New York Girls

Rating:
Summary: High Expectations
Review: The concept was excellent, but the execution is disappointing. Maybe the format is just too big, as the size itself drew my attention to the mediocre photography, rather than the otherwise interesting commentary on pop fetish culture. If the intent was to lend immediacy to the subjects though casual photography, it failed, because the models were clearly posed. The style of photography may have work with unposed models (as in Kroll's photography) but it didn't work here.

Rating:
Summary: High Expectations
Review: The concept was excellent, but the execution is disappointing. Maybe the format is just too big, as the size itself drew my attention to the mediocre photography, rather than the otherwise interesting commentary on pop fetish culture. If the intent was to lend immediacy to the subjects though casual photography, it failed, because the models were clearly posed. The style of photography may have work with unposed models (as in Kroll's photography) but it didn't work here.

Rating:
Summary: Wonderful work
Review: There are very few that can pull off flash photography like Richard Kern. Although some of the models were a little too bland to pull off the subject matter, he shows us some gems that make buying the book worthwhile. What you get from his flash work in this book is the starkness of the themes, and the sense that these could easily be home photo's taken by you or me.