"When it came time to find, explore, and photograph nature in our home state of Illinois, the prospect seemed daunting. Was there actually any pristine, unspoiled nature remaining in the state of Illinois? We put this question, which we feared was oxymoronic, to the experts at the Illinois Nature Conservancy and at the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, the agency charged with managing the Illinois State Park system. We gave pundits at both organizations a detailed map of the state of Illinois and asked them to circle any areas ‘worthy of being photographed’ for an exhibit-format book on Wild & Scenic Illinois. The results were totally unexpected. Our map was a dense honeycomb of little circles. ‘Really, there are that many locations worthy of exploration by a landscape photographer?’"

In this passage from his preface, Willard Clay discloses his initial incredulity that Illinois could be thick on the ground with photogenic opportunity. At the end of his eight-year campaign to run down all those opportunities, Clay is a believer. In this book, he gives us his proofs that Illinois is not only one of the most beautiful states in the Union, but that Illinois offers its people and other creatures countless sanctuaries for the solitary enjoyment of unblemished nature.

One of our country’s premier landscape photographers, Clay established his national reputation in the starkly spectacular settings of the arid West. But he always came home to Illinois with an enhanced appreciation for the subtle epiphanies latent in its undulating landforms and lush flora. As his mastery of his art matured, the technical challenge of revealing the veiled intimacies of the natural face of Illinois became a professional obsession.

Clay has relied as much on scientific system as on inspired intuition to put this book together. He charted his eight-year field campaign in such a way as to ensure complete coverage of the landscape diversity of Illinois. For, despite its undeserved reputation for blandness, Illinois does have an impressive variety of landscapes. The state is divided by scientists into four landform provinces. These seven provinces are subdivided into fourteen landform sections. Clay has organized his Wild & Scenic Illinois portfolio to represent every one of Illinois’s landform provinces and sections. These are usefully described in an introduction by naturalist Robert Hutchinson. Extended captions supply unexpected depth to the breadth and beauty of Clay’s images.

Reviews:

Illinois Heritage (Sept.-Oct. 2004)
"As much a work of natural history as art, this gorgeous coffee-table book is an armchair traveler's delight."

Library Journal, August 2004
Hundreds of glorious full-color photographs provide a nice, natural progression through the state. The text offers detailed analysis and history.

Illinois State Historical Society Certificate of Excellence (April 2006)
"These compelling images are a feast for the eyes. This volume is essential to any library of Illinois history."