Customer Reviews

Bondi Urban

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I had found some of Mr. Freemnas photos on the internet. The photos intrigued me and I conducted internet searches. Through the seaches I found his website and the quality of his work impressed me further.

I purchased Bondi Classic and I was amazed by the quality and composition of his photos.

Today I recieved Mr Freemans new book Bondi Classic and I am astounded at the contents. Mr Freeman is now my favorite photographer his work is powerful and captures the subject.

Mr. Freemans models are all very handsome and very masculine and they are captured in all their real glory!!! Not all of the models are shown with full frontal nudity and with Mr Freeman that is not necessary. He captures the them most likely as they look in real life. That is the key to this increadable photographer.

The men in the book are studied with great affection and candor their "imperfections" are not removed, freckles, scars, sweat, injuries all show in the photos. These "imperfections" are what make people individuals and add to their beauty. I believe Mr. Freeman knows this and that is why all of his photos are so honest and compelling. In addition Mr Freeman documents all kinds of men the men that groom themselves from head to foot to the men that are natural.

I have been a fan of male photography for over 20 years and to date I have not seen a photographer that has this honesty as well as records men in a manner such as this.

I highly recommend the purchase of both of his books they will not dissapoint in any way.

To Mr Freeman I would like to say KEEP UP THE GOOD NO EXELLENT WORK. I look forward to his next book with great anticipation

While I am a huge fan of all Paul Freeman's books, I suspect that Bondi Urban is perhaps my favourite from the entire series. The diversity of male subjects captured in the book is exceptional and all are stunningly presented. Bondi Urban is a grittier, more sexually charged work than the others Paul has produced - there appears more frontal nudity in this one, and some of the photographs depict a level of eroticism that I have not seen anywhere else. As ever, the subjects are characterised by their truthfulness; beautiful, rugged, hairy males casually undertaking a range of 'everyday' activities. There is, however, nothing everyday about their impact upon the reader - they are stunning. If this book does not make you a life-long fan of Paul Freeman, and make you rush out to buy the others in the series, than I guess nothing will!

Paul Freeman's models are masculine and 'real' looking: not shaved and tanned and chiseled. They often appear as hard-working, hard-playing men you'd find at construction sites, beaches, or the neighborhood pub.

Naked and natural, they are beautifully lighted and nautrally posed.

As a collector of many photography books, I look for several tell-tale signs that the photographer knows what he is doing; that he understands lighting, perspective, balance, anatomy and symmetry. This book is so devoid of almost all of these traits that I felt compelled to write a review to warn others out there, lest they should consider purchasing this book. First thing, the models (for the most part) are unattractive; they are simple run-of-the-mill men who you would not notice in the street, and would most certainly never pay attention to in a public setting (save for perhaps two or three, including one Brad Pitt look-alike who is stunning). A male form photography book, in my opinion, should showcase the epitome of the male form, with exquisite creatures that exude beauty, symmetry and sensuality. The models in this book are far from that; It seems as if the photographer just choose the men he personally found attractive, and went at it, which I believe is a missed opportunity.

Second, the images are extremely dark, with many details obscured by the use of poor light sources. I want to be able to see all of the models features, and not just what the photographer wants us to see, and the collages only add to the confusion. Additionally, there are several images that seemed to have been taken during movement, with blur lines abound that obscure the majority of what the image portrayed. This may be fine in an art exhibit, but for someone like myself who uses these books as artistic reference, this technique not only screams of a novice at work, but also of a poor use of the technique when applied to the human form.

Lastly (and the most glaring issue), there a distinct lack of melanin in the models; for a book titled, "Bondi Urban", you would think that there would be more men of color (Tan/Dark-skinned Latin/Black) as they permeate the urban landscape. Unfortunately, as I stated earlier, the photographer chose to only include the men he personally found attractive, with little to no regards to what the rest of us may think.

In conclusion, there are several elements of this book that I did enjoy; the compositions are top-notch, as well as providing an unobstructed view of men in action, which is refreshing when you consider that most other books focus on pin-up shots. With that being said, I was sorely disappointed with this book, and expected more from anything sub-titled "urban". Next time I purchase any books by this photographer, I will make sure to peruse it at my local book store first, instead of blindly shopping for it online.

*As a side note, if you really want a treat (and a visual feast for the eyes) get your hands on "Players Two" by Rick Day. The men are absolutely breathtaking, and the shots are the testament of a true master of his craft. This is what a male photo collection is all about.*

Paul Freeman is a masterful photograher who captured the male body in all his beauty, sensulaity and natural sexuality. Look forward to owning his other two books.

well, what can I say but that it is filled with handsome sexy MEN, not boiz.

I know, I know--coffeetable book, but I don't have a coffeetable. And, I'm thinking, who allegedly has an innate sensibility for design and furnishings--where is my coffee table? Where is my sleek modernist furnishings? the antiques? the crystal vase?

Heck, I'm still waiting on the sleek loft space I was to have at age 20-ish.

So, why did I buy this coffee table book--was it the promising cover model photo? Probably. But, inside is a plethora of photo coverage of what seemingly is "urbanite" machismo.

Since I have no coffee table and no coffee table literature to compare, I'm granting this edition of Freeman's work four stars.