Richmond Park

Sir David Attenborough has described Richmond Park as 'A very special place' - and with good reason. This vast oasis of green, just eight miles from the centre of London, is an ecological pearl in the midst of sprawling urbanisation. The park, most famous for its herd of 630 Fallow and Red Deer, is not only Europe's largest park, but is as big as the seven other royal parks combined. Since King Charles I first enclosed the park in 1637, it has provided a haven of tranquillity and diversion for all its visitors. Today, some 2.5 million people pass through its gates each year. In this beautiful book, Alex Saberi captures Richmond Park's unique blend of rare and diverse wildlife, plant life and rolling landscapes. From a crow perching on a bench in the morning haze to a foolhardy Labrador, breaking impatiently away from its owner, the photographs capture its inherent beauty as well as those rare moments of wildlife action and majesty that only yield themselves to the most patient and knowledgeable of observers. PHOTOGRAPHER: Alex Saberi has been photographing Richmond Park for over 7 years and his photographs were featured prominently in theGuide to Richmond Park, published in 2011 by The Friends of Richmond Park. In the same year they also appeared in The Times, The Independent, The Sun, The Daily Mail and Metro. Alex has won Environmental Protection Agency's 2008 photo competition and was placed second in the Landscape Photographer of the Year 2009 award. His photos have appeared in all the major photography magazines and most recently in the November 2011 National Geographic - Visions of Earth. AUTHOR: John Karter is a former writer for The Sunday Times, The Times and The Independent. He is the author of five books: Biographies of Lester Piggott and Frankie Dettori (Headline); On Training To Be A Therapist (Open University Press); The Profit(Roastbooks); Introduction to the Psychology of Relationships (Icon). He was the editor of Guide to Richmond Park. Alex Saberihas been photographing Richmond Park for over 7 years, frequently rising at the crack of dawn to capture its inherent beauty as well as those rare moments of wildlife action and majesty that only yield themselves to the most patient and knowledgeable of observers. Alex's photographs of the Park were featured prominently in the Guide to Richmond Park, published in 2011 by the Friends of Richmond Park, and in the same year they also appeared in The Times, The Independent, The Sun, The Daily Mail and the Metro. Alex has won Environmental Protection Agency's 2008 photo competition and placed second in the landscape photographer of the year 2009. His photos have appeared in all the major photography magazines and most recently in the November National Geographic - visions of earth. ILLUSTRATIONS: 120 colour