Alabama — what’s the state known for? Slavery, the Civil War, segregation, civil rights, football. All true. But then there’s this: the most biologically diverse state east of the Mississippi; the fifth most-forested by percent of land mass; one of the richest river complexes in the world; home to the most aquatic species in the nation, the wettest city, the largest inland delta system; five distinct physiographic regions, from coastal to prairie to piney woods to mountains to piedmont to plateau; and four real seasons. What that adds up to, if you’re as talented as master photographer John Dersham, is a canvas of spectacular beauty. In My Alabama, Dersham presents 200 images revealing the diversity and beauty of the 22nd state as it celebrates its 200th birthday. The book is loosely organized around the four seasons, and its images are mostly landscapes, though the built environment makes appearances—from the busy port of Mobile to rural churches and schools. No other Alabama picture book ranges across the entire state like this one, and the quality and composition of Dersham’s images are a visual feast. Captions provide location data and key facts; a few interspersed brief essays offer additional background. An index links places and themes, and a photo log reveals how specific images were made. My Alabama: John Dersham Photographs a State is a master artist’s loving but exacting visual survey of his adopted home. Through 200 of his photos selected for the state’s 200th birthday, Dersham reveals Alabama’s striking natural beauty and ecological diversity, with occasional images of the built environment rounding out the portrait.
