Make space on that coffee table for a beautiful new book to flower in May. Gardens at First Light is the second volume of nature photography by New Canaan-Darien contributor Stacy Bass. It’s also the first release from athome Books. Here are five reasons why this volume of breathtaking images is destined to become a perennial favorite.
Taking Root With the release of this title, Moffly Media—publisher of New Canaan-Darien and the award-winning shelter publication athome—launches a new division, athome Books. The brand extension was created to produce covetable editions that are distinctive for their spectacular design and photography. “Titles produced by athome Books are luxury objects. They’re enduring, tactile and beautiful pleasures in a transient world,” says Amy Vischio, creative director at Moffly Media. “Gardens at First Light showcases our vision to create books that are incredibly immersive and visual. Our titles make great additions to the home bookshelf and well-styled coffee tables everywhere.”
Top Talent Bass, a Westport resident, is celebrated nationally for her images of homes and gardens. Her nature work, in particular, is driven by her penchant to shoot at daybreak. For this book, her second volume of garden photos, she went behind the gates of a dozen private estates to capture these spaces at dawn. She’s curated the best images from each of these shoots into a volume filled with more than 200 color photos. Complementing her images are words by Judy Ostrow, who also contributes to this magazine.
Featured Gardens Over the years, Bass has photographed some of the loveliest landscapes in the Northeast, and she knows a dynamic garden when she sees one. It’s good news for local pride, then, that a few of the unique properties showcased in this volume are within the town limits of New Canaan and Darien.
Bonus Section In the main chapters, Bass’s camera takes readers on a tour of each property. She trains the lens on her subjects with the same care a gardener lavishes on foliage, to enchanting effect. In addition, there’s a resource guide at the back of the book that can be used as a cross-reference for the main chapters. Hand-drawn sketches by James Gerrity show a bird’s-eye view of each property, and photos reveal how the landscape elements identified in the sketches look through Bass’s lens. The section allows readers to gain a broader understanding of the elements in each garden.
Local Buzz Gardens at First Light ($60) will be sold at local bookshops, and Bass will be making appearances in stores and showrooms around Fairfield County.