A publication fit for a queen

Photographer Kurt Arrigo is about to launch his first coffee-table book, Malta: A Coastal Journey - and its first viewers are going to be none other than over 50 heads of government!

As the official book of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), the publication, which includes 120 stunning images of Malta, effectively leading viewers on a journey around its coast, it is also being presented to Queen Elizabeth.

Mr Arrigo, who has dedicated almost nine months to the project, working on it full time, is not underestimating the prestige of it all. Most photographers aspire to produce their own book but having it represent Malta to such a high profile audience is truly the cherry on the cake.

"Can it get much better?"

But Mr Arrigo's achievement did not just fall into his lap. The images are the fruit of his entire career to date - an accumulation of 10 years of his work. He has been shooting Malta - and in particular its sea - for over a decade.

His photographs of the islands have been put together in one book, following meticulous analysis to come up with a concept - one of the most important things, according to Mr Arrigo, and the biggest challenge.

It was important for the book to have a theme - an uninterrupted thread running through it, connecting the various images and taking viewers on a meandering journey of Malta's coast.

"The book had to start somewhere and go somewhere," Mr Arrigo said, explaining as its underlying goal. In fact, it goes around the coast, both above and below the sea, which features prominently, including water sports and marine life.

"You can shoot the sea everyday and get a different picture each time. It is what I love to shoot most."

But not only... The images portray a variety of emotions, through breathtaking scenery and activities, whether rock formations, the sea in its multifaceted forms, the expressions on individuals, or evocative architecture. Together, they depict "the reason why we Maltese are so attached to our island," he maintains.

To make that journey even more seamless, Mr Arrigo sought the assistance of a top class creative director and long-time friend, Mark Thomson, who currently works for HarperCollins Publishers, and who was consulted about the book, down to the minutest detail.

As a result, Malta: A Coastal Journey has been divided into five chapters - East, South, West, North, and Gozo and Comino - in all their diversity. "The North, for example, is more of a playground," Mr Arrigo finds.

High quality standards were important for the photographer and were strictly adhered to: the book was printed in Florence, Italy, and involved the creative input of Ren Spiteri, Emma Mattei, who wrote the text, and his wife, Claire, who coordinated the entire project.

"After so many years in the field, it is great to have something that is so close to you - something that expresses what you have done," Mr Arrigo said.

Malta: A Coastal Journey is being launched by Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi and some of the proceeds from its sale are going to charity.

www.kurtarrigo.com