I have a friend who attended art college. She explained to me that as long as you could come up with a convincing explanation as to WHY you created an artistic piece, it did not matter what the piece looked like. But you had to convince people that you started with the idea, and created the piece from that. Even though most of the time it was the other way around.
What has that got to do with this book? Well sometimes, I get the feeling that the words that accompany the photographs are written to explain elements of the picture, after the fact. The author of this book has given a description of each photograph explaining why he chose a particular time of day for the quality of the light, etc. He claims that the strands of hair across the girl's face are there for a certain reason. I'm no expert, but I just prefer to believe that the photographer takes the pictures of the models according to the time that he has arranged to spend with them, and then makes up the explanation of the lighting situation to suit the results. I don't believe that he goes out with particular lighting in mind, and refuses to shoot if that situation does not arise! I think the breeze blew those strands of hair over her face accidentally, and the photographer is claiming the credit for that!
One other thing that I find surprising about this book is that despite going to great lengths to describe each photograph, going into detail about the texture of wooden posts in the composition, or the rust on the old car the model is posing in, not once does he mention the words breast or breasts. In nude photography, this part of the picture is surely the main focal point. Its almost like he thinks that pointing out that the girl has bared her breasts for the camera, would ruin the 'arty' feel of the book.
I may have given the wrong impression here though. I do really like this book. The photographs are beautiful and all are of a standard that I would have been very proud to create through the lens of my own camera. Also, it is very interesting to read some of the technical details and a little about the background to each individual composition.
Favourite photograph in the book? A difficult decision. There are page after page of very beautiful pictures. I do particularly like the double page photograph of the model posing against one of a series of telegraph poles though (page 20/21). Least favourite? Page 119. I'm not too keen on the use of sepia colouring, although I do get that it is used to complement the old car that the model is draped over. Also, the pose that she is in is not too flattering for her breasts in my opinion. Yes - I mentioned the 'B' word! ( )