Customer Reviews

Bondi Work

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According to Wikipedia, 'Bondi is an eastern suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia', but to photographer/artist Paul Freeman, Bondi is a resource for the models of his highly successful series of 'Bondi' male photography books. This volume, BONDI WORK' is, for this viewer, the finest of the series. Combining full page bleed color photographs with equally sophisticated black and white images, and interspersing these dramatic compositions with occasional two page spreads of snapshot size images that often create 'stories' simply by their placement on the page, makes for a large scale survey of the amazing Australian models Freeman finds and captures for us.

The theme here is 'work' and the settings are all in the various factories and workplaces in Bondi. The men are buff, but not distortedly so, and are presented both au natural and in elements of work clothing. For the most part these models appear very natural: no body shaving here, no need for oils and accoutrements - these are men in the raw, and enjoying themselves. The work theme matches the characters in this portfolio as these men all appear to be naturally buff from labor in the workplace (as well as the gym).

Freeman includes full frontal (and rear) nudity but only incidentally. This is not a collection of aroused models but rather a collection of men who can arouse the viewer merely by the gifts they possess! This is a fine collection for a very large audience. Not only are the models well chosen and well placed, but the photographs are also very high quality in composition and lighting and choice of setting. Highly recommended. Grady Harp, January 08

It's everything you could want in a photo book on the male subject: Great lighting, hot guys and LOTS of tasteful frontal nudity. Bruce Weber WHO?

I am familar with Bondi's work, but I felt that this edition was by far his best work to date. Beautiful black and white picture of men set in work situations. I highly recommend this book.

Wish he'd let the men be more natural, rather than posed. Many of the poses were obviously set due to the lighting. Could have been really sexy had the men been allowed to explore, play, and be free with themselves and one another.

Who would have ever predicted that the beginning of the 21 century would be over saturated with glossy, hard cover, expensively produced books on the subject of male physical appeal.

UNfortunately,95 percent of the wet-dream books are silly,ridiculously self-conscious, theatrically staged attempts at erotica with pouty male models & eager to cash-in cameraqueers referencing female pinup poses and attitudes more than anything else. Both Betty Page and Marilyn Monroe were queens of the erotic pose, but men should never mimic them. The vast majority of the books also look like it were shot by the same cameracrew and staged by the same stylist. One body type, one facial structure, 2 maybe 3 basic poses. Very mind numbingly unimaginative.

But once in a great, long, while, a book of man-pics comes along that successfully creates a sexy, fantasy universe populated by attractive men going about the daily job of just being masculine (in the blue collar sense). Casting the subjects is the most important (after two decades of obvious,gay-icon types they are, naturally, no longer sexy) followed by the unwavering (butch)taste of the photographer.Although the images are staged (as opposed to documentary),there's a ease and a naturalness about the images that's refreshingly attractive. The use of natural light, butch/gritty locations, the relaxed facial expressions (instead of forced seductive cliche' stare-downs) to and the UN-beefcake poses work well. I can only imagine what these books have done for Bondi-eye-candy-tourism in Australia.

After Bondi Urban, Bondi Work is my favourite in the superb Bondi series Paul Freeman has produced. In Bondi Work, the Australian beach-side landscape has been replaced with an exploration of Australian working males, who are captured in all their uninhibited glory. These young men are dynamic, playful and sexy. They are photographed dressing, undressing, showering, working, relaxing and just mucking around. Naked. The overall effect is extremely erotic, and tantalising for the insights into these young men's lives the book provides. Bondi Work has, in my humble opinion, the most beautiful cover model of any in the Freeman series. Sadly, this rugged blonde beauty is one of the few in the book who does not appear fully nude; the ones that do are dark, hirsute and breath-taking, however, and will completely satisfy lovers of nude photography. Highly recommended.

After owning Bondi Classic and thoroughly loving it, I went ahead and bought Bondi Urban. The second was not as good as the first book- which showed Mr. Freeman's body of work. The third book seems totally commercial: take a group of hot muscular models, put them in a factory or similar so-called work area and do a shoot. I reckon the shoot must have been finished in one day. It seems like an overextended editorial. And just out to get our dollars. I will certainly think thrice before I buy Mr. Freeman's next book which I believe is out now. He is no longer original and unless he comes up with a new idea, I will move on.