Sydney photographer Ray Galea has found a treasure trove of evocative abstractions in the running waters of nearby national parks. The pictures in this book resemble paintings rather than photographs. This imagery is strikingly abstracted and taken to a level where fresh water, in some of its infinite variety, characterises its properties when in contact with natural substances. The author embraces the phenomenon that colour offers a unique way to release a mundane object such as water, in a natural environment, from the bonds of realism and create abstract beauty. But these abstractions also relate to a broader global issue of fresh water's scarcity and value. Aesthetics is a landmark photography book which deserves attention.