Neon Mesa: Wonders of the Southwest is a new book by celebrated photographer Rob Atkins. The Four Corners is a unique region where Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona and Utah meet. Rob Atkins’ photos capture the irony and pathos of the place in icons of the American Dreams, be they those of the Nuclear Age, the Frontier, the Cowboy, or the Native American, all caught in the stark majestic images of a present already passing, in rusting road-signs, flickering neon light, and derelict motels, set against some of America’s most awe-inspiring natural scenery, the publisher says. The 144-page hardcover book goes on sale on 25 October 2009 for $39.95 ($33.95 if purchased via the publisher’s website, see below).

Website: Bunker Hill Publishing

Press Release

Celebrated Photographer, Rob Atkins, Turns His Camera on the Southwest

NEW YORK, Oct. 19 /PRNewswire/—The photography of Rob Atkins has been exhibited widely and included in virtually every North American photography magazine. His new book, Neon Mesa: Wonders of the Southwest, is a stunning photographic record of the vernacular landscape of the American Southwest - the roadside landscape littered with the signs, relics, sights and debris of countless anonymous road trips. The Four Corners is a unique region where Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona and Utah meet. Rob Atkins’ photos capture the irony and pathos of the place in icons of the American Dreams, be they those of the Nuclear Age, the Frontier, the Cowboy, or the Native American, all caught in the stark majestic images of a present already passing, in rusting road-signs, flickering neon light, and derelict motels, set against some of America’s most awe-inspiring natural scenery.

The dazzling light of the Southwest, the enormous skies and stark desert imagery form the back drop to Rob Atkins stunning exploration of a quintessential American landscape. He captures visual gems with his camera from the ghostly quarries of old motels and roadside wrecks, of decaying signs and faded walls, and writes about the minutiae of lost Americana with affection and great style.

Rob Atkins has been a photographer for over thirty years, beginning his career in New York City. A one-person exhibit of his work was on display at Nikon House in Rockefeller Center, New York, throughout 1993 and was included in the American Society of Media Photographer’s Celebration of the 150th anniversary of photography. He now lives in Vancouver, Canada, where he divides his time between personal projects and commercial work. To see images from the book and for more information go to www.robatkins.com.

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