Reviews (7)

A thought-provoking collection of Mapplethorpe's sex picture
This collection of pictures is bound in a good quality cover and printed on a glossy paper of reasonable quality.

The images themselves are, in the main, sex pictures; S&M pictures; and a few portraits. The sex pictures are quite grotesque, concentrating as they do on the pain, blood, urine, bondage and so on. Whether you'll enjoy these depends on your view of the subject. Personally, I didn't find them uplifting or illuminating. The models were sullen, looked unhappy, or downright sad: but then I suppose if your... has been nailed to a plank you're entitled to be a little shaken!

The few portraits included in this volume were entirely unpleasing, and not representative of Mapplethorpe's better work. They offered no real insight ot the subjects, who remained cold and aloof, detached it seems from the process of making art.

This is a collection of many of Mapplethorpe's more 'sensational' and 'shocking' images. Whether you are affronted or not they do deserve inspection, if only to see what the 'conservatives' tried to ban. You might actually feel repulsed and agree that these pictures are not art but pornography.

One word: Ouch
You can always debate whether this book is "art" or not, but the fact is I am worried about what happened to some of the subjects. Helmut? Are you okay? I think Mapplethorpe wanted to shock, and he did, but I found the pictures had too much pain in them to be appreciated. I was deadened to what Mapplethorpe wanted to say, if he wanted to say anything at all. Ouch, ouch, ouch.

very good book
artistic and powerful, i recommend it

Art Or Trash? The Book Which Will Decide Your Vote!
Probably the most reviled book at Amazon because of its sexual explictness of the "out there" gay life led before AIDS, complete with bondage, S&M and even torture. Yet Mapplethorpe was artist enough to make many of the images compelling and haunting plus horrific yet eye/heart stopping. There are even self portraits of Mapplethorpe at the height of his own physical beauty before he too would be ravaged and killed by AIDS. I come down solidly on the side of the "This is art" contenders but caution you that this book is not for the rigid, the squeamish or minors. Mapplethorpe captured an extreme moment in time, when controversial sexual behavior came out to the public and shoved itself in the public's face, clamoring to be viewed and defying us to look away. I, for one, could not look away.

Another Posthumous success, whether you like it or not!
This is a fabulous collection of the very subject matter that turned the art world on end. These pictures, however explicit and extreme in subject matter push the more important issue of artistic freedom. Without this freedom we all suffer. Censorship has somehow told us that we can be harmed by the images we look at...more harmful is the forced conformity that ensues when creativity is left for others to decide what is or isn't done in the name of artistic freedom. Having left his flowers and portraits in their own respective niches, his artistic freedom rings clear as a bell with this collection. ... Read more

Book Description

What is a friend?

Reviews (1)

excellent
I saw the exhibit of these photograghs at Grand Central Station when I was in NYC. The pictures were beautiful, and you could truly see the humanity in the eyes of the people photographed. The photographers really captured the spirit of the people in these pictures. I was so moved just looking at the pictures. If you love photography you will love this book. ... Read more

Book Description

This dynamic, sumptuous, and captivating volume is a celebration of the human body, its weight, its frailty, its strangeness, and its beauty. Fine art destined to capture the popular imagination, Body Knots is a collection of visually compelling photographs of bodies.

Page after provocative page, Schatz transforms his nudes- all beautifully colorized in vibrant saturated tones as well as metallic ink-into a wild variety of forms, from the headless to the humorous, from the footless to the fantastic, from the sensual to the sardonic. Twisted, turned, and seen from different perspectives, these bodies take on shapes and contortions one would not dream possible.

Created by a master photographer, Body Knots is an extraordinary volume displaying the human body at its most malleable yet articulate, rendering it as familiar as arrestingly new. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Disappointing
I love Howard Schatz photography. He has created memorable imagry with his "Passion and Line" and "Water Dance" books. "Body Knots" is an evolution of "Pool Light" which was a sequel to "Water Dance". But not all evolution is happy or successful.

This book is far too gimmicky for my taste and I think Mr.Schatz is capable of far more creative imagry than this. How many of these images will appear in Madison Ave. advertising over the next year? Or is that the real goal here? One wonders. Perhaps if Mr.Schatz would have remained in California rather than moving to New York his artistic goals would not have been seduced by the scent of advertising contracts. I don't begrudge an artist trying to earn money but Mr.Schatz was a very successful surgeon before taking up lenswork full time--he isn't a starving artist.

What strikes me about "Body Knots" is that it is more a graphic arts presentation than it is fine art photography. Mr. Schatz, please go back and look at "Passion and Line" and "Water Dance". You created something wonderful there. Remember your motives?

Stunning Visual Images
If you're standing in a bookstore with a copy of Howard Schatz' new Body Knots in your hand, turn to Knot No. 184 near the end of the book. This image, one of my favorites, is a sly, humorous, enchanting image. Now you're hooked, right? But still not sure if you want to purchase the book ? Then turn to Knot 114 near the middle. This glorious, ingenious, repetition of the human form, part microscopic investigation, part seductive image, provides another reason to believe that Schatz is one of the most interesting, original, creative photographers at work today. In a stunning series of books, covering such themes as homelessness and the endlessly seductive charms of the human body, Schatz has opened our eyes to new ways of looking at the possibilities of photography. Body Knots, one of his most creative works, is a book for anyone who wants to be an artist, who wants to understand spatial possibilities, and, especially, wants to laugh over the imaginative limits of form and vision. This is one of those books that will make you look at the world differently.

Body Knots is a must have for photo & art fans
Today I was able to flip through a copy of the new photo book, "Body Knots" by Howard Schatz the photographer whose previous book, "Pool Light" is one of the most daring and beautiful photography books I have ever seen.

Most photographers would continue treading down the same artistic path, but not Howard Schatz aparently.

Body Knots is a collection of photos of humans entwined to make all sorts of puzzling shapes and images in the most beautiful color schemes and light.

There are collages of these strange, ambiguously naked images that create landscapes of the most surreal nature.

You don't even realize that you are staring at multicolored nudes entangled. The images seem more like alien shapes.

This is a coffee table book that people will flip through repeatedly and enjoy in a unique manner with each viewing.

Body Knots is a fun, and beautiful book that celebrates the human body with humor and new perceptions and challenges the viewer to rethink how they see things.

I know what I am giving as a gift for the rest of this year. ... Read more

Book Description

Book Description

Twenty-five thousand Swazi virgins dance for the Queen Mother. People who have had near-death experiences in Spain ride in open coffins and thank Santa Marta for their lives. Half-a-million Bolivians pray to Mother Earth and the Virgin Mary for cell phones, sewing machines, televisions, and Tudor houses. Polish girls float wreaths of wildflowers on the river. Berber divorcées invite Moroccan shepherds to marry them. In Thailand, an entire city honors the women who saved their ancestors from invaders. Couples from across the world race over obstacles in Finland's World Wife Carrying Championships. In China, seafaring families ride in boats as a tribute to the Goddess of the Fishermen. And in the United States, women represent each of the fifty states in a competition for the famed title, Miss America. In Celebrating Women, photographer Paola Gianturco trains her eye on the world's most vibrant festivals that honor women as goddesses, warriors, lovers, healers, and athletes, among many other roles. These moving celebrations, idiosyncratic to their indigenous roots, take the form of parades, parties, competitions, and religious ceremonies. Gianturco spent five years photographing seventeen festivals in fifteen countries across five continents. Collected for the first time ever in a single edition, Gianturco provides insightful text describing the specific occasions and detailing their historic and cultural significance, culled from her extensive interviews with musicians, dancers, vendors, mask makers, costume designers, journalists, priests, governors, and spectators-not to mention a bona fide princess and king. Exhibition to appear at One Market, Concourse Lobby, San Francisco, October 4-December 17, 2004. This is the first exhibition to be curated by the International Museum of Women, San Francisco. Author tour across the United States, October-November 2004 ... Read more

Book Description

The human physique has always been a central theme of the fine arts. Every body possesses its own singular beauty, and a photographer must recognize this unique style in order to express it. The simple bending of a knee or the tilt of a chin brings out new forms and character traits. Arising from the interaction between artful technique as well as a trusting relationship between photographer and model are veritable masterpieces of nude photography. Top contemporary photographers from Europe and America present their excellent art: from elegant to boldly erotic to provocative. ... Read more

Amazon.com

This revised and updated portfolio includes nearly 200 images by the master portrait photographer. The best known faces of our time have been memorably "Karshed"--a glowering Churchill (his trademark cigar having been just snatched out of his mouth), a beaming Khruschev peeking out from a massive fur coat, a serene Helen Keller reading a book of Braille with quiet delight, a pensive Tennessee Williams at his typewriter, an impish Margaret O'Brien yanking at her pigtails. Karsh's portraits of fellow artists--especially sculptors and architects--are among his most sensitive and intuitive. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

An insightful and sensetive look at famous 20th cent. people
A wonderful retrospective view of Karsh's most famous photographs.Most portraits are in black and white and capture rare insights of the most influential people in the arts, politics, academics and entertainment. All photographs are brilliantly reproduced, most in full page format. The comments by Karsh reveal personal insights adding a dimension of accessibility to the most revered in our century. There are also numerous excellently reproduced color portraits, which along with the black and white portraits, are reproduced in a wonderful satin finish. There are many portraits from the 40's and 50's including his most famous portrait of Winston Churchill and powerful portraits such as the back of Pablo Casals playing the cello in an austerely but masterfully lit setting.

This book is a genuinely beautiful work of art. It will bring joy to the young and old at heart and will prove to be one of those treasures which one is proud to cherish for generations.

Exceptional photographic studies of familiar faces.
This is a must have book for the portrait photographer. Or for anyone who just enjoys famous faces.Years of wonderful portrait studies of people we all know and admire. These portraits make us feel as if we are really getting to know these people up close. Such emotions are rare to be captured as still images. A SUCCESS in portraiture!!! ... Read more

Book Description

A chronicle of the struggles, bravado, and irrepressible sexuality of young men.

Will McBride, an American who has spent his adult life in Germany, has made one of the great extended photographic portraits of male adolescence, created over the course of his forty-year career as a photographer. In his studio work and in his reportage for such magazines as Twen, McBride has focused on young men as they come to terms with their inner and outer development.

McBride creates a portrait of the young male that is more revealing than those available in countless books, plays, movies, and television shows. In his work, young men discover the power of their own sexuality, fall in love, suffer the imposition of the regimentation of study and religion, seek comfort, flaunt their courage, and play with the unfettered, goofy energy of boys. Clearly made in collaboration with his subjects, McBride's photographs are as telling and sensual as they are unforgettable.
... Read more

Reviews (5)

Good book for boy entering adolecens!
I bought this book when I was looking for some puberty material for my 12 year old son. I thought at first that it was a bit too pornographic for a pre-teen to see,but the reality is,this book is just perfect. My son and I looked inside the book together and it was a lot easier for me answering any question about his body when you have pictures of other boys his age who are the same stage,or soon to be stage. It was really a fine ice braker and I'm sure any father with a soon to be teen age boy would agree. Mothers too can take advantage of the book as well..

I highly recommend this book to anyone.....

Not what I expected...
I ordered this thinking that the book would contain more photographs like the one on the cover, strong, sensual images of young men/boys making the transition from childhood to adulthood, and all that that entails. There were some great images in the book, the 15 yo matador and his family, the boy standing naked beside his fully clothed brother.... but there was a lot of wasted potential as well. As mentioned in other reviews, the photos of Indian boys towards the latter third of the book are somewhat out of place, but so is the final set of pictures (even though there are of a German teenager) that come from another of McBride's books.

All in all, this book was something of a disappointment...

An interesting collection of very varied photographs.
This is an interesting if slightly perplexing collection of photographs. I guess that the authors aim to present images of young boys making the difficult transition to young adulthood has been shown, but with a non-cohesive sense of place. The presentation of young Indian boys towards the centre of the book comes in sharp contarts to the images of West German boys elsewhere. Indeed, I felt they were out of place and opportunistically placed. Almost as if the author suddenly found this odd set of pictures he'd taken years ago and thought "I could use some of those here".

The collection ranges from candid photgraphs to rigidly posed studies, some of the latter being amongst the most haunting I've ever seen. There truly can be beauty in the peri-pubescent and adolescent male. I know some people have claimed that this book has been produced to satisfy that strange group of people who call themselves "boy-lovers", and it may indeed appeal to such people. However, lovers of the male form more generally can gain from viewing this collection, and trying to understand the context in which the photographs were taken. ....

A photographic journey through childhood
In no particular order, Will McBride presents to us a vision of childhood and youth, exposing its innocence, ennui, pride, exhuberance, despair and its loss. At first glance, this book may appear to be just a collection of portraits of boys in a variety of situations: some nude, some at play, some with family, some lost in their own thoughts. But in each photograph, McBride has managed to capture those emotions I listed, and more. None of the nudity is contrived nor is it exploitative. In some you can see the diffidence and anxiety in the subject, while in others you can see a nonchalance in the boy's posture exposing what? Trust in the photographer? Or the cynicism born out of some other, previous experience?

An excellent collection created by a photographer with an exceptional eye.

Nice boy photos!
Wonderful, large, emotional photos of boys, some nudes.

It's great to finally see a collection of McBride's photos sold in the US, especially given that many of them were take up to thirty years ago.

As the introduction says. ... Read more

Book Description

“[New York City subway riders] are members of every race and nation of the earth.
They are of all ages, of all temperaments, of all classes, of almost every imaginable occupation.
. . . Each, also, is an individual existence, as matchless as a thumbprint or a snowflake.”
—James Agee, from the introduction

Between 1936 and 1941 Walker Evans and James Agee collaborated on one of the most provocative books in American literature, Let Us Now Praise Famous Men (1941). While at work on this book, the two also conceived another less well-known but equally important book project entitled Many Are Called. This three-year photographic study of subway passengers made with a hidden camera was first published in 1966, with an introduction written by Agee in 1940. Long out of print, Many Are Called is now being reissued with a new foreword and afterword and with exquisitely reproduced images from newly prepared digital scans.

Many Are Called came to fruition at a slow pace. In 1938, Walker Evans began surreptitiously photographing people on the New York City subway. With his camera hidden in his coat—the lens peeking through a buttonhole—he captured the faces of riders hurtling through the dark tunnels, wrapped in their own private thoughts. By 1940-41, Evans had made over six hundred photographs and had begun to edit the series. The book remained unpublished until 1966 when The Museum of Modern Art mounted an exhibition of Evans’s subway portraits.

This beautiful new edition—published in the centenary year of the NYC subway—is an essential book for all admirers of Evans’s unparalleled photographs, Agee’s elegant prose, and the great City of New York.

Luc Sante, author of Low Life, Evidence, and The Factory of Facts, is Visiting Professor of Writing and the History of Photography at Bard College; Jeff L. Rosenheim, Associate Curator, Department of Photographs, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, is the editor of Unclassified: A Walker Evans Anthology and Walker Evans: Polaroids and was the main contributor to the Metropolitan’s exhibition catalogue Walker Evans (2000).
... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (11)

A Beautiful Book, Highly Recommended
I found this book to be a wonderful experience. Sally Mann has shown so many different 12-year-olds in her hometown of Lexington, Va, and she has captured their stories and what makes each girl so unique. I loved this book and found that some of the photographs, especially "Doll House" reminded me of myself "At Twelve".

Wonderful
I give Sally Mann a thumbs up for capturing her beautiful children when they were young, being what they are: beloved children. How fast we grow and turn into adults!
As I studied each page my memory was jogged several times of my childhood in southern Georgia. Humid sunny days and muggy rainy evenings; I couldn't wait to strip what little bit of cloths I wore and play outside in the rain or in the woods. I never gave it a second thought being nude. And apparently neither did my parents. Needless to say Sally Mann and her beloved childern are dear to my heart. Thanks for bring back so many innocent fond memories.
I recommend this book if you have an open mind and love children for what they are.

At Twelve: Portraits of Young Women
At Twelve is Sally Mann's revealing, collective portrait of twelve-year-old girls on the verge of adulthood. The way many of these reviews are written (i.e. like revealing) you think your getting something for the money but you're not. There is no nudity in this book (except for one picture of a 2 or 3 year old). I strongly recommend you stay away from this trash and stick with the David Hamiltion books.

Solidly beautiful pictures
Maybe I missed something. The pictures are beautiful, and they are supposed to be an attempt to capture the essence of young women on the cusp of becoming adults. What I got was pictures of young women-- missed the whole "becoming" thing. I could just be thick, but this one just passed me by devoid of any emotion.

Exploitative!!
This is not new ground. Mann is better than this. She could be a "contender," by taking a different route than she has - the exploitation of her own children in the nude. Not recommended!!! ... Read more

Book Description

In ancient times, older women were the keepers of primal mysteries and were revered for their special wisdom. For this very special book, Joyce Tenneson traveled throughout America to photograph and interview women ages 65 to l00.What she found was a revelation-women who were vital, energetic, and deeply beautiful, inside and out. The80 portraits are of women from all walks of life from the famous, such as Sandra Day O'Connor, Julie Harris, and Angela Lansbury, to the ordinary, such as our mothers and grandmothers. Tenneson's compelling and compassionate portraits, accompanied by short poignant statements from these remarkable women about the experience of aging, will help to reawaken us to the power and wisdom of our elders. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

This is a great coffee table book
When I pick up this book and thumb through it I think of my grandmother who I adore. I can imagine her picture along side the others. Strong, vulnerable and brave!

I was also very pleased to see that Joyce Tenneson was courageous enough to show these women as beautiful and whole-revealing their flaws.

This book is not a book for every woman. I agree with one of the other reviewers that women in their 80's might not appreciate seeing other women their age covered in only a wrap of cloth. Baby Boomers will enjoy this as they get older and see other women, older and wiser being comfortable with their bodies, their lives and their accomplishments. It would also make a good gift for cancer survivors in their 50's, as many of the women are survivors themselves.

There is not a lot of text in this book, which is why I say it would make a great coffee table book. I thumb through it often and find it very comforting to read the short quotes about their faith, their life and aging. It reads like comfort food for the soul.

The photograph is the story
I first came across the photographs of Joyce Tenneson in The Sun Magazine; I was instantly entranced. Here were photographs that spoke volumes, that said here is the spirit of woman that has been hidden by fashion, jewelry, makeup and society's expectations. They are photographs that you can spend hours with. Her work reminds me of that of Imogene Cunningham, though their years are far separated. The book does not need the quotes, the photographs speak on their own.

Not enough substance
This book was a disappointment for me - the title does not live up to my expectations. I mean, these are women who have lived for 70, 80, 90 years and all they have to say is one or two sentences? I wanted pages and pages of their wisdom. And then the wisest thing one of them had to say was "...I live at the Dakota and sometimes I feel like moving, but what would I do with all the things I've collected over the years? I have so many "things", I guess I'll never move." Oh, please! Where exactly is the wisdom here. Most of the photos were great, that's what the 3 stars are for. Also, I was surprised that several women did not reveal their age - I thought it was more interesting knowing their ages and seeing how beautiful they were and was inspired and amazed knowing that. In the introduction the author talks about the women sharing "...their inner lives - the heartaches as well as the triumphs. We talked about our families and the longings of our hearts...we discovered that the journeys we had taken toward our deeper selves, toward acceptance, love, and hopefully compassion for the frailties of the universe were basically the same. I came away from each encounter exhilarated by what I had seen and learned, and with an urgent desire to share these stories." I wish she had truly shared them. I'm sure they would have been great.

I loved this book and gave one to my mother....
This is a book I would be honored to given to me by my daughter...or anyone! Unfortunately, my mother didn't feel the same way. She's in her 70's and thought I was insulting her. The women in the book are my role models...

Real Beauty Revealed
All the while I was writing my own book about the wisdom, joy and power in being an 'Elderwoman' - i.e. a woman who embraces the aging process, instead of shrinking from it - I wished I could illustrate it with pictures. For as we know, a picture is worth a thousand words. And the true Elderwoman is a delight to behold. Her joy, her wisdom, her power, and a thousand stories, are all there, in her face. But I am no photographer. I had to make do with words.
So when I came upon this beautiful book I fell in love with it immediately. Now, everywhere I go to talk about my own books or to do workshops with older women, I take Joyce Tenneson's book with me, and pass it around. Every woman I have shown it to has loved it, as I do.
Compared to these portraits, the bland faces of young models look like clones or Barbie dolls. Here is REAL BEAUTY, revealed. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Why is this book a combination of old books?
This book is a combination of old books with old ideas. The description should say that all the publishers have done is combine old work! What a dissapointment.

A Must Have for Beginners
If you want to see how different lighting arrangements can effect a picture then this book should be part of your phtotgraphy library. I just wish there were(approximate) distance measurements given between the subject ,background and lights.

Outstanding! My favorite portrait & fashion lighting book
I love this book! I am a self taught photographer with over 20 years of experience. Almost everything I know about photography has come from reading books or trial and error. Most of the books I have read stated that they contained "everything I needed to know" or they were "packed with information" etc. etc. blah, blah, blah! Usually thay were OK for beginners containing only basic information and lacked real substance. Well this book is the real deal! Great photography and loads of lighting techniques from very simple to complex. Most of the photographs occupy a page all by themselves with little or no distracting text. An explaination of the complete lighting set up with a detailed diagram is on the adjoining page. The quality of the printing is great, allowing you to reap the full benefits of what a book on photography should be. This book is a wealth of information for photographers who want to take their lighting skills to a higher level.

Excellent Book, BUT...
As the latest from the Rotovision series, this IS an excellent book, BUT it is a compliation from the very popular Pro-Lighting series (which I already own). If you haven't purchased any of the books in this series, I would not hesitate to get this one! If you already have Portraits, Fashion, Glamour or New Glamour, you already have what this is made up of.

Very instructional
This book is like a catalog of photos; real high quality fashion/glamour/style photos with illustrations of how they were made. There are not a lot of text there. Maybe you still need another book that deals with technique, basic and advanced. It will be great in conjuntion with this book. ... Read more

Book Description

Amazon.com

In honor of the United Nations-sponsored International Year of the Family in 1994, award-winning photojournalist Peter Menzel brought together 16 of the world's leading photographers to create a visual portrait of life in 30 nations. Material World tackles its wide subject by zooming in, allowing one household to represent an entire nation. Photographers spent one week living with a "statistically average" family in each country, learning about their work, their attitudes toward their possessions, and their hopes for the future. Then a "big picture" shot of the family was taken outside the dwelling, surrounded by all their (many or few) material goods.

The book provides sidebars offering statistics and a brief history for each country, as well as personal notes from the photographers about their experiences. But it is the "big pictures" that tell most of the story. In one, a British family pauses before a meal of tea and crumpets under a cloudy sky. In another, wary Bosnians sit beside mattresses used as sniper barricades. A Malian family composed of a husband, his two wives, and their children rests before a few cooking and washing implements in golden afternoon light. Material World is a lesson in economics and geography, reminding us of the world's inequities, but also of humanity's common threads. An engrossing, enlightening book. --Maria Dolan ... Read more

Reviews (25)

Not just about material differences
This book was a required "textbook" in a high school "Science and Sustainability" pilot class my school did in junior year. I remember we generally used the books in class but could check them out to take home if we wanted. I checked one out and din't want to give it back. I think I skipped two classes that day just sitting in the student lounge poring over it, and I think the people reading over my shoulder probably had other things to do as well, but I couldn't put it down, it was so fascinating. So of course I bought my own and I can still pick it up and pore over it for another three hours with the same fascination. It's real life, and the families are real people that you feel somehow close to after reading this. I love this book and show it to everyone. This book will change the way you look at things. Also, for those who think that this book is primarily about material goods around the world, you couldn't be more wrong. Each chapter shows an incredibly detailed portrait of life in another country, and is as wonderful for introducing kids to other cultures as it is for opening their eyes to economic realities. Enjoy.

Fantastic
This book is a fantastic picture book and statistical reference of our world. Menzel's idea was brilliant- -to identify a statistically average family in every corner of the world, and photograph them and all of their belongings, as well as capture aspects of their daily life on film.

The book is organized by continent, and then by country within each continent. Each entry begins with a multi-page photo of the family in front of their house, with of all their possessions. Beside the photo is an enumeration of the possessions that appear in the photo. The remainder of the article is found on the next 3 or 4 pages. There is usually a short summary of statistics about the country, covering such topics as area, population, population density, life expectancy, and rank of affluence among U.N. member countries. But much more informative are a variety of high-quality color photos showing family members going about their daily activities, at work, at school, or eating a meal in the family home. There is a brief text about the family itself, who they are, what they do, and where they live. The photographer also provides a brief summary of his or her experiences while living with the family and taking the photographs. In the photographer's notes are statistics about the work week, the number of radios, telephones, televisions, VCRs, and automobiles. The photographer also asks each family member to identify their most valued possessions and their dreams for the future.

The choice of the family to convey both the ideal and the reality of a typical "American" family was perfect. They have the requisite two children, one of each gender, and a dog. They are shown outside their ranch-style house, with a fairly new pickup truck and minivan in their attached garage. The photographer's idea of commandeering the entire cul-de-sac of the sub-development to showcase the family's possessions for the main photograph does an incredible job at capturing Americans' need for and use of space. (It makes an incredible contrast with the Japanese family, who have just as many possessions or even more, but are photographed with everything crammed together in a tiny block just the width of their house.) The picture of the American family appears on the cover of the book, juxtaposed with the family from Bhutan, with their house and meager possessions perched on a mountainside with no roads in sight. Despite the innumerable differences between the families, there are also many parallels. Both families are obviously proud of what they have and who they are. And in these pictures, and throughout the book, over and over again throughout the world, the family members identify religious objects as their most valued possessions.

In addition to the main chapters, the book also includes short features on televisions of the world, meals of the world, and toilets of the world, as well as appendices with more statistics, contributing photographers' biographies, and a list of more possessions that couldn't be included in the photographs.

Through its photographs, this book does an amazing job at explaining who we are as a human family, and how we are all similar. It also lets us know what life is like for average people around the world, and does a better job at this than any simple listing of statistics or geography text. When I read this book for the first time, I laughed, and even cried upon seeing how little some people in the world actually have to call their own. This was especially moving when I remembered that each family was chosen not because it was picturesque or poverty-stricken, but because it was statistically average. This book should be in every public library, it could be used by homeschoolers as a geography text, but everyone will find something of interest in it. It is one of the 10 most personally influential books that I have read.

If reading this book isn't enough for you, the project also produced a multimedia CD-ROM with added features and a series of children's books with more photographs and information for children about each family. An even more moving sequel called "Women of the Material World" is also available and highly recommended.

Wonderful
This is a very interesting book--more like a written documentary--that explores the lives of families in a number of countries based mainly on their possessions. Beautiful photos accompany each section, including the "Big Picture," in which the family is photographed with all of its belongings. Country statistics are also included, as well as interviews with family members and daily life photos.

The value of each family's possessions, as well as the family's values (what's important to them, etc.) are stressed. However, I noticed that while standard of living may differ considerably, everyone, no matter their location, seems to want bascially the same thing: education, a better life for their children, security, etc. This realization was perhaps the best part of the book for me.

What also impressed me was the fact that this book is filled to the brim. There's no way to read it cover-to-cover, really. Instead, it's more of an experience. It must be taken in. Every time I pick it up, I see something differently, in a new light.

You don't have to be an economist or an anthropologist to enjoy this book. On the contrary, anyone who has any interest at all in the outside world would enjoy it. Because the photographers spent so much time with each family, I truly felt like I was transported to each country, like I had a more complete understanding of what it was like to live there.

The residents weren't just faceless, nameless inhabitants of a distant land but were brought to life. And since it was basically told in their own words, very little to no bias is able to come through. Lastly, I have to congratulate the authors for putting together a balanced portrait of life around the globe. The choices were well-made and quite diverse.

Highly recommended!

THIS BOOK WAS GREAT BOOK TO READ AND LEARN FROM
I really enjoy everything about it. Thank you.

Also recommended: Women in the Material World

Material World: A Global Family Portrait
This is my favorite book - ever. So frequently we don't bother to really know about other people on our planet, so to see global life from the individual's viewpoint is surprising and humbling. I like to give this book to friends and family - everyone is always amazed. ... Read more

Book Description

Increasingly heralded for his influence, Slim Aarons has established his place in the pantheon of great postwar photographers. It was Aarons who perfected, if not invented, the environmental portrait while photographing the international elite in their exclusive playgrounds during the jet-set decades of the '50s, '60s, and '70s, carrying out his self-described mission: to document "attractive people doing attractive things in attractive places."

This luxurious book is the ultimate insider's view of the lifestyles of the wealthy, privileged, and powerful. Aarons's first book in nearly 30 years (his long-out-of-print A Wonderful Time is a collector's item fetching more than $1,000 a copy) is an eagerly anticipated publishing event. Presenting Hollywood royalty, European aristocracy, the grande dames of high society, captains of industry, media moguls, statesmen, and luminaries of various stripes, across a vast geography of opulent and glamorous settings, Slim Aarons's photographs-some 250 of which are included here-define the Beautiful People and document a lost era of style, grace, and grandeur. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Wow! Was I born too late?
Mr. Aarons...what a treasure! I won't bother with many words...just...wow is enough! ... Read more

Reviews (4)

A Smile Makes All the Difference
Who can resist a book with a title like Naked Happy Girls? And it pretty much lived up to my expectations.

Too many photographers of nudes forget how important the facial expression can be. After awhile you get tired of seeing women with these serious "arty" expressions. You just want to enjoy the female form and get the impression that the woman being photographed delights in sharing with you. And though there are serious expressions here, Mr. Einhorn achieves his greatest effects in the relaxed attitudes and the smiles.

Though there is very little text in this well-made little volume, I also enjoyed that he gave a brief paragraph before each selection of pictures telling the model's name and a little bit about her. This increased the relaxed atmosphere of the book for me.

If there is a weakness in the book for me, it is a personal one. I am not very fond of tattoos and many of these women have very prominent and, in some cases, extensive tattooing which ruins the beauty of the form. Still, this is a small complaint and many of the subjects here--Cara, Christina, Diana, Jen, Julia, Kaiama, Tamara, Thuc (my personal favorite) and Chadia--are astoundingly beautiful; especially when they smile.

A small and happy B&W photo book
The book "Naked happy Girls" by Andrew Einhorn is printed in Germany and published by Goliath Verlag.
The size is a petite 195 x 145 x 35 mm and the book has 368 numbered pages. The quality is good and the pages are bound.

Several models (almost 40) are portrayed and all photos are monochrome. The models pose mostly nude with only a few shots veiled in clothing.
A chapter is reserved for each model, with short descriptive forewords. From the models point of view this is a sort of mini-portfolio, and I think this is a good approach.

The relaxed and mostly happy photos and models within have some similarities (apart from their natural beauty); several of the models have cats as pets, many have tattoos and some smoke.(quit; it's deadly unhealthy!)

Some of the photos show (deliberate) movement and are partially blurred. There are several serial pictures which could easily be consecutive shots from the negative.
Part of the relaxedness stems from the fact that the photo session is done in the models own surroundings, mostly the home. Some of the models photograph the (nude)photographer during the shoots but he can be seen in only a few of the pictures. The last numbered page in the book has a nude (genitals covered) photo of the photographer himself.

This is a very compact set filled a lot of photographs by Mr. Einhorn, some easily passed and some very interesting. The price marked on the book (37.95 USD - 27.90 EUR) is a good one and it seems Amazon.com offers it even for less.

My personal favourites are; "Andrea" on page 30, "April" on page 45, "Cara" on page 63, "Hil" on page 145 (left), "Julia" three pic' set from page 198 to 199, "Maya" on page 263 and 267, last but not least "Thuc" four pic' set from page 328 to 329.

Robie Kulokivi
weretco@nettilinja.fi

Happy naked endearing durable memorable women
Having worked in bookstores for more than a dozen years, I've seen my share of nude photography books. In most, the models between the covers look sullen and bored; often the best photo is used on the cover. Though amusing to browse, few are worth buying. Einhorn's "Naked Happy Girls" (what a great title) is a rare exception. Andrew's subjects are relaxed and comfortable with their bodies and their nudity, enthusiastic to be posing. The individuality of each woman is glimpsed in their eyes, their smiles, their body language and (quite often) in their surroundings. In "Happy" one meets many wonderful women - there's Hil (the half-Chinese/half-Jewish cover girl), Gabby (an incredibly sexy Argentinian), half-Chinese/Austrian Julia with her sweet smile and my favourite, Bex: singer, comedian, actress, writer, with a beautiful smile and real woman's body. The slight embarassment apparent in her face only makes her more endearing to the viewer - what a sweetie! You are sure to discover your own favourite(s), as Einhorn's models are anything but the usual selection of anorexic white women. "Naked Happy Girls" is a durable collection that will make you smile each time you pick it up.

beautiful, sensual, somehow innocent
Andrew Einhorn has a knack for photographing naked happy girls. His subjects move around their New York apartments, joyful, smiling, and in the glimpse these photographs give, nude.

Beautiful. Unique. ... Read more

Reviews (19)

The best photo-art book ever. Period.
Okay, so this book contains pictures of girls under 18 in the nude. Try to look at the bigger picture. That would be all that is beautiful in our world, and David hamilton has tried to fit as much as he can in one place. Many before him have tried, none have succeeded as he has. the pictures of countrysides, seascapes and Italian villas all join together with the aforemetioned images to create a perfect symmetry of beauty. This book is well worth its price, and then some.

Absolutely stunning!!
This is 'THE' Hamilton book to own! I have never seen anything so beautiful and classical as this before. Hamilton is a true master artist and this book shows the depths to which he explores his art. As one other reader said, when you see the pages of this book unfold before you, you feel as if you are entering a classical landscape of beauty and enchantment. The subject matter (young girls) is a heated topic, however the way Hamilton photographs each subject is a tribute to the eye of a master. There is nothing obscene or pornographic in the pages of this book. This is pure and innocent beauty from a period in life where everything is confusing and magical. The goal of any great photographer should be to show us the world we don't see, to show us what we have all around us but never stop to notice. Hamilton is a great photographer and his landscapes and nudes show us the erotic and mystical in our world.

Buy this book. It is worth every penny.

NO NO NO
I agree with another reviewer that said it isn't right to take young girls and pose them in unnatural and erotic positions so that we may "say" that we want to enjoy their "beauty." I didn't see one photo (albeit I didn't search through the whole book) of naked boys posed in such a way. If youthful nudity is so beautiful, why aren't both sexes recognized? I suspect that this artist isn't interested in male "beauty." I felt that these girls were all exploited by the artist (and every person that buys this book).

(...)

Interesting Collection of his Work
The book has photos spanning David Hamilton's career as well as a bit of an auto-biographical essay of his life and how he got into photographing beautiful young models.

The pictures include nude models as well as subjects like flowers, landscapes, and personal photos.

My complaints about the book is that the pictures are usually too small to be appreciated and the quality of the post-production is not top class. Though there are many nice photos, it does not justify the work of the photographer.

Nonetheless Hamilton's books are hard to find and always go out of print. Overall, it is worth buying.

BEAUTIFUL!!!
This book is a masterpiece! Everything about it is just plain beautiful. I can't believe that Hamilton ever had problems with these incredible pictures that he has taken. And that takes us back to what is art? and what is pornography? It seems that in this country, people tend to believe that if a girl is under the age of 18 and nude, it is pornography. Hamilton has proved them wrong. If it is legal for familys, which do in a lot of cases include young girls and teenage girls, to go to nudist colonies or be naturists, where they are nude three fourths of the time, why is it not right for someone to capture this beautiful lifestyle on film?

The female body, at any age is a very beautiful thing, and not many people will let themselves admit this. I find it especially beautiful when the girls are at the brink of womanhood, and there bodies are changing. Why is it so hard to find this stunning for people???

You will find portraits of everything in this book, from swimming, to sleeping, to just plain stand up posing for the camera. Also, this book includes other works of Hamilton. Works like nature etc.

In one word, this book is Beautiful, and so is Hamilton, for doing something that very few people can do. That is to realize that there is natural beauty in everyone, and he photographed it. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

adolescence explored
VIEWS is a totally mouth-watering glimpse of Kobi's work -- more of which is on his website www.kobi-israel.com. He does a lot of travel, landscape and gay lifestyle stuff that's also really cool.

The book completely connected with me because like Kobi's experiences in the Israeli army, this reminds me of my adolescence ' from team sports to the college dorm -- when I didn't know what was up but was sure that my feelings toward other guys were a lot more than just friendly. Some of the images are pretty physical ' but really the book captures that confusion over intimacy with guys that were suppose to be just friends. This is a beautiful, sultry and pretty intriguing look inside Kobi's world.

An Adventure...
"A young Israeli photographer is fascinated by the topic 'Men'. Kobi Israel takes natural, very erotic photos of young, well-built Israelis. Awarded many a title and been seen at several exhibitions, his first illustrated book has now been published by Bruno Gm?nder. In his pic-tures he describes the [alternative] lifestyle in Israel in impressive shots. Soldiers as an essential element of Israeli life also play an important role for Kobi Israel. His photos are not intended to provoke. He does not want to glorify war, but the cohabitation of these men. Apart from the partly documentary pictures of soldiers, there are erotic pictures of imposing colourfulness and unusual intimacy. Simply a must for the lovers of modern photography of men. " ... Read more

Book Description

Award-winning photographer Adam Kufeld takes on the always popular subject of flowers in a fresh and provocative way, using a close-range lens to describe the intricate, surprising forms hidden inside blossoms. His macro lens allows Kufeld to capture detail invisible to the naked eye, and take advantage of the naturally brilliant color and suggestive forms of petal, stamen, and pistil to create images that transform their subject. His elegant, stylized, seductive portraits depict common garden flowers, including morning glories, bougainvillea, daisies, poppies, lilies, zinnias, roses, and passion flowers, as well as more exotic varieties, such as orchids. His original GiclÈe prints, on traditional watercolor paper, have been hugely successful in exhibition. Flowers: Portraits of Intimacy includes more than 60 photographs captioned with the common name of the flower and an introduction by acclaimed floral designer Rebecca Cole. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

A visual, exquisite journey
Adam Kufeld's book on flowers is a pure delight. It is a fantasy book in the truest sense -- it allows your imagination to soar as these beautiful photographs take you from the depths of the sea to the farthest reaches of outer space, all in the limitless creation of your mind's eye. Kufeld's photographic vision turns flowers into abstract paintings, into fantastic creatures, into images so sensual that they should be viewed in the privacy of one's boudoir! Kufeld leads us into the delicate private sanctum of the heart of the flower, revealing the intricate gloriously rich world that is so easily overlooked in our hurried lives. What a delicious treat!

Flowers: Portraits of Intimacy
Stunning!!! I have just poured over my copy of this book and am amazed by the depth, color and sumptuousness of these photographs. Flowers will never look the same after you see this book. Mr. Kufeld has explored the inner sanctum of one of nature's greatest wonders as though it were uncharted territory. His gentle touch and perceptive eye have rendered the universe hiding behind each petal like a magical netherworld.

The Poetry of Flowers
The images in Flowers: Portraits of Intimacy, by Adam Kufeld, are reminiscent of Georgia O'Keeffe's erotic portraits of flowers, yet each one is wholly original. Kufeld brings details--a pistil, stamen, or ring of petals--into sharp focus, letting the background become softly blurred. The result of this selective emphasis is the creation of foreground and distances, so that each orchid, lily, daisy, and rose becomes a world unto itself, a beautiful, intoxicating world that the viewer longs to enter. Kufeld has captured the poetry of flowers--starbursts, silvery cascades, lips, fingers, and dazzling flesh. This is not photojournalism or scientific photography: it is exquisite art.

Visually Enchanting
I have always been a huge fan of close-up photography, especially when the subject-matter is nature. I recently saw this book, and was amazed at the clarity, and the intense colors eminating from each page.

I will definitely be passing this one on to family and friends who appreciate incredible photography like I do!

Flowers As You Have Never Before Imagined Them
This is an exquisite book.Through the expert use of microphotography, Mr. Kufeld transports us to a world within flowers which defies the imagination. Combining consummate photographic skill with the vision of an artist, Kufeld presents flowers as though they were paintings. The images are passionate and sensual. They awaken all of the senses. One sees flowers in a new and special way after spending time with this book. This is a book for self reflection, for giving to someone you really care about. It is for plant and flower lovers, lovers of nature, lovers in general. And if there is someone who is not particularly into flowers, this book may well give them a new perspective. ... Read more