Rating: 
Summary: BELISSIMO!!!
Review: Rich, lush, vibrant, sensual, strong and stark, and always compelling images of the nude. This book has it all in dazzling abundance. Highly recommended.
Rating: 
Summary: Disappointing
Review: The nude, especially the female nude, has been one of the most popular subjects of photographers since the medium was invented. Consequentially, new, innovative nude photography is a rarity. When I saw the front and back covers of Howard Schatz's latest book, "Nude Body Nude", on Amazon's Web site, I thought I had found one of those exceptional artists capable capturing something original. However, on receiving the book, I was disappointed. Once you've seen the two covers, you've seen the best photographs in the book. Schatz has set himself the most difficult of all tasks: original nude photography without resort to exotic locales or bizarre props. This is terrifically hard -- all he has to work with is posing the model, lighting, and camera angles. A few of the resulting images - mostly women, but some male nudes as well - are excellent. Most of the successful pictures use more than one model -- multiple bodies interacting in the same frame greatly expands the possibilities for composition and, of course, instantaneously cranks up the erotic temperature. Unfortunately, these striking images are a definite minority, and despite Schatz's best efforts, many of the photographs drift towards a certain sameness. Why does everyone have to be slathered in baby oil? There are so many close-ups of glistening body parts that one almost gets the feeling he was trying to use up the film roll. I applaud the Howard Schatz's willingness to take on this most difficult of subjects, but too many photographs fall short of the high standard he has set himself. With so many other books of erotic photography available, I suggest giving this one a pass.
Rating:
Summary: Disappointing
Review: The nude, especially the female nude, has been one of the most popular subjects of photographers since the medium was invented. Consequentially, new, innovative nude photography is a rarity. When I saw the front and back covers of Howard Schatz's latest book, "Nude Body Nude", on Amazon's Web site, I thought I had found one of those exceptional artists capable capturing something original. However, on receiving the book, I was disappointed. Once you've seen the two covers, you've seen the best photographs in the book. Schatz has set himself the most difficult of all tasks: original nude photography without resort to exotic locales or bizarre props. This is terrifically hard -- all he has to work with is posing the model, lighting, and camera angles. A few of the resulting images - mostly women, but some male nudes as well - are excellent. Most of the successful pictures use more than one model -- multiple bodies interacting in the same frame greatly expands the possibilities for composition and, of course, instantaneously cranks up the erotic temperature. Unfortunately, these striking images are a definite minority, and despite Schatz's best efforts, many of the photographs drift towards a certain sameness. Why does everyone have to be slathered in baby oil? There are so many close-ups of glistening body parts that one almost gets the feeling he was trying to use up the film roll. I applaud the Howard Schatz's willingness to take on this most difficult of subjects, but too many photographs fall short of the high standard he has set himself. With so many other books of erotic photography available, I suggest giving this one a pass.
Rating: 
Summary: Nude Body Nude by Schatz
Review: The one of only two books I've ever returned for a refund in my life. Should be called Boring Body Boring. Perhaps a third of the images are worthy, the rest is horribly redundant. How many more greased down, muscular male bodies can we take. Mostly all studio done with no backgrounds. For the price, it's not worth it.
Rating:
Summary: Beauty To The Beholder
Review: This large format book is filled with images that are erotic, funny, abstract and even thought provoking. Having read the negative reviews, I think that the reviewrs had misplaced expectations, but beauty is in the eye of the beholder and opinions will differ. Nude Body Nude is a book that plays with the human form in many creative ways. To tackle such a project must be daunting; it must be challenging to give the human form a creative approach that is fresh. Many of the photographer's efforts appealed to me more than others. But, for me, this book succeeded far more than it failed. Take a look at the example included with this listing and see for yourself.
Rating:
Summary: Beauty To The Beholder
Review: This large format book is filled with images that are erotic, funny, abstract and even thought provoking. Having read the negative reviews, I think that the reviewrs had misplaced expectations, but beauty is in the eye of the beholder and opinions will differ. Nude Body Nude is a book that plays with the human form in many creative ways. To tackle such a project must be daunting; it must be challenging to give the human form a creative approach that is fresh. Many of the photographer's efforts appealed to me more than others. But, for me, this book succeeded far more than it failed. Take a look at the example included with this listing and see for yourself.
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