Customer Reviews

Friends

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

 

 

This is a very fine collection of erotic photography by Adam Raphael that eschews graphic displays of monstrous genitalia or simulated sex in favor of more subtle aspects of sensuality. Here eyes and lips become the purveyors of eroticism, with all their promises of delights to come.

Raphael's models are handsome, accessible young men - accessible because they could easily be men living next door to you or taking a class with you or shopping in the same mall. They don't intimidate you the way some professional models can. They're real, and you'd like to get to know them better. I believe I prefer Lucas above all. He's got a sweet lack of awareness of his own beauty that makes him all that more alluring.

Raphael's technique is as simple as the men he has chosen to shoot. The style doesn't call attention to itself; thus we are able to enjoy his subjects more thoroughly. I share the complaint of other reviewers, however, that the format of the book doesn't fit the photographs; it should have been a larger edition. That's a minor complaint though.

I look forward to more work by Mr. Raphael.

FRIENDS by Adam Raphael is as refreshing a book of new photography as you are likely to enconter. Though Raphael photographs fashion, sports/fitness, children, portraits both single and of couples, here he captures in almost chapter format his male friends. And the friends make excellent "models" not so much because they appear to know how to react to a camera: they success of this portfolio is the apparent warm relationship of honesty between the photographer and subject. As Raphael says in his all too brief Forward, these sessions for each friend lasted from twenty minutes to several days. The quality of the images is superb, the design of the book is clean and crisp, and the impact of re-reading FRIENDS is that we have encountered a photographer about whom we will doubtless hear more!

It is very common to find total nudity. In fact, just about any newstand is filled with it. But tasteful, shirtless photography where the subject is more important than explicit body parts is VERY hard to find. Here is a book which celebrates the young male with handsome, elegant photography whose focus (excuse the pun) is obviously the photographic output rather than anything sexual. This is a photographer who deserves a wider audience. If you are seeking taste and fine photography, you will enjoy "Friends." My only criticism is the size of the prints. Perhaps his next book could be printed in a larger size so that the images have more impact.

What we have here in this new book of male images by Adam Raphael is a different approach to showing the male model. Raphael brings out in these young, innocent and sensitive male models their best features. These are not professional models, and as the title says friends, that are both new and old. There's no full nudity needed with these models, although most are shirtless & in designer underwear. It's their beauty in body and facial features that is truly stunning. These guys are all young, very handsome, muscular, as in not big and overdeveloped. They are normal everyday young men who happen to be very handsome, too, ....

This is a small book showcasing about 14 young men in black & white images of various sizes. I really enjoyed the photography of Adam Raphael. I'm certainly glad I added it to my collection. I hope this photographer releases a larger collection of his photographs in the near future. My only disappointment with this book was that no biography of this wonderful photographer was included, as I would like to know more about him. Enjoy this photographer work, I know I did!!

Adam Raphael's Friends are a handsome, healthy lot! These are regular guys, wholesome and appealing, who are brilliantly photographed. They might not be professional models (yet), but they surely give the older pros a run for their money. Highly recommended.