Customer Reviews

On the Couch, Vol. 1

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Photographer Tom Bianchi apparently has the busiest couch on the west coast. He has recorded some of the most beautiful, erotic, and explicit images of mature, handsome and muscular men in these pages. He has been a major player in the world of nude male photography since the early 90's. This book is the first part of his multimedia project, and his first endeavor into digital photography. There are solos, couples, and three-ways displayed in these beautiful color photographs. Bianchi's use of natural light brings out the artistic appeal and beauty of these handsome men. The men in these photos are from all over the world, and they have given of themselves totally in exploring their personal boundaries, exhibitionism, and their masculine beauty. This is a book you can spend hours looking over, and exploring, seeing more and more as you study these photos. It's a nice change of pace from the swimming pools & ocean settings, to come indoors to more intimate surroundings. I think this is Tom Bianchi's finest achievement yet. I certainly look forward to his future volumes. A great collector's item for your library!

Joe Hanssen

Somewhere, on a high hill in San Francisco, lives a couch whose cushions have cradled some of the most beautiful men in the world. Lucky couch -- and lucky us, because the couch belongs to photographer Tom Bianchi's life partner, B.J.

In this gorgeous collection, published in a handsome volume from Bruno Gmünder, the couch plays backdrop for all of the photographs, and somehow, the conceit never becomes repetitive. In fact, upon gazing at some of the beauties who give their all for Bianchi's lens, some may well ask the question: "What couch?"

Though some of the models are shown wearing clothes, all of them sooner or later get fully (sometimes startlingly) naked. The result is a collection of bare, uninhibited, raw images of masculine power and eroticism. No intimate bit of the models' bodies is left undiscovered by Bianchi's lens. P>Though is may sound as if these are pornographic photos, nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, they possess a sweetly erotic quality that would have been impossible in the hands (and eyes) of a less sensitive artist. Bianchi's vision is such that he makes his work sing with a paean to male sexual energy and to the natural beauty of masculine sensuality in all its forms.

Some of the models presented are alone, and some are in pairs, but there is no palpable difference in the heat generated either way. One model says that he meditated to release his inhibitions and increase the sexual energy of his shoot. He apparently was very successful -- his layout is one of the most memorable in the book.

The text accompanying the photos gives some wonderful insight into how the shoots came to be, and into each model's background, which is a wonderful departure from the usual silence that accompanies photo essays. One quibble is that it sometimes does venture into stating the obvious -- as when Bianchi says of one model: "I was sufficiently flattered to nearly get into deep trouble with him."

This is a sumptuous, well-produced book that lovers of Bianchi's work, and lovers of sensual male photography in general, will want to own.

In Ray Bradbury's science fiction thriller, paper burns at 451 degrees fahrenheit. If that is indeed the case, the temperature of this "thriller" has to be at least 450 degrees. I have never seen a hotter book. Mr. Bianchi says in his introduction that he sees "our sexual energy as a vibrant aspect of our inner Godliness. I wanted to create an erotic record that demonstrates this truth." Be that as it may, he certainly has found some gods for this volume. Beautiful men-- most of them mature-- came to visit Mr. Bianchi's brown couch: from Amsterdam, Atlanta, Australia, Siberia, the Midwest and just across the street.

Mr. Bianchi says that the men here are not professional models. There is certainly a refreshing spontaneity about them, singly and in twosomes and threesomes, as they frolick partially clothed, nearly naked and buck-naked before Mr. Bianchi's camera. (Has anyone gotten more free advertising in the past 20 years than Calvin Klein, thanks to the publication of books and magazines like this one where the hunks often get in and out of underwear that has become known simply as "Calvins?")

These photographs were shot with a digital camera which allowed Bianchi to use natural light, giving these stunning images almost a painterly quality.

This volume is Mr. Binachi's finest work thus far and worth every penny it costs.

After perusing many photography books, especially erotic/sensual photography, I decided to buckle down and buy this one thanx to the great price. I was apprehensive about buying it because with photography collections, it's almost always hit and miss...this page you like the next couple you hate, then the next one is okay, but not amazing.

"On The Couch" is completely different. Every page is amazing. Every picture is awe-inspiring. Every caption is interesting. The photography is vibrant and exciting, and the pictures, while virtually identical in setting (that killer couch!) are so vastly different in subtext, emotional/sexual charge, and intensity.

After having viewed and read this book, I would have gladly paid twice what I did to own it. A definite must for those of you with a soft spot for great photography!!

~J

Somewhere, on a high hill in San Francisco, lives a couch whose cushions have cradled some of the most beautiful men in the world. Lucky couch - and lucky us, because the couch belongs to photographer Tom Bianchi's life partner, BJ.

In this gorgeous collection, published in a handsome volume from Bruno Gmünder, the couch plays backdrop for all of the photographs, and somehow, the conceit never becomes repetitive. In fact, upon gazing at some of the beauties who give their all for Bianchi's lens, some may well ask the question "What couch?"

Though some of the models are shown wearing clothes, all of them sooner or later get fully (sometimes startlingly) naked. The result is a collection of bare, uninhibited, raw images of masculine power and eroticism. No intimate bit of the models' bodies is left undiscovered by Bianchi's lens. Though it may sound as if these are pornographic photos, nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, they possess a sweetly erotic quality that would have been impossible in the hands (and eyes) of a less sensitive artist. Bianchi's vision is such that he makes his work sing with a paean to male sexual energy and to the natural beauty of masculine sensuality in all its forms.

The text accompanying the photos gives some wonderful insight into how the shoots came to be, and into each model's background, which is a wonderful departure from the usual silence that accompanies photo essays. One quibble is that it sometimes does venture into stating the obvious - as when Bianchi says of one model "I was sufficiently flattered to nearly get into deep trouble with him."

This is a sumptuous, well-produced book that lovers of Bianchi's work, and lovers of sensual male photography in general, will want to own.

I own three images by Tom Bianchi. I treasure them as I do all of the photography in my collection. Bianchi always manages to tell the viewer something intimate about his models, and most of the time with no words whatsoever. Until ON THE COUCH, I had only known Bianchi's black and white pictures. I am not a fan of color images and have none in my collection. That said, I cannot praise these photographs highly enough.

Bianchi's use of props is minimal: fresh flowers, clothes and, of course, that couch. It is a rich brown leather. And as one of the models says, "If this couch could talk..." It practically does.

These tremendously beautiful, color photographs are all of handsome male models in various stages of undress and...intimacy on that couch. The pictures are stimulating, frank and totally uncensored.
They are not for an audience searching for 'G' rated photographs. I loved every single one of them.

Tom Bianchi has been successfully producing collections of the male nude for some time now and in most bookstores across the country they are the best sellers of any in the genre. I think there is solid reason for this. Tom celebrates the male image and does so unabashedly. While many other fine genre photographers emphasize the composition, the inner beauty, the interaction between the model and the photographer, the case for light and shadow concealing and revealing, Tom consistently goes for the joy of living, of interacting with friends, the gutsy good humor and good times of just a bunch of men frolicking in the nude. Refreshing to see. In ON THE COUCH the setting is consistent - the oft mentioned leather couch which, knowing Tom's sense of humor, is rather an homage to the infamous 'casting couch' or 'therapist's couch.' All things condisered this is a happy book, filled with beautiful men in rich color. Reading and revisiting it is a joy.

I am an avid Bianchi fan, and this color photographic collection is beautiful without being what some might call "pornographic." It's definitely not child's fair, but it is a mature adult look at gay male sexuality, and the fotos are stunning and highly charged, erotic visual treats.

I had this book when it first came out and lost it( chances are it was "borrowed" and not returned by one of my covetous friends)but was glad to see it was available again because it is one HOT photographic(emphasis on GRAPHIC) essay. All the men are really great looking and the photos are very erotic.I always like Bianchi's work but i think this is one of his very best...looking forward to purchasing Vol.2.

This book ist hot, hotter than everything else I've ever seen bevor on paper! ;o) Hot guys, hot action... hot book! Nothing more to say! Buy and enjoy it... :o)))))