Customer Reviews

On Form

5 star:		(5)
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1 star:		(1)

 

 

this large format and beautifully printed book is one of the most interesting traversals of the human form i have seen. bitesnich takes a "classical" approach to the nude -- lightly oiled, strongly lit, crisply focused -- but gives it an edgy twist through his choice of models (including a transsexual and an amputee) and his clean yet innovative poses. the variety of printing techniques, lighting, contrast and settings, and the many beautiful models, give the collection a remarkable scope and interest within bitesnich's consistently austere yet lyrical style. a real pleasure.

A masterful work! Really. His lighting and use of color make these images more sophisticated and impactful than even his earlier black and white photographs - which are amazing. On Form isn't just the display of beautful bodies, it is highly acomplished art from a photographer who shows what it means to become a master of the human form.

These are wonderful photos of the most important shape in the human worlds - the human shape itself.

These are all studio photos, and share the same sense of composition. The figure is there, sometimes multiple figures, and always represented in an utterly literal way. As the cover suggests, however, the models often seem like some kind of raw material. Bitesnich uses that material in improbable sculptural ways - Ingrid (the cover model), Zuzana, and Bernhard make me stop for just a moment, wondering what I'm looking at. Kika makes me stop, too.

This is an enjoyable, thought-provoking collection of figures. They're all young, strong adults, at the height of their handsomeness. They are beautiful people, but skip over the possibilities of older forms. Perhaps the next collection will show more of the different ages of man, but this is a good set anyway.

//wiredweird

If you are looking for nude photos of typical people -- look elsewhere. The book is filled with beautiful people, with a few rare exceptions. Many photos are of bodies sculpted in unnatural poses. Large full page photos and nicely bound - a nice production and a model for other books. One of my favorites.

This is not just a book, nor is it just a packaged portfolio of images - this is a true work of art. On Form is such a grand example of perfection that describing it as anything less than a work of art is criminal. From the flawless ensemble put together by te Neus to the larger-than-life photography contained within, this is easily one of the best books of 2003 and may be Bitesnich's greatest book yet. It's huge at 11x14" and most images flood the page from edge-to-edge. There are over 200 pages of nude photography that is so powerful it's almost impossible to take it all in during one sitting. This requires a double espresso, a giant Jamaican spliff and/or a pack of Marlboro's, maybe even lunch. This is less a book and more a museum visit.

Bitesnich covers the form of both sexes here, and if ever the human body were portrayed as a work of art, it's here. The lighting, the composition, the flowing muscularity, the shape, and form of all within are possessed of a god-like perfection never so exquisitely rendered by a photographic artist.

I was misguided by this book, the quality of the book, the paper, the design, etc. all superb.

now looking into the photographers subjects. Well, they are perfect, they are beautiful, they are in great shape and physique, Not to mention that the women are extremely attractive and sensual.

so where's the challenge, where's the passion, where's the desire to push into new boundaries that go beyond making the subject mold into different shapes. I must be missing this, so I shared the book with some other friends and photographers and we all agreed that the book falls into fashion and glamour and not into art and form analyisis.

Now I know that I'm more traditional, but when thinking about shape I think of other photographers who have with little effort pushed us into looking at the human body in a different light and in a different angle, making us redefine beauty and finding sensuality in the mundane.

I can't catalogue this as anything outside of a bathing suit issue or a fashion shoot with supermodels