Books on sale
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THROUGH THE NIGHT – SPA 24HOURS Take a look into the theatrical world of motor racing with a behind the scenes view from an endurance photographer! Spa 24hr Blancpain series is where we find the evocative images by Lara Platman who, spent the night with the teams in the pit lanes. This bespoke collection of photographs selected by Lara shows us something magical about the people and their cars. For Sale at £50.00.
http://www.photobox.co.uk/creation/hosted/1149460551
Behind the black door in a quiet Bloomsbury Square, the Art Workers Guild has guarded its secrets. Since the time of William Morris, whose portrait bust has pride of place in the meeting hall, the body of members has spanned generations and more artistic activities than that of any comparable organisation.
Lara Platman turns her lens on the art workers in their workplaces. The words and pictures show 130 of the many outstanding designers and makers at work in Britain, recording lives of dedicated commitment practical wisdom and enjoyment of the unexpected.
Buy a signed copy for £10.00 +£5.00 p+p
Harris Tweed is a unique woollen textile that has been hand-woven by islanders off the west coast of Scotland for generations. Worn worldwide, it is cherished both for the clothing made from it and as a fascinating traditional craft.
Lara Platman spent a year with the farmers, mill workers, weavers, tailors and designers who are carrying this tradition forward into the twenty-first century and in Harris Tweed: From Land to Street she follows the chain of craftsmen, from the islanders in the Hebrides to the tailors of Savile Row. With an eye for character, colour and light, and an ear for a good story, she has created extraordinary portraits of these living national treasures, complemented by evocative images of the landscapes of Harris, the tweed patterns whose textures and colours seem to emerge from the land, and the use of Harris tweed in the work of fashion designers including Vivienne Westwood, Margaret Howell and Paul Smith. Offering insights into a lifestyle whose continued existence may surprise many, this group portrait is a heartfelt celebration of craftsmanship and a way of life.
Publication Details:
Binding: Hardback, 144 pages ISBN: 9780711232167 Format: 305mm x 250mm 100 colour illustrations Imprint: Frances Lincoln
Buy a signed copy for £25.00 +£5.00 p+p
Reviews of Harris Tweed from land to street:
It’s the biggest fictional hero endorsement to hit the Hebridean textile industry since Sherlock Holmes chose a Harris Tweed deerstalker. Our revelation on Saturday that the jacket worn by the eleventh Doctor Who, Matt Smith, is a vintage Dunn & Co two-by-two dogtooth will, we hope, galvanise fresh interest in this great, 100 per cent new wool cloth — a material that should be as synonymous with Britain as denim is with the US. – The Times 31 March 2010
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Harris Tweed: From Land to Street is a beautiful book that attempts, through photographic vignettes and small bits of text, to capture the feeling of Harris Tweed. This is no small endeavour: part of the appeal of Harris Tweed is in its texture and feel, something difficult to represent on paper. Nonetheless, Lara Platman’s book does a phenomenal job of capturing a little bit of the essence of Harris Tweed, following it from its woolly beginnings to its finely crafted result. Wellcultured.com
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Lara Platman’s beautiful book celebrates the industry with a series of photographic portraits that show how deeply rooted Harris tweed is in its landscape and indigenous culture. Her ability as a photographer to get under the skin of her subject, her eye for colour, light and local identity, make this book a must for anyone interested in the iconic Hebridean textile. – Country Life
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A celebration of craftsmanship, dedication and a way of life. – Dundee Courier & Advertiser
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I have a number of wonderful photographic books about the Western Isles – The Hebrideans by Gus Wylie was the starting point for the E Tautz autumn/winter 2010 collection – but they’re all in black and white. This volume, in full colour, is less romantic but more real than all the others. – GQ magazine
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A timely look at the people behind the cloth. The text presents a thorough history and the images are excellent – Lara Platman has produced a fascinating book. – Amateur Photographer
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Platman outlines the journey from sheep to fabric, and from the Hebrides to Savile Row, all lovingly illustrated with her beautiful documentary photography. – Crafts
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Lara Platman spent a year with the farmers, mill workers and weavers who produce the cloth, and with the tailors and designers who fashion it into some of the most stylish garments around. Her evocative portraits of the people and the place tell a remarkable story of craftsmanship and survival. – Homes & Interiors Scotland
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Her intimate portraits, laid out in Harris Tweed: From Land to Street, follow the fabric as it is created: from the birth of the Cheviot lambs, to their shearing, the washing and sorting of the fleece and the creation of the yarns, right up until the final moment – the gentleman’s suit, proudly displayed, on a mannequin in a Savile Row tailor’s window. – Independent
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