“The Natural World is one of the most spectacular submissions this year–and that takes a lot of doing given the extraordinary quality of almost all the entries in this category. It has been a year of joyful judging not least because of this incredible book,” comments one judge who goes on to say, “Normally I try to give each publisher a full page of comments, criticisms, suggestions… However, this doesn’t work when I am looking at a perfect book–as here.”

The Benjamin Franklin Awards recognizes excellence in independent publishing. Books, grouped by genre, are judged on editorial and design merit by top practitioners in each field. Awards are given to the best books and were presented to the publisher, authors, designer and printer at the awards ceremony on May 29th at the Wilshire Grand Hotel in Los Angeles.

The Natural World, with a foreword by Jane Goodall, chronicles ten distinct ecosystems that serve as islands of refuge not only for Earth’s diversity of life but for the human spirit as well.

“The photos are fabulous, amazing, gorgeous!” said another judge who praised Mangelsen’s “vision and passion and the determination to incorporate both in The Natural World.”

As the photographer, writer and publisher of The Natural World, Mangelsen takes the viewer on a visual odyssey, from the migration on the plains of the Serengeti to the penguins of Antarctica, from the grizzlies of Alaska to the frozen landscape of the polar bears on Hudson Bay. In striking panoramic photographs, Mangelsen documents his subjects within the context of their varied environments. Excerpts from his journals detail his experiences in the field, and his words provide a window into the man behind the camera. Tom shares his love for and fascination with the magical places that have changed his life and his perspective on our shrinking wild places.

Tom Mangelsen had this to say upon hearing that his latest book won the award in the Best Coffee Table/Large Format category: “The book was a labor of love and it is wonderful to receive such special recognition from PMA.”

To learn more about Thomas D. Mangelsen, go to www.mangelsen.com

To learn more about the BFA award ceremony, go to: www.pma-online.org/pubresources/benfrank2008_winners.aspx

In striking panoramic photographs, Mangelsen documents his subjects within the context of their varied environments. Excerpts from his journals detail his experiences in the field, and his words provide a window into the man behind the camera. Tom shares his love for and fascination with the magical places that have changed his life and his perspective on our shrinking wild places.

In her foreword, Dr. Jane Goodall weighs in on the state of the natural world, focusing on the impact of Mangelsen’s work in helping others better understand and protect our wild places. “It seems to me that he has the same kind of reverence for the spiritual essence of the wilderness as the Native American who believes that life on Earth is sacred, a gift from the Creator,” Goodall writes. “It is this, I think, which enables Tom to capture, again and again, something of the soul of the landscapes he portrays, something beyond the mere physical shape of the land, the mountains and the sky. In addition, Tom has the sharp, observant eye of a keen naturalist. He understands as well as loves animals, knows about their behavior, knows what to look for, what to expect. And there is another element: Tom sees the world around him with the perceptions of an artist, composing his pictures as a painter might.”

In the introduction Thomas Mangelsen describes what the book means to him. “The Natural World represents only a tiny fraction of the Earth’s extraordinary landscapes and amazing diversity. This book is a personal selection of images from those places and species that have touched me deeply and changed my life,” Tom writes. “I have been to places like the Serengeti and Denali many times; however, places like Iceland and Sossusvlei I have experienced only once. Few of the places are the same as when I first visited them. Hudson Bay’s polar bears were thought to be thriving when I first went there twenty years ago; today some scientists predict that because of global warming, polar bears will be gone from Hudson Bay and possibly elsewhere as soon as twenty years from now.”

The Natural World is a quiet call to action. An inventory of our planet as it battles climate change. A celebration of the wild and it’s value to the human psyche. A record of the Earth’s last great places, one that will inspire present and future generations with the message that what we have, can and must be saved.

For more information, visit: www.mangelsen.com.

About Thomas D. Mangelsen

Thomas D. Mangelsen is among the most distinguished natural history photographers in the world. In 1994 Tom was honored by the BBC as Wildlife Photographer of the Year. He was named the North American Nature Photographer Association’s Outstanding Nature Photographer of the Year in 2000. He received an honorary fellowship from The Royal Photographic Society in 2002. In 2005 was honored with Nikon’s Legend Behind the Lens recognition as well as being recognized as “One of the 100 Most Important People in Photography” by American Photo Magazine. In 2007 he was named winner of American Photo Magazine’s Image of the Year 2007 – Nature category.

Mangelsen’s work has been widely published, including in Audubon, National Geographic, Life, Wildlife Art, American Photo and National Wildlife. He has been featured on television programs such as “The Today Show” and CNN’s “World News.” Most recently he was chosen as one of “Jane Goodall’s Heroes” on Animal Planet.

His images have been exhibited in museums around the United States, Canada and Europe, and are available in sixteen Images of Nature(R) galleries across the United States. Driven to express the beauty and intricacy of the wilderness, Mangelsen spends up to seven months a year in the field documenting the lands and creatures he so cares about.

In 2000 he co-founded The Cougar Fund, a nonprofit created to raise awareness for and to protect America’s greatest cat. All of Tom’s images are made in the wild, not in captive game farms, and are presented in their true form without computer manipulation.

About Dr. Jane Goodall

Dr. Jane Goodall is the most recognizable figure in conservation today. She began her landmark study of chimpanzees in Tanzania in June 1960 under the mentorship of anthropologist and paleontologist Dr. Louis Leakey. Her work at what was then called the Gombe Stream Chimpanzee Reserve would become the foundation of future primatological research, redefining the relationship between humans and animals.

In 1977, she established the Jane Goodall Institute, which continues the Gombe research and is a global leader in empowering people to make a difference for all living things. The institute also is widely recognized for establishing innovative, community-centered conservation and development programs in Africa, and the Roots & Shoots education program, which has 8,000 groups in 96 countries.

In 2006, Dr. Goodall received the UNESCO Gold Medal Award and the French Legion of Honor. In 2004 Prince Charles invested her as a Dame of the British Empire, the female equivalent of knighthood. Her scores of honors include the Medal of Tanzania, the National Geographic Society’s Hubbard Medal and Japan’s prestigious Kyoto Prize. In April 2002, Secretary General Kofi Annan named her a United Nations Messenger of Peace.

Dr. Goodall’s latest book is “Harvest for Hope: A Guide to Mindful Eating.” She also has authored In the Shadow of Man, Through a Window, the best-selling autobiography Reason for Hope and many children’s books. The Chimpanzees of Gombe: Patterns of Behavior is the definitive scientific work on chimpanzees. She has been the subject of numerous television documentaries and is featured in the large-screen-format film Jane Goodall’s Wild Chimpanzees.

“After my trip to the Antarctic, I returned home to Jackson, Wyoming and knew that I had a unique photo,” Mangelsen said. “Most penguin images are still and erect, even statue-like; this image captured their life in motion.”

The photo was shot with a Nikon D2Xs with an 18-200mm f/3.5-4.5 VR DX Zoom-Nikkor set to 130mm. The exposure was 1/125 second at f/13.

In its second year, The Images of the Year Competition is unique in the breadth of photography it showcases: photojournalism and fine art; advertising and student work; and nature and wedding photography.

The competition represents American Photo Magazine’s commitment to finding and publishing the best photography in the world, from professional photographers and amateurs alike.

“As this image shows, Mangelsen relies on a schedule of heavy travel, a habit of hard work, and an eye that is always searching for memorable composition and color,” Russell Hart, Executive Editor for American Photo, said.

Entries were prescreened by the magazine’s staff and final judging occurred on September 27. Judges included noted editorial and advertising art director Marc Balet; author and filmmaker James Crump; and photojournalism legend Eliane Laffont.

Identical criteria were used to judge all entries: originality, excellence of execution, and overall impact. Photos from all categories will be featured in the March/April issue of American Photo.

Mangelsen, an avid outdoor enthusiast, has been published in leading magazines such as Audubon, National Geographic, Life, Wildlife Art, and National Wildlife. He has also been featured on television programs such as Today, Good Morning America, CNN World News, and World News Tonight. His work is offered in 16 “Images of Nature(R)” Galleries across the country.

For more information, visit: www.mangelsen.com

Send2Press(R) is the originating wire service for this story – www.Send2Press.com

All trademarks acknowledged.