Peter Lindbergh: Stories

Rating:
Summary: Not what I expected
Review: I was a bit disappointed by this book. I am a huge fan of Lindbergh and have followed his work for years in various magazines. I have all books; I can say that I am VERY familiar with his work. I thought this book was going to be a more of "behind the scenes". It's not. It does have out takes, Polaroid's, and a collage of written letters that are mostly eligible. I had hope there word be some views by Lindbergh on his "little films". There were none. There is a long-winded intro by Wim Wenders. I'm not sure why they picked him. I guess simply cause they're German. The work that is shown in this book really isn't his strongest. Images of Women, another Lindbergh book, can clearly demonstrate this. For all the people interested in Models, Milla Jovovich is the star of the book. There must be at least 50 pages of her. All in all this book really is beautiful but in comparison to Images of Women, it simple lacks.

Rating:
Summary: Disappointing
Review: Peter Lindbergh's earlier books are far superior to this. Maybe I am missing something here but this book isn't really "Stories" at all. I thought the stories would be mysterious, enchanting, romantic, sensual or at least interesting photographs. Nothing here is. Everything is overly contrived including a ridiculous invasion by midgets in flying saucers. Really!? ...

True there are a few, very few in my opinion, gorgeous pictures of beautiful models. Most of the models have disgusting cigarettes hanging from their lips or dangling from their fingers -- not very sexy. In fact this book seems more a tribute to the Marlboro man than to the beauty of his models.

Wim Wenders wrote the introduction and I admire and respect his work very much. He apparently sees things in this book that I am clearly missing. I have paged through this book three times now to see if I could "get it". I don't. Wenders introduction drones on with the continuing question "How does Peter Lindbergh do it?" I don't know what Lindbergh has done except contrive and exaggerate to absurdity. I am disappointed.

The fashion industry is largely based on hype. Evidently, those working in that industry begin to believe all this hype themselves. Perhaps that is what has happened to Lindbergh, he believes everything he puts out is a masterpiece -- it isn't.