Demystifies the extreme complexity and confusion which currently surrounds the visualisation of wind energy developments. Brings together all the disciplines and scientific elements which provide the basis for understanding how we see and interpret visual representations.

Background; Understanding Scale; The Camera: format and lenses; Human Vision; Viewing Visualisations; Viewing Distances; The Panoramic Methodology; Existing Guidance and Research; Practical Problems; Technical Problems; Verifiable Presentation Formats; Conclusion; Appendices

'...provides readers with the knowledge to make informed judgments within this suprisingly complex subject. Generously illustrated, Macdonald's rigorous technical inquiry delves into the cognitive and optical aspects of visual perception... This is particularly relevant for structures such as wind turbineswhich have few scaling features and can be seen from distances where photography struggles to convey a sense of scale within depth. ... Macdonald has produced a clear and 'straightforward story' accessible to professionals and lay people alike.' Architects' Journal '...shows clearly and in an unsensational way how virtually all current and recent windfarm application documents and presentations fail to give anything like a proper impression of the true visual impact of these schemes. ...it is quite clear that the guidelines currently applied to such visualisations are wholly inadequate and the result is that not only local communities, user groups and campaigners but also, crucially, planning officers cannot make a balanced judgement... This book should be on the desk of every planning officer and should also be made readily available to community councils, user groups and others with a genuine interest in the ever-growing impact that windfarms are having on our upland landscapes'. Roger Smith, The Great Outdoors '... this book contains a wealth of information about evaluating windfarm visualisations. It explains the methods being used in the presented graphic materials and how anyone can evaluate them properly and knowledgeably. The explanations and discussion in this book are richly supported with excellent graphics that support the text well. This book is not just for wind visualization. The discussion excels at describing photographic techniques and the planning process. ... I would recommend this book for classes where visualisation in all forms is being taught, in addition to highly recommended reading in urban planning, architecture, environmental assessment and the windfarm planning sector...' 3D Visualization World ...an excellent book ... This is a guidebook of the clever tricks and twists used by wind farm developers in depicting how their machines would not destroy landscape values. ...a versatile guide to image manipulation ... Having read this revealing book, you will be armed with all of the tools needed to identify where the public is being hoodwinked, and most significantly, where Local Planning Authorities are being exploited... Extract from letter to Countryside Voice from John Langley, CPRE