals of North America, by Nora Bowers, Rick Bowers, and Kenn Kaufman. Published 2004, new cover design in 2007.
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All photos, drawings, and text on this web site are by Kenn Kaufman unless noted otherwise. Copyrighted, all rights reserved. |
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