Book Description

Book Description

This is the first comprehensive publication on American photographer Jock Sturges (b.1947) compiled by the artist himself. It is nothing less than an ode to beauty. For more than 20 years, he has been taking photographs of girls growing up, both in his native California and at a nudist resort on the Atlantic coast of France. Nudity in Sturges' work has never been a cheap or tawdry gimmick, rather it is shown as human being's natural state. His photographs are an expression of the trust he has established over the years with the girls and their families. Calmly and almost casually, Sturges observes the aging process of his models. His striking long-term studies chart barely perceptible changes in their appearance, the slow maturing of the female body. Sturges preserves transient states that will never return; graceful forms that time will eventually extinguish. A sweet melancholia pervades Sturges' images as he knows that beauty is not an everlasting state-but a brief moment in time whose essence we should cherish. ... Read more

Reviews (45)

The definitive Jock Sturges monograph
This is by far the best collection of Sturges' work in publication. Unlike the previous Aperture monographs, it displays the images as the artist intended. It follows his chronology, and that of the models, so you can see how they developed over time from young women and men; through their teens, to adults raising their own families. Telling their stories as well as painting their portraits.

He portrays them with the familiarity and intimacy of one who is almost family himself; and captures their characters as well as their forms. It is wonderful to watch how the girls and their families grow over time, how they change and develop. One wishes to know more about them as people, to understand the story behind the pictures.

His models, though nude, are more comfortable in that state than most people are clothed. There are no clothes, no outside trappings, to get in the way of the full expression of the person. The people he photographs are relaxed and peaceful.

His work is free of gimmicks, of artificial tension, of blatant eroticism. It is all about beauty and innocence.

He has received numerous accusations of child pornography and exploitation from narrow-minded and perverse individuals. One only needs to look at his work to dispel all notions of such. Only the most twisted and sick-minded person could find his work pornographic. As a Christian, I find it to be a wonderful expression of the beauty of God's greatest creation.

The tones of his images are mostly soft, low-contrast. The beach images reflect in sand and sea the same light gradations and textures visible on the bodies of those he photographs; the models seeming to become a part of their environment, but still standing out from the background. Others are more contrasty, both in tone and setting, complimenting rather than echoing the models.

The printing is exquisite. Having attended two gallery shows of Sturges' work, and seen the prints, I can say that the book, though it can't reproduce the richness of the tones of the silver prints, does admirably in approximating them. The quality of the binding is superb; and the introductory texts are well-worth reading.

A book that i highly recommend for all lovers of find photography.

Sheer beauty - a look at life
I am a white, male, Christian, conservative, Republican grandfather that teaches Sex Education to students the same age as some of Mr. Sturges' friends. How wonderful it is that my students can now see what other normal people their own age actually look like, and that their own body is OK!. Usually, they only get to see what Madison Avenue thinks that they should look like. How sad that Jock is persecuted, while everyday we see the use of little bare babes to sell toilet paper, skin lotion or fashionable pants. I love the book. Thank you Jock, and thank you, Amazon, for carrying Jock's work.

People cared for beautifully.
Gerry Badger, in a listing of 250 key photographers, refers to Jock Sturges as the leading photographer of the "natural" nude (p. 170, Collecting Photography, Mitchell Beazley). This is fine, as far as it goes, but is too limited an introduction to Mr. Sturges's work. Mr. Sturges's photography is not limited to nudes. Neither can his subject matter be properly described as the nude or the natural nude. Rather, Mr. Sturges cares deeply about people. He is interested in people - in the whole of what a person is - and his work reflects this valuing. Simply turn to page 114 of the first Scalo book - the book I'm reviewing here - or page 31 or 87 or 126 - this is a wonderfully rich book - to find the definition of a great portrait.

I find that I can go back to Mr. Sturges's books again and again with pleasure and for profit. I look at people differently since meeting the books - with greater pleasure and discernment. Having Mr. Sturges's work in my home makes my house feel more like home. Enough said.

Mr. Sturges's monographs include Jock Sturges (Scalo), Jock Sturges: New Work 1996 - 2000 (Scalo), The Last Day of Summer (Aperture), Radiant Identities (Aperture), and Evolution of Grace (Gakken). The Gakken book is printed too darkly (at least the copy I have is) but I'm grateful to the book, nevertheless, for the images it shares. Those wishing to catch a glimpse of Mr. Sturges's Irish work could look for an April 2001 copy of B&W: Black & White Magazine.

Beautiful photography, very little to complain about.
You'll find some very good photography here, nothing pornographic and mostly well composed. Some of the pictures do seem to me to be oddly posed or taken at too great a distance but basically you've got a great book if you get it.

Got me to go to Montalivet
As a serious yet amatuer photographer, and one fascinated with portrait photography, I was truly intrigued by the pictures in this book. I find these images mezmorizing. the light in the pictures is sincerely magical, so much so that I had to discover why. So, I packed up my family and went to Montalivet, France, and lived in a naturist campground for two weeks. This is an incredible place, with a mystical feel in the air, and, yes, incredible light. The ocean tide moves out revealing an endless flat, and wet landscape, with mud pools of clay where one can paint one's body (or someone else's) and become part of the "moonscape". Everyday, the sun sets and the same magical light appears, with the same wonderful, unpretentious people drink it up. This was 5 years ago, and my family has returned to this spot, and others like it over and over again. Thank you, Jock, for opening my eyes and my lens.
Truly a must have for any fan of good, human photographic honesty. PS his other books are great too!! ... Read more

Reviews (22)

Breathtaking!
The print quality of this book is breathtaking. I couldn't believe how much more large format and quality printing could enhance an already beautiful body of work-this is an extraordinary book. I enjoy the blending of what is essentially documentary in nature with an exquisite sense of aesthetics. This is no Hamiltonian romanticism/eroticism, and that is why this is precisely, in my estimation, a more real, valuable and important body of work.

Since I had not reviewed his other books in a long time, I've went back to them over and over again since I bought New Works. To see the evolution and metamorphosis of Misty Dawn and all the other subjects is a wonder to behold. I hope that Sturges continues with his quest, but I would also like to see books that present one subject/family at a time. That way, this mystical evolution/metamorphosis of his subjects can best be presented.

I hope he continues to enrich us and our culture with his work. More importantly, I pray that the Ashcroft nomination as Attorney General won't impede nor bode ill for his continued success.

A gorgeous new book by Sturges...perhaps his best yet!
This is a gorgeous new book from Sturges. It's published by Scalo, the same folks that gave us Sturges' last book in 1996. The plates are the same quality in this new book, in other words super. They are sharp, clear, and show off the 8x10 format well. Anyhoo, the first thing you notice about this new book is the size. It's HUGE at 14 1/2" by 13"! It really stands out at you. I think it was wise to get a larger format for these photo's. It gives the photo's space, which really brings out the scope of Sturges' work. The photo's themselves are fairly varied and show that Sturges continues to grow as a photographer. The family shots are lovingly done and show the amount of trust these folks have with Sturges, which is obviously vital. The inclusion of color photo's is brilliant! They really stand out against the moody B/W's throughout the book. Overall I'd say this book is well worth the..price tag and a must for any fans of great photography. Thanks Jock!

Artistic masterpiece
I was a little hesitant to order this book because of the price, even though I love Jock Sturges' work, but when it came in the mail I was surprised that it didn't cost more. What an incredible and breath-taking piece of work! The book is huge and the quality of the prints are fantastic! I am so impressed by the lighting and shadows and use of color and exquisite beauty of the models. I can't say enough about it. What a treasure!

Innocence & Aesthetic Beauty
As I wrote before in my reviews of 'Last Days of Summer' and 'Radiant Identities'*, Sturges depicts the essence of freedom and a way of life many of us (sadly) have forgotten or never discovered.

What's not to like here? The photography is wonderful and unsurpassed, the binding and printing are high standard, the size is generous and the subjects are gorgeous. This beautiful book is worth every penny!

Of course there are always narrow minded people who might object to the contents of this book, probably the same people who'd object to the Venus the Milo, or 'nude paintings' in a museum. However, for any intelligent and open-minded person there is nothing to object to, just Great Art to enjoy and a valuable lesson about life as it's meant to be.

If you can dig that, you will certainly enjoy the book. If you are still in doubt, do yourself a favour and buy it, and if you give it half a chance, it will enrich your life and broaden your horizon. In a way, you can't afford NOT to buy it...

* Please, see there if you want to read more of my reviews about Sturges' work.

Charming and moving
The photographs are moving because of their honesty, gentleness and humanity. The very words I write here cannot even fully describe the sad longing the pictures evoke. One has to look at Jock Sturges' photographs in order to understand. ... Read more