A fresh perspective on Bermuda

FRIDAY, NOV. 16: Great sweeping views of the island are the subject of a new photographic book by Ian Macdonald-Smith. 

Hooked on the Rocks contains almost 120 panoramic images taken by the photographer over the past 20 years.

Macdonald Smith said: “Panoramas are a format that I like, I think that it is a great descriptive vehicle.

“One of the big reasons for doing the book now is that this is the 400th anniversary of settlement in Bermuda and I wanted to do something that really celebrates our physical environment. You can see an incredible amount of the island in the book — I chose vantage points where you get these sweeping views.

“When I looked at the images I realised I had a lot of the island covered from various aspects whether it be fields, forts, beaches the iconic St George’s and Hamilton. There is a good percentage of the island in there.”

The book includes images of the island from Fort St Catherine and Tobacco Bay in St George’s to the Maritime Museum and Glass Beach in Sandys Parish.

Macdonald-Smith added: “It is a celebration of an unbelievable place. As locals we too often forget the environment that we live in — it is stunning.

“We don’t go and explore the way we should do. Talking to some of the people who saw the images before the book was released, they often ask where many of the places are. I find it staggering that on 20 square miles, so many people really don’t know the island especially well.

“I hope the book will encourage them to go out and explore it.”

There are two versions of the book — a coffee table size book and a smaller version that is designed to be easily posted overseas as a gift.

Hooked On The Rocks — Panoramic Bermuda is available at the Bermuda Bookstore, the Bookmart, Masterworks, Bermuda Society of Arts, the airport and hotel gift shops. It retails at $45 for the larger book and $25 for the smaller version.