Gentle Giants by Bruce Weber

Gentle Giants... A Book of Newfoundlands, by Bruce Weber

An American fashion photographer known for his ad campaigns for Calvin Klein, Ralph Lauren, and Abercrombie and Fitch, Bruce Weber works in black and white to give us a photo essay of the Newfoundland Dog with images and narration expounding the reverence and love for this beautiful and magnificent animal. Seeming at times like a bear in the woods or the shoreline of a lake, this book depicts the true character of the Newfoundland as a companion, a water dog, a child's best friend, and a dog who enjoys the company of other Newfoundlands. There are photos of the large rounded Newfoundland head with their expressive eyes and soft square muzzles that are just asking to be petted or allowed to rest in a lap or crook of an arm. One can't help but fall in love with every dog on every page, especially the puppy who decided to stand with his two front legs in a bucket, probably filled with water, which is a typical activity of Newfy puppies. Beaute Noir, or Black Beauty, a section of very black photographs of this great dog, a very difficult photograph to take with any results, shows the dog's sweetness with incredible artistry.  A section interviewing Margaret Willmott, a renowned Newfoundland breeder in Saskatchewan, Canada, quotes her as saying "People nowadays are getting too far from agriculture, having horses, and so on. They think that because they're computer whizzes, raising a Newfoundland will be simple, but it isn't." Large with lots of hair and personality, and of course, lots of love, the Newfoundland draws you in with his beauty and strength of character. This book makes you want to go hug your own Newfoundland, or at least someone else's.