This Week’s Word Is “Posters.”
I know I usually write about books for Word Wednesday but this week I’m diversifying a little. I’m sticking with paper, but this time just one leaf. This week’s column features wonderful National Park posters from Rob Decker. The full range can be seen at www.national-park-posters.com. GeekDad Readers can get a discount code too! Read on to find out more.
“From Acadia to Zion, the National Parks are America’s Best Idea.”
What are The National Park Posters?
Created by photographer Rob Decker, the posters are photo-realistic retro-style advertisements for America’s best idea. Decker has created a process that begins with HDR photographs, that he then digitally transforms into a work of art that evokes the WPA (Works Progress Administration) style from the 1930s and ’40s.
There are 73 National Park posters to choose from, all printed in the US on recycled paper using soy inks. The prints I have been sent are 13″ x 19″ and each print is numbered and signed by the artist. They cost $35 a poster. A number of other purchase options are available, including artists’ proofs and canvas prints.
Rob Decker loves the National Parks so much that 10% of the annual profits from the posters go to organizations and associations that support the Parks system.
Why Buy a National Park Poster?
As one of the few non-US based writers of GeekDad, I feel it’s a true honor to be able to review these posters. Whilst it’s been many years since my wife and I have visited US National Parks, (children and a weak pound conspire against us) we absolutely love the wonder of the American landscape. We already had several National Park homage posters in our house, but Decker’s take things to a whole other level.
In his early career, Decker studied with Ansel Adams at Yosemite. So not only do these prints celebrate the US’s natural heritage they channel its arts heritage too. This shines through when you look at the posters. It’s almost impossible to choose.
Which poster(s) to go for?
Should you pick somewhere you’ve been, somewhere you’re about to go to, or just somewhere beautiful you’ve always wanted to visit? Looking at the posters gives you vacation idea after vacation idea. So many parks, so little time and for some of us, so far away. I’ve chosen Zion as I loved it when I went there, Joshua Tree as the tree is iconic and I’ve never been, and the Olympic National Park as it’s one of my favorite parks and I just loved the picture. On another day, I could have easily chosen three different posters. The Bryce Canyon poster is particularly spectacular.
The posters are perfect wall decorations and perfect for inspiring trips to the National Parks. When you see the thumbnails lined up on the national park posters website, the volume of incredible parks is a little overwhelming. It makes you want to get out there and see them all, or, failing that, put a little piece of them on your wall. Better yet, do both.
If you’re umming and ahhing about whether you should take the plunge maybe a 25% discount on your order will help you with the decision. Use the code PARKS25 at the checkout! Take a look at the full range, here.
Disclosure: I was sent three sample posters to help write this review.
