Customer Reviews

Black and White Men

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James Spada is the author of sixteen books which include biographies of famous stars, and pictorial biographies ("Life in Pictures" ) of famous people that have made him world renowned. He has now turned his creativity to photographing the nude male. "Black & White Men" is his latest collection of photos, and it is exactly what it claims to be, black & white shots of young good-looking male models posed in very erotic and sensual poses. Spada captures natural light as it casts moody shadows on these well-developed bodies. Shane was my favorite model. I guess that's why he was made the cover model, someone felt the same way I did. You can tell James Spada has a relaxed and good relationship with his models, they all seem so at ease and uninhibited.

This book is over 90 pages, and that's my only regret. I just wish it could have been a more extensive selection of his images. I would recommend this collection of 60 images to anyone who enjoys male nude photography from a inspiring new photographer.!

I ordered this book sight unseen after viewing some of Mr. Spada's photographs on a website. I didn't know that the author of celebrity biographies was also a photographer-- and a very good one as evidenced in this collection of black and white men. Mr. Spada has a fine sense of composition and understands the importance of lighting to enhance the human body. Many of these photographs were shot using available light, which often makes for beautifully flattering studies.

Some of these photographs work better than others. I like in particular: (1) The torso on page 5. The stripes from the towel repeated in the shadows from the vertical blinds work very well to produce a beautiful photograph. (2) It's difficult to make a bad photograph using a mirror. Check out the portrait on page 14. (3) The man with a shaved head shot from the rear (page 24) exudes strength. (4) The photo on page 39 is quite sexy. (5) "Paul in my studio, Brookline, July 1998", (page 41) is artfully composed with good use of the black background. I would not have included the shots of the man holding tulips (pp. 76-77). Everybody and his brother have done that one already. These photos add nothing to the pictures already out there.

Finally, Mr. Spada is to be commended for selecting several young men who look as if they might have a life outside a gym. They have attractive bodies by God rather than by Gold. Few photographers doing nudes these days have the courage to do such a thing.

The photographs in this book are beautifully reproduced--I've rarely seen better. And what photographs they are! Spada's men are both hunky and svelte, but all of them are gorgeous! The images are very sensual, some of them sexual, but what I think sets Spada's work apart is his use of light. There are lots of contrasts between light and shadows, lots of criss-crossing beams of light, that kind of thing. This adds a great deal of interest to the photo. There are a lot of point-and-shoot kinds of pictures of hot naked men out there, but Spada's photos combine that with some real feel for the art of photography. Anyone who appreciates male beauty, great photography, or both ought to have this book!

James Spada offers the viewer a broad range of young partially clothed and nude males. The photographs of the models are grouped together which offers the viewer the chance to experience the shifting of appearances from one photograph to another. For example, one of the first models appears to dramatically change appearance as one photograph of his face and hand reflected in a mirror is all about symmetry and asymmetry whereas a few photographs later this same model is a sweaty boxer bad-boy. One common theme seen often is the male nude in a contemplative pose looking out of a window. This indirect natural light filtering over the nude body, usually contrasted against the architectural geometry of the window frame, is a highly effective compositional strategy. The models are not all picture perfect porno gods by any means. In fact many of the models appear to be selected for interesting rather than perfect features. Generally the photographs are fine explorations of dark and light upon the male figure, contrasted with textured and contrasting background or props. A few photographs are not well done however, appear a bit amateurish, and could have been edited out of the collection. The white models certainly outnumber the black models which is not an issue except that the exploration of the lyricism of the young male form is more evident in his white models than in the black fellows. This is in contrast to such photographers as Terrance Butcher who excels at photographing the nude black man in elegant motion. There is a personal intimate feeling to these photographs, as if the photographer knew each model well, and this warmth earns the collection a few stars.

As the photographer whose work is compiled in this book, I'd like to share with you some of the critical praise the book as received, since Amazon only allows 20-word excerpts! Here is a sampling:

"Spada's work is a paean to male beauty, with the same appreciation seen in classical Greek art. But his compositions have an intimacy and sexuality that is lacking in most classical art. ...Spada has selected models with a great deal of charm... It is an admirable and attractive entry on his list of accomplishments, and a beautiful gift for the connoisseur of masculine beauty, from an author who is incredibly prolific."

Stephen Moser, Austin Texas Chronicle

"Black and White Men represents an unusually high level of artistic and technical quality. . . The book is unquestionably a
sensual one, but not overtly sexual. Spada handles his subjects here with the same care, diligence, respect and detail as if he were writing about them.Another aspect of Jim's photos that makes them unique among most photographers of the male image is the exquisite interplay of light and shadow. Computer scans do not do these photos justice in this regard. He uses soft, almost hazy, lighting to convey the tender and sensual side of masculinity while using bolder lighting and lines to show men's strength and power. He has been compared to a young Mapplethorpe, but I find that a more apt comparison is to George Platt Lynes, still one of the greatest photographers of the 20th century."

--Bill Brownell, max4men.com

"James Spada gives us a diverse and delectable feast of the male form in its intimate state. Make no mistake: what Spada does isn't standard beefcake -- it is instead sensitive, dramatic and strong. It is utterly male without bravado or trite machismo posturing; each portrait is candid in its view, but perfectly crafted in its art. Spada's work truly merges the intimate erotic with a classical art sensibility."

--Heather Corinna, ScarletLetters.com

"Black & White Men is a wonderful book, and an essential text for anyone who appreciates the male art form. It opens a new chapter in the professional life of one of our favorite and most enduring artists."

--Jesse Monteagudo, Bay Windows, Boston

"Spada captures the natural light as it casts shadows softly across naked bodies...which results in a nonchalant and intimate eroticism. One gets the feeling Spada is being truly honest with his portraits, which makes this collection a must-have for any photography connoisseur."

--Instinct Magazine

Thanks for reading. This book has been nominated for a Lambda Literary Award and an Independent Publishers Award as one of the best photography books of 2000. I hope you'll give it a try! ....

I was given a free copy of this book from a local bookstore. I was SHOCKED to see how highly the book was rated. The photos have amature composition and lighting techniques. If you're looking for artistic photos - keep looking becuase this book does not have them!

I have been a professional painter and photographer since 1970. The beautiful lighting and composition of the images in the book far outclass my abilities as an artist. Mr Spada's work will be an inspitation to people far beyond our own time period.