On the Beach by Richard Misrach is a very simple book made up of over 30 of Misrach’s photographs of people in proportion to the sea. The book is huge (20” x 16” and weighing in at 7 pounds), and has to be, in order to present the scope of Misrach’s work. Tiny humans are set off against the vastness of the seemingly endless water in various shades of turquoise, soft aqua and green. The sandy browns of the beaches are in contrast to the water, and to look into these pictures is to escape momentarily from the stresses of the day. If you are a fan of this photographer’s work, especially of this series, this book is a must-have and an excellent value.

Hardcover, 80 pages. Aperture, 2007. $53.55 at Amazon.

+ On the Beach at Amazon