Beautiful Devon: A portrait of a county

Beautiful Devon is a photographically led book, showcasing the beauty of the county of Devon, in southwest England. It is intended as a photographic memento of life in or a visit to Devon, covering many of the most well known visitor locations, such as Torbay, Plymouth, Clovelly and the beaches, plus Dartmoor, east Devon and Exmoor. Not just locations but also annual events are included, such as some of the agricultural shows, Plymouth's annual summer fireworks, Shaldon Water Carnival, and Ottery St Mary's Tar Barrels, to name just a few. The book's first chapter is mainly text, illustrated by some photos, giving an overview of Devon's landscape, environment and wildlife, along with some of its main cities and towns, plus overviews of the farming, fishing and tourism industries. The remaining four chapters are photoessays covering different parts of the county. Chapter 2 covers Exeter and east Devon, taking in the Topsham, Lympstone, Exmouth, Budleigh Salterton, Sidmouth, Seaton, Beer and Honiton areas. Chapter 3 covers the Riviera, reaching from Torbay to Plymouth, and taking in the Dawlish, Teignmouth, Torquay, Paignton, Brixham, Dartmouth, Bantham, Salcombe and Plymouth areas. Chapter 4 covers Dartmoor and the heart of Devon, taking in many locations and views across the national park, plus landscapes, gardens and events in rural mid-Devon. Chapter 5 covers north Devon and the Devonian part of Exmoor, covering the village of Clovelly, the coast of the Hartland region, the estuary of the Taw and Torridge Rivers, the surfing beaches at Saunton Sands, Croyde Bay and Woolacombe, the town of Ilfracombe, and the landscapes and coast of Exmoor, including Lynton and Lynmouth.

Nigel Hicks is an photographer/writer based in Devon, southwest England. He has been a professional photographer/writer for over 20 years, working largely in the field of tourism, landscape and the environment, working on projects that have taken him all over the world, from the glaciers and volcanoes of Iceland to the rainforests and volcanoes of the Philippines, and much inbetween. He shoots extensively for National Geographic Creative, and is a Fellow of the British Institute of Professional Photography, the highest qualification in what is one of the UK's leading professional photography bodies. Beautiful Devon will be his 19th book, though he has also contributed photography or text to many more books, having also spent 10 years providing photography for Dorling Kindersley's Eyewitness Travel Guides.