Book Condition: Near Fine in Near Fine DJ, one small crease mark at lower front edge, otherwise in perfect condition. Swan Hill, 1991. Hardcover. First Edition. Text fine, clear and bright. Dimensions: 12 x 12 x 1 inches. Weight: 3.5 pounds. While working in an 18-month assignment for National Geographic, photographer Chris Johns produced a stunning array of images of the land, animals, and people of Africa's great Rift Valley. An introduction by Patrick Hemingway tells the fascinating story of the rifts creation and the interplay of life and land in the place where man was born. Here in all their splendour are the landscapes, wildlife and people of Africa's Rift valley, from Djibouti and Ethiopia to Malawi and the Virunga volcanoes, with a section on the Ngorongoro crater. Johns became a National Geographic contract photographer in 1985 and joined the magazine staff in 1995. Before taking over as Editor in Chief, Johns served as Senior Editor for Illustrations and as Associate Editor. As a photographer, he produced more than 20 articles for National Geographic, eight of which were cover stories. His defining images are of Africa and its wildlife. He has taken readers down the Zambezi River, examined the Bushmen’s ongoing struggle for cultural survival, and provided important documentation of Africa’s endangered wildlife. He was named one of the world’s 25 most important photographers by American Photo magazine in 2003. Johns’s books include Valley of Life: Africa’s Great Rift (1991), Hawaii’s Hidden Treasures (1993), and Wild at Heart: Man and Beast in Southern Africa (2002).