Man: Photographs of the Male Nude

Rating:
Summary: Nothing New and Interesting Here
Review: I cannot get very excited about this volume of male nudes by four photographers. They are Trevor Watson, Tony Butcher, Za-hazzanani and Toni Catany. It should be pointed out, I suppose, that Za-hazzanani is a woman photographer, not that it makes any difference that I can ascertain in the quality of her work. My biggest objection here is that there is a tremendous sameness to the shots. For example, I would be hard put to tell the difference between Watson and Butcher's work if Butcher didn't just do black males. Many of the photographs are framed and composed nicely and beautifully printed; but the models could be made of marble. There's hardly a live one in the bunch. Mr. Catany's photos are sepia in color and grainy. At least you know which pictures are his, but I find his images no more interesting than those by the three other photographers.

Finally many of these photographs consist only of body parts with an inordinate number of close-up shots of someone's rear. There are very few images here of complete bodies-- feet, hands, legs-- the head bone connected to the neck bone-- as the old Spiritual goes. If only these bones could rise again.

There are many fine books of photography of male nudes on the market that will excite and inspire you. This one sadly is not one of them. Three stars is most generous, aka the Gentle Person's C.

Rating:
Summary: A Different & Sexy Approach!
Review: I was really impressed with this new book of black & white & sepia-tone photographs of nude male models by four leading photographers who are not as well-known as some of the top professional photographers (Weber, Ritts, Gorman, etc) we all know today, but who should be. "Man" is a stunning collection of beautiful photographs showcasing these four photographers who all have their very own individual style. There are over 150 pages of photographs presented here, a section for each artist.

Za-Hazzanani's photographs I found to be my favorite. She has a unique way of using the right lighting and of posing the models in such a way that they are very erotic and pleasing to the senses. That's not to say I didn't enjoy the other photographers images. Tony Butcher's beautiful photographs of nude black males are truly stunning, and his work reminds me a lot of Mapplethorpe's. Trevor Watson also showcases many black male models using light and shadows to highlight and sensual his images in just the right way. Toni Catany uses old calotype printing techniques which give his photographs of the nude male body intensity and a moody texture that makes them all seem like old photographs.

There is a wonderful introduction by Paul Ryan who gives a history of the development of male nude photography and it's gradual acceptance over the years. You'll also find a section of biographical notes on all the photographer's featured in this book. I enjoyed this collection from these four photographers I didn't know before, and this was a welcome introduction to their work. This is a frank and honest presentation of nude male models shown in a different and sexy way!

Rating:
Summary: A Different & Sexy Approach!
Review: I was really impressed with this new book of black & white & sepia-tone photographs of nude male models by four leading photographers who are not as well-known as some of the top professional photographers (Weber, Ritts, Gorman, etc) we all know today, but who should be. "Man" is a stunning collection of beautiful photographs showcasing these four photographers who all have their very own individual style. There are over 150 pages of photographs presented here, a section for each artist.

Za-Hazzanani's photographs I found to be my favorite. She has a unique way of using the right lighting and of posing the models in such a way that they are very erotic and pleasing to the senses. That's not to say I didn't enjoy the other photographers images. Tony Butcher's beautiful photographs of nude black males are truly stunning, and his work reminds me a lot of Mapplethorpe's. Trevor Watson also showcases many black male models using light and shadows to highlight and sensual his images in just the right way. Toni Catany uses old calotype printing techniques which give his photographs of the nude male body intensity and a moody texture that makes them all seem like old photographs.

There is a wonderful introduction by Paul Ryan who gives a history of the development of male nude photography and it's gradual acceptance over the years. You'll also find a section of biographical notes on all the photographer's featured in this book. I enjoyed this collection from these four photographers I didn't know before, and this was a welcome introduction to their work. This is a frank and honest presentation of nude male models shown in a different and sexy way!

Rating:
Summary: A Different & Sexy Approach!
Review: I was really impressed with this new book of black & white & sepia-tone photographs of nude male models by four leading photographers who are not as well-known as some of the top professional photographers (Weber, Ritts, Gorman, etc) we all know today, but who should be. "Man" is a stunning collection of beautiful photographs showcasing these four photographers who all have their very own individual style. There are over 150 pages of photographs presented here, a section for each artist.

Za-Hazzanani's photographs I found to be my favorite. She has a unique way of using the right lighting and of posing the models in such a way that they are very erotic and pleasing to the senses. That's not to say I didn't enjoy the other photographers images. Tony Butcher's beautiful photographs of nude black males are truly stunning, and his work reminds me a lot of Mapplethorpe's. Trevor Watson also showcases many black male models using light and shadows to highlight and sensual his images in just the right way. Toni Catany uses old calotype printing techniques which give his photographs of the nude male body intensity and a moody texture that makes them all seem like old photographs.

There is a wonderful introduction by Paul Ryan who gives a history of the development of male nude photography and it's gradual acceptance over the years. You'll also find a section of biographical notes on all the photographer's featured in this book. I enjoyed this collection from these four photographers I didn't know before, and this was a welcome introduction to their work. This is a frank and honest presentation of nude male models shown in a different and sexy way!

Rating:
Summary: Boring collection of stiff and formulaic poses.
Review: Let's start with the good things. This collection is composed of high-quality images, well produced and well presented. The paper is high quality and the binding good. It is a good coffee-table book that won't offend many people.

The bad parts are legion, and I'm grateful that I was baought this book as a gift. I would have felt cheated if I'd bought it myself. Why? Well, firstly there are too many images of black men. This may be fine if you like oil-smeared, shiny black muscles but not if, like me, you are not a great admirer of photograhps of black men. This may not be the "PC" thing to say, but coming from England I'm not, thankfully, gagged by this most objectionable of American crazes. (It's an interesting thought that one is able to make all sorts of negative comments about pretty-boys or muscle-hunks, but say a negative word about black models and the wishy-wahsy liberals get their hair in a tizz).

Secondly, the poses are formulaic. They're stiff, uninteresting, mostly body-shots. There is little eye-contact with the models, and if there is they look totally bored by the whole process. How is it that Mapplethorpe managed to get so much more from these sort of poses?

None of the models even dares to smile - not even a small wry smile. As a viewer I'm totally uninvoled with the book. I'm not invited in to free my erotic imagination. I received this book at the same time I got Hoffman's book of pictures of Johan Paulik, and that book is the other side of the coin. I would happily leave this book out on the coffee table in the hope that someone would ask to borrow it and fail to return it. I would chain the book of Paulik photographs to the floor to stop it leaving the house.

Rating:
Summary: Conventional notions of male beauty
Review: The guys in this book are muscled, often faceless, and not yet middle-aged. Some of them have oiled skin, or are wet. This is doctrinaire stuff: fairly routine gay male erotica (albeit rated PG-13 - because detumescent.) There's a stultifying sensibility amidst the 'come-hither' poses and angles in use here. The Mapplethorpian conventions are all here: buttocks, genitals, abs, biceps, quads. No eye contact. I was bored, because I had hoped for interesting photography,and a sense of the human beings inside the bodies - and instead got a parade of 'perfect' physiques -in conventional poses.