Shot largely on location in sweaty workshops and factory environments, with the focus on the Aussie blue-collar worker, 'Bondi Work' continues, very much to our advantage, Freeman's fascination with capturing what is intrinsic to male beauty. "This book is beautiful. It's so great to see male nudes that are cool and strong and not just pussy." (celebrity photographer Tony Durran)
Following close on the heels of 'Bondi Urban', which portrayed lads of a surf and beach culture, Freeman's choice of models, the way he directs them into sharing intimate moments, his trademark use of dramatic lighting to elevate simple compositions, and his use of color, again infuses this work with a painterly romanticism. "Freeman searches for (and definitely finds!) subjects who are quintessentially masculine men. He uses his fellow countrymen (Australia) to show us the virile attitude of the untamed, knows how to make the partially clothed form even more sensuous than the fully nude form, and creates photographs that are well conceived and executed and presented in a superb format. For those looking for the best of the books of male photography, his deserve a place on top of the list!" ( Grady Harper , review December 2005).
Freeman styles, designs and publishes his own books, and a rapidly growing appreciative audience quickly bought out the first print run of Bondi Urban, while most of the first run of Bondi Work is pre-sold.
All three books in the Bondi series are similar large format, chic, hardbound, color & b/w collectibles, with over 216 pages of photographs reproduced on quality art paper.
