Somewhere West of Lonely

"His images remind us that, however easy it is to click a cellphone shutter, apply an Instagram filter or Photoshop a background, a great gulf exists between our pictures and those of professionals who devote their lives to capturing the revealing moments that celebrate our shared humanity."

~Limestone Post Magazine

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Steve Raymer's Somewhere West of Lonely is a first-class, upper deck ticket with many journalistic gems. National Geographic shooters are expected to produce sumptuous images and Raymer, one of the most prolific and peripatetic photographers working for National Geographic during the magazine's golden age, does not disappoint. Steve is fundamentally a journalist and his photographs from Muslim lands, the former Soviet Union, and South Asia are at the top of his game. Somewhere West of Lonely is a must-have for any reader interested in global culture in transition.

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~Nathan Benn, former director of Magnum Photos and National Geographic photographer

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Woven within a delicate lattice of beautiful images come the wisdom and love of life; forays into peacefulness and harsh reality; lessons learned; the sage advice handed down from the giants of our profession to the most worthy of photojournalists—Steve Raymer. The photographs chosen for this book almost caress one another, allowing us to travel on a road where each turn reveals the profundity of 'lonely.' Raymer's words, laden with a self-effacing tenderness, are to be cherished and retold. Time and time again.

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~Maria Mann, International Relations Consultant for the European Pressphoto Agency

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Somewhere West of Lonely offers the reader a spectacular visual trip. . . . Steve Raymer also provides insightful commentary on everything from artistic techniques to the courage and beauty of humanity. This book draws you into a world of vivid sensations. From South Asia to Eastern Africa, Steve narrates a visual story of human resilience, community, beauty, and strength.

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~Congressman Lee Hamilton

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Steve Raymer's new book, Somewhere West of Lonely, is a brilliant distillation of his career as a National Geographic staff photographer, as well as his second career as a journalism professor and author. By combining illuminating prose with strong images that reflect the aesthetic language so characteristic of the best National Geographic photography, Steve makes clear the value of visual communication as a means to understanding the world and why we need to be paying attention to what may be far distant from the arc of our own lives.

His book expresses clearly what it takes to make compelling visual journalism that informs and educates, and how the experiences of the life journey as a National Geographic photographer shaped his view of his own responsibilities. It is must reading for students seeking this kind of career. It is also must reading for all Americans as a reminder of why such work matters, and as a way of appreciating the depth of passion and commitment in those who create it.

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~Thomas R. Kennedy, Executive Director, American Society of Media Photographers