Not so much looking for suggestion of text book (one can start another topic for it if wants), but suggestions of books that focus on nude-art, sex, pornography. But with some kind of elegancy to it. Like "best of private" by taschen = ok, Private's own year books that's hardly an "artbook", just porn mag in hardcover...
Lets start...
Secret Art of An English Gentleman / Tom PoultonTaschen
(http://images.angusrobertson.com.au/images/ar/97838365/9783836534840/0/0/plain/tom-poulton-the-secret-art-of-an-english-gentleman.jpg)
QuoteThomas Leycester Poulton was an English magazine and medical book illustrator, born in 1897. Upon his death in 1963 it was discovered he was also a prolific and imaginative erotic artist who produced hundreds of sketches and finished drawings of women proudly and exuberantly displaying themselves in ways shocking to conservative post-war Britain. Once one gets past the shock value it becomes clear that Poulton's greatest talent was in portraying the human body in the sexual act, and since he did it with such rare insight many have argued he must have actually witnessed the orgies he put on paper. His ties to certain players in the 1963 Profumo scandal, breaking at the time of his death, hint that he may, in fact, have been the in-house artist at the parties that rocked the British Parliament. Poulton's archive remained hidden from public view until the late 90s, when it turned up among the artifacts of an aging professional yachtsman who was dispersing his vast collection of erotica. Though Tom Poulton's work tells us much about English society between 1948 and 1963, there is a universal quality to these images of joyous, uninhibited sexuality that transcends time and place.
This 2006 release includes most of all soft graphite pencil drawings on yellowish soft paper. Some images are utterly perfect in their technical excellency (one could compare pencil works of Tom of Finland), many remain half finished sketches. It's man-woman, or woman-woman type of stuff, but with full on juicy sex settings, complete with cum spatters and wide open cunts.
(http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_ma7lab9lhl1qd0ln0o1_500.jpg)
RUSSIAN BEAUTIES 1 + 2
Edition Reuss
(https://www.morebooks.de/assets/product_images/9783934020/big/2761423/russian-beauties-vol-1.jpg?locale=gb)
QuoteThe first collection of photographs by Alex Truew, this book is a romantic tribute to the beauty and innocence of youth. Even today, Russia is still a boundless, untamed country composed of many different peoples, a country offering richly varied types of women with features ranging from European to Asian. This mixture often creates fascinating, exotic beauties that fire the enthusiasm of more than Russian photographers. The collection contains remarkably intimate, sensitive portraits of Russian girls against backgrounds that are typical of their homeland -- in countryside or village settings, or nude in the snow. Hardcover w/jacket, color. Text in English, German & French.
Both issues have the same style. Hardcover B5 page size, all full color, one image per page. Not so much "artistic" in photographic qualities. Just bright and clear color images of very natural and nude Russian girls from 18 to 25 or such posing outdoors. Each girl gets about 10 pages/pictures. No vulgar cunt stretching, more like nudist images. One could compare with something like David Hamilton - what comes to body type and naturality of models - yet without the dreamy and blurry artistic touch. He may appear to want give occasional artistic touch with settings, yet photos are just snapshots of actual moment - no extra touch of visual creativity.
To look at untainted "girl next door", good books. Yet hardly to be rated among high end of the photographic art.
THE LAST DAYS OF SUMMER by Jock SturgesAperture
(http://thephotobook.files.wordpress.com/2010/11/jock_sturges-the_last_days_of_summer-cover.jpg)
Very first of the Jock Sturges books, but since 1991 remains in print. Easily available, exists in few languages. I have German and English versions. "Notes" (2004) was first book I personally found from him. I did end up swiftly collecting all what was available for somewhat reasonable price. Luckily it is pretty much majority of his works. Finland isn't exactly known for great supply of artbooks - especially not for photography, and when you can't find stuff by browsing shelves, you need to know what kind of titles you're looking for.
One would expect Sturges to be known for many. If not because of his high profile as amazing photographer, maybe the scandal of FBI raiding his offices. This case connected the early 90's controversy in general - where artists as Sally Mann and Mapplethorpe got same treatment.
QuoteJock Sturges (born 1947) is an American photographer, best known for his images of nude adolescents and their families, primarily taken at communes in Northern California and at the Atlantic-coast naturist resort at Montalivet, France. His work has been the subject of controversy. Much of his work features Californian Misty Dawn, whom he shot from when she was a young child until in her twenties. In 1990, his San Francisco studio was raided by FBI officers and his equipment seized. A Grand Jury subsequently declined to bring an indictment against him.
Sturges graduated with a BFA in Perceptual Psychology and Photography from Marlboro College and received an MFA in photography from the San Francisco Art Institute. He primarily works with a large 8x10-inch-format view camera.
Last day of Summer being his first book, obviously covers his old masterworks with large format camera. Unfortunately later days he has moved into digital works. There is quite ok'ish documentary done about him by smaller german photo-documentary company back in 2007. Ordered it from them back then, not sure if still available. Quality something you expect to see from regular TV channel, rather than "collectors dvd"? Certainly far behind Mann document for example.
(http://thephotobook.files.wordpress.com/2010/11/flore_et_frederique_montalivet_1989.jpg)
You can start basically from any Sturges book. All are good.
I found this second hand in a Melbourne book shop.
http://www.amazon.com/Erotic-art-masters-centuries-Gemini-Smith/dp/0818401745 (http://www.amazon.com/Erotic-art-masters-centuries-Gemini-Smith/dp/0818401745)
S&m art seems more interesting to me than "erotic" art, mainly because it calls for a bit more imagination. I, for one, would appreciate a few suggestions.
I've talked before about Princess of Desire book by Ken-Ichi Murata. It's better of the two books, but still while ago decided to purchase also his NAKED PRINCESS.
I had not heard about whole artists few years ago, when I accidentally found german publishers hardcover in Estonian bookstore while visiting there. Now I contacted directly publisher which may be easiest way to get Edition Reuss books. At least over here, no distribution for that company at all.
(http://www.pileup.com/babyart/blog-images3/ken1.jpg)
You can see Trevor Brown's site with samples and some information:
http://www.pileup.com/babyart/blog/index.php?s=ken-ichi
Japanese bondage with innovations, hand tinted b/w photographs and no cencorship!
LUST AND PAIN by Guy Lemaire
Edition Reuss
(http://cc.pbsstatic.com/l/54/0054/9783934020054.jpg)
This is another bondage title by Edition Reuss. If you'd think lets try Philippe Fichot and perhaps even Joel Peter Witkin, but reduce this a bit to regular bondage settings... maybe you get hint of Guy Lemaire's works. This book is 11" x 11" size, hardcover, hundreds of pages. One image per page. Some great images, and "extremes" a'la urination, mild cutting, but most of all rope bondage & suspension etc. All images are treated with effects - at best it appears to be old school image scratching & mutilation, yet then you get the feeling there must be some sort of multi-layering or photoshopping involved, since magnificent results of the outstanding images are just that - and the regular images fall behind in level of technical craftmanship and settings. Yet in times when hardcore s/m B/W photobooks ain't really THAT popular, I must show my support for it!
QuoteThese sado-masochistic pictures by Belgian photographer Guy Lemaire transport us into another, highly erotic dimension of lust: Look at me. I am your divine slave. I am the nude virgin. I am the sin of pain. Baptise me with this tenderness that you engrave upon my skin, with these thousand needles that pierce my flesh. You look at me, you implore me. I know that now the point of my heel will crush your flesh until tears of gratitude gush forth. We know that the songs of leather play at the end of our straps. Text in English, German, French & Italian
(http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m2rnxhbbHj1r1w31so1_500.jpg)
THE EROTIC DIARY OF LYNN W.
Edition Reuss
(http://images.betterworldbooks.com/393/The-Erotic-Diary-of-Lynn-W-Walker-Ben-9783934020351.jpg)
Nice hardcover book in B5 size. Almost completely b/w, with neat angles and close-ups, even to macro level. It's straight forward porn basically, with full on penetrations, urination, oral, cfnm, handjobs etc etc.. It's photographer Ben Walker and his wife basically, but the style has more in common with art, than cheapest porn mag style.
Same could be said about another Edition Reuss title
LOVE SEX by Gordon Denman
(http://images.betterworldbooks.com/393/Love-Sex-Denman-Gordon-9783934020757.jpg)
Black & white photos makes such a difference - and so does the tasty dramatic lighting and being able to frame the image with artistic eye. Denman has lots of books, also more on this same publisher. It's very hard to find example images what do justice for these books mentioned here. They are much better than you can assume by seeing cover of couple lousy sample images online... Not to mention the uninspiring titles of books!
(http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m91jbp7wsw1qd0ln0o1_500.jpg)
Quote from: FreakAnimalFinland on September 30, 2012, 04:57:28 PM
LUST AND PAIN by Guy Lemaire
Edition Reuss
This is another bondage title by Edition Reuss. If you'd think lets try Philippe Fichot and perhaps even Joel Peter Witkin, but reduce this a bit to regular bondage settings... maybe you get hint of Guy Lemaire's works. This book is 11" x 11" size, hardcover, hundreds of pages. One image per page. Some great images, and "extremes" a'la urination, mild cutting, but most of all rope bondage & suspension etc. All images are treated with effects - at best it appears to be old school image scratching & mutilation, yet then you get the feeling there must be some sort of multi-layering or photoshopping involved, since magnificent results of the outstanding images are just that - and the regular images fall behind in level of technical craftmanship and settings. Yet in times when hardcore s/m B/W photobooks ain't really THAT popular, I must show my support for it!
I found one of his books in a second hand bookstore in Gothenburg, and I remember thinking it was quite nice but the price was very high and I just couldn't motivate buying it. Now I've checked this MUCH MORE affordable one out and I think I'll get it. Thanks for the recommendation. Only one question. Is it a retrospective or a specific project book, are there only photos or other illustrations as well(seeing he also paints/draws/scribbles)?
This book is only photography. All in similar atmosphere, but of course target or settings vary. There are few pages of leather fags, but mostly single persons and even more so females.
Quote from: FreakAnimalFinland on October 03, 2012, 06:47:26 PM
This book is only photography. All in similar atmosphere, but of course target or settings vary. There are few pages of leather fags, but mostly single persons and even more so females.
Ok,decided to order it either way. The samples I saw fit my aesthetical tastes, thank you for the info.
i quite liked natacha merritt's first book 'digital diaries'
(http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51M4YFDTAXL._SL500_AA300_.jpg)
Like Digital Diaries name suggests, it's basically sex blog reprinted to book, therefore the picture quality and "ideas" are limited to this woman taking self portraits with small digital camera. At least what I can remember. I can't find the book now from shelves, could be there since I don't remember selling it away... In terms of amateur sex activities, ok, as "art book", not so much.
revenge
by: ellen von unwerth
(published by Twin Palms)
(http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/31RXKGE7GXL._SL500_AA300_.jpg)
Very neat book, with hard fabric surfaced cover with silver text & small round image glued in front. This is the kind of thing I hope artbooks would more often look like. Not the crappy full color covers looking like cheap magazines.
(http://cdnimg.visualizeus.com/thumbs/bd/47/ellen,von,unwerth,art,black,and,white,girls-bd47bbca75731358405b9c8807456a5c_h.jpg)
(http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_XsslIF_fqyM/S_MWseglRFI/AAAAAAAAFw4/9P5VQRGs8Es/s1600/13227_Revenge59_Finn_123_575lo.jpg)
Basically you can think of elegancy of black & white fashion photography and put that in context of neat looking fetish photography. She is famous. Works with the likes of Claudia Schiffer and for all the highest profile magazines around the world. But, despite all that - OR should I say BECAUSE of that, there is level of imagination, taste and composition beyond the usual books.
Probably her book "Fräulein" on Taschen is more famous, but especially the big version is pricey as fuck. If you're into grainy images with corsets, high heels, "damsels in distress", submission play rather than anything ultra sadistic, could be worth of your time.
Orgasm, by Tony Ward
Last Gasp
Best of Erotica, by Tony Ward
6x6
Tony Ward's work has been published in all the major photography magazines, including Life, Penthouse, and American Photo - says some description. One could summarize these books: black & white hard grain. That's what you get, often exaggerated levels. He has good eye for picture composition and good ideas - not to mention despite very dull book titles, you can expect occasional extreme surprises too... Cumshots, rimming, pissing, deformed slaves,... That's most of all "Orgasm" book content. The best of Erotica is much more thicker book, yet includes also some color photos and content is overall toned down.
Obviously world famous works many may have seen, even if they don't recognize the name.
Some goodies of "Orgasm".
(http://www.klinebooks.com/kline/images/items/29931_3.jpg)
Quote from: FreakAnimalFinland on October 06, 2012, 02:32:32 PM
Like Digital Diaries name suggests, it's basically sex blog reprinted to book, therefore the picture quality and "ideas" are limited to this woman taking self portraits with small digital camera. At least what I can remember. I can't find the book now from shelves, could be there since I don't remember selling it away... In terms of amateur sex activities, ok, as "art book", not so much.
Found the book from shelves... Yeah, like I remembered, I do like the POV type of stuff, nice female sucking cock etc. But the horrid content of 72dpi pixelated low resolution images (luckily book is not all about that) represent the kind of modern photography I simply can't stand at all.
probably talked in other forums sometime, since I recall recommending somewhere, but can't find in this forum:
Irina Ionesco "R" and "Eva" books
Pan-Exotica
"R":
(http://images.flutterscape.net/8846/12924203134f1154e73b8e7613152959.jpg)
(http://images.flutterscape.net/8846/11904307064f1154fbb07cf970869545.jpg)
Eva book is obviously focusing on Irina's daughter, but also "R" has plenty of that, yet also other models. And while the decadent elegancy is present also in the full color works of "R", without doubt, Ionesco gained worldwide fame thanks to her work with Eva. That book with bigger page size and exclusively b/w photography makes it superior. It seems like the books are getting pretty high priced already. Perhaps going straight to source could still result tolerable price, but Amazon and especially rare book dealers might be asking few hundreds, if not more.
VISIONS OF OPHELIA by Jack Gilbert
Editions Reuss
(http://images.word-power.co.uk/images/product_images/9783934020450.jpg)
QuoteJack Gilbert's atmospheric, sensitive, black-and-white photos offer us intimate insights into the emotional worlds of his young models. He focuses his lens on the soft curves, budding breasts and pouting lips of youthful beauties who bewitch us with their innocent gazes. Here is a photobook full of poetry and voluptuous abandon. "Visions of Ophelia is just my personal statement, as an artist, celebrating the unique and splendid beauty inherent in all young women."
Young, meaning women at their early 20's. Gilbert's foreword (available in english, german & french) explains his interest this Shakespeare's archetype of fragile and tragic young woman. His work in mental institute of some sort, with suicidal, self loathing young women, who he - nor staff in general could not help. Book continues his interest, and each model takes part of multiple pages worth of photos. Stylish nude works, not too much focus on genitalia. Slightly sepia tinted printing ink makes the B/W images look very neat and the lenz with very narrow focus creates dreamy blur. Certainly among the best of Edition Reuss books.
(http://www.lindemanns.de/shop/migal/bilder/lima/93064g~2.jpg)
Dahmane
Porn art 1 & (especially 2) featuring his wife Chloe des Lysses.
(http://www.bibliopolis.com/books/images/clients/klinebooks/29665.jpg)
Taschen has released these Nobuyoshi Araki art books. Looking nice, but the price is well...
Link (http://www.taschen.com/pages/en/search/result.1.htm?show_all=catalogue&search_string=nobuyoshi&submit_search=GO)
I have not found those Dahmane books yet. Have been drooling over the scans and have one door pasted with xeroxes from the book I was given by Greh years ago.
Araki I have few of his books, but for example Taschen big one... Don't fully understand what's the big deal with him. Don't think vast majority of works are good enough to own...
$4,000- I thought I was seeing things.
INTIMATE OBSESSIONS
by China Hamilton
Another Edition Reuss book, and I think China Hamilton is relatively well known. Even Taschen included his works in some book of contemporary erotic photos. It appears as this 2007 book is still his latest photograhy book. Text in English, French and German. Hardback printed to very high standards in tinted monochrome images. His work includes s/m, bondage etc, but this particular book includes most of all just erotic nudes. Lots of shadows, lots of tasty mystery in finest tradition of nude art photography. No dull color snapshots, no full lights. Focus on essential elements. If it's female body, with fully exposed shaven genitalia, that's the element that is in focus, light, and clear sight - while background may be blurry or so dark it's just pure black. Dreamy and soft images would be enough. I don't think the foreword does book full justice. Its always kind of turn off, when artists feels need to underline the nature of fantasy and make explanation why people shouldn't be worried of such an animalistic elements of submission and domination etc.
See few preview images in his free info site:
http://www.chinahamilton.com
Bodyvision
Lithuanian Nudes
(http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41S1H8TK1AL._SX385_.jpg)
grabbed a copy of this at a porn shop yesterday. Nice pics, some fatties, and some of the girls seem very young. Goes for 10,- on Amazon
Can anybody recommend some good books about Japanese bondage/Shibari/Kinbaku, which are also quite easily available? Maybe not the "famous" ones like Araki...
Thanks!
Quote from: theotherjohn on July 15, 2018, 01:37:03 PM
Can't myself, but if you want an incredible resource for seeking out more of this material in printed form then give this blog a visit: https://kokoro-kinbaku.com/
Many thanks, this looks like a good and interesting site to investigate and research further into topic.
Check out this book by Seiu Ito: https://www.amazon.com/Semee-No-Onna-Seiu-Ito/dp/4106024233
He was a painter and a photographer and is credited as the father of shibari and it's pretty clear to see Araki does exactly what he did but with some pop and fashion friendly flourishes that has made him very rich. We had an Araki retrospective at the museum where I work as my day job (researcher) and I got right sick of looking at his work, despite all the very beautiful crazy sexy Japanese women (my personal preference is Asian women.)
When it comes to art or erotic art, I tend towards the truly macabre and bizarre (if I want to get off I'll just watch porn): Hans Bellmer, Pierre Molinier, etc...
For contemporary stuff, highly recommend Paul Kooiker's work (balances art imagery with confrontational sexual imagery) as well as AL Steiner's lesbian images. Can someone tell me how I'm supposed to embed images into here?
Quote from: cr on July 15, 2018, 12:27:17 PM
Can anybody recommend some good books about Japanese bondage/Shibari/Kinbaku, which are also quite easily available? Maybe not the "famous" ones like Araki...
Thanks!
For newer books, I would recommend the http://thekingsboropress.com/shop (http://thekingsboropress.com/shop) released 'The Wainwright Naked Hippie Tarot' book.
Jerry Wainwright was a hippe in San Francisco in the 1970s and into Tarot and shit, and wanted to make his own Tarot cards by photographing his friends being naked and erotic. The story interests me less then the work. Hard to believe this guy never got any attention, because he's making these images around the same time as Mapplethorpe, Newton, DeSana, and all those other naughty dudes.
Quote from: AdamLehrerImageMaker on December 01, 2018, 12:50:35 AM
Check out this book by Seiu Ito: https://www.amazon.com/Semee-No-Onna-Seiu-Ito/dp/4106024233
Quote from: cr on July 15, 2018, 12:27:17 PM
Can anybody recommend some good books about Japanese bondage/Shibari/Kinbaku, which are also quite easily available? Maybe not the "famous" ones like Araki...
Thanks!
Great book. I have this and a few others by Seiu. I also have a near mint first edition of it on sale via Where frost reign and another commermoration magazines dedicated solemnly to Seiu.
http://wherefrostreignhangar.tumblr.com/post/179635114143/distro-new-in-stock-hiroshi-kawaguchi
http://wherefrostreignhangar.tumblr.com/post/176672397273/distro-new-in-stock-fun-graph-ukiyo-e-and-itoh (http://wherefrostreignhangar.tumblr.com/post/176672397273/distro-new-in-stock-fun-graph-ukiyo-e-and-itoh)
CR! Hit me up via PM, I have several photo books, magazines and books for sale on the subject in my distro.