Hotel Lachapelle [Hardcover]

David LaChapelle (Photographer)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 1, 1999

An all-new selection from the outrageous "enfant terrible" of contemporary photography, this volume is even sexier, funnier, and more fantastical than the bestselling "LaChapelle Land." 158 full-color photos.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

This second boxed book of David LaChapelle's photographs (LaChapelle Land is the first) ends with a beautifully written commentary by LaChapelle himself offering readers insight into the book and his photographic process: "And when people come for a photo session with me, they are giving themselves over, sort of checking in. When you stay at a hotel you're living for one day in a place where you don't normally live. That feeling can be true with photographs, too." LaChapelle's photographs can be spotted a mile away. If you read magazines, you know his work: it jumps out like none other with the expertly created environments and alternate realities in which he places his subjects. These universes are complete and constantly evolving to fit dynamic personalities. Hotel LaChapelle is filled with a celebrity cast as well as what LaChapelle calls "characters on the peripheries." The colors are as vibrant and inorganic as the settings that encapsulate his models. In this world, heads are sewn onto different-colored bodies, a nurse holds a face with a pair of tweezers, Marilyn Manson works as a school crossing guard, Madonna is a Krishna goddess, Leonard DiCaprio becomes Marlon Brando, and Ewan McGregor's face peers into a dollhouse while his body bleeds from a gunshot wound fired from Barbie's diminutive gun. The list goes on, and what it says about LaChapelle's vision is that excess is never too much. --Amra Brooks

About the Author

David LaChapelle has been called the Fellini of photography and is one of the hottest young photographers working today. Originally trained as a fine artist, LaChapelle turned to photography when he worked for Interview magazine as a teenager. His career has grown steadily ever since but it exploded in the 90s with the development of his signature style and as the leader of the New Surrealist pop-photography movement. LaChapelle has won numerous awards-- Best New Photographer by American Photo & French Photo; Photographer of the Year from VH-1;an Eisie Award from Life in two different categories; Best Applied Photographer of the Year Award from the Int. Center of Photography.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 168 pages
• Publisher: Bulfinch; 1st edition (November 1, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0821226363
• ISBN-13: 978-0821226360
• Product Dimensions: 11.9 x 1.2 x 15 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (28 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #455,795 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent book of digital photographic art, October 21, 2004

By 

Isabella Valentine - www.IsabellaValentine.com (Bloomington, IN) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Hotel Lachapelle (Hardcover)

Oooh this is an AMAZING WONDERFUL UNBELIEVABLE book of art. This is truly a photographic masterpiece with digital manipulations and careful eye for detail.

I was fascinated with this book from the very first time I picked it up. Each page is not simply a photo. It is a photo mixed with complementary photoshop tricks and sexy poses, eye-shocking closeups and bizarre props.

A few of my favorites:
There is one photo of a nude african-american man bent over with a vase of red roses stuck in his butt. Just writing it almost sounds laughable, but when you SEE it on the page - it really just gives you respect for the art.

There is a photo of pamela anderson lee nude covering her body with her hands as she stands with one foot out of a giant egg shell, as though she is a little bird hatching or something.

There is a photo of jerry springer with a beat up face (so detailed you can see the stitches and banged up scabs) and he is smiling and holding his thumb up.

There is a photo of Madonna (was once the cover of rolling stone) where she is laying inside of pink water with her hand in the air seducing the camera - with an airbrushed purple dragon behind her followed by rays of light, like one of her albums.

There is a photo of Lil Kim in the nude (except for a flesh-toned hat) and ALL over her body she is covered in Louis Vuitton brand symbols. As though she is a piece of leather, branded.

-- The WHOLE book is a compilation of some of the most extraordinary photos and backdrops you can imagine.

And to top it off, it's full of celebrities. Just packed with celebrities. Including Anna Kournikova, Marilyn Manson, Shirley Manson from Garbage, Cher, Elton John, Tori Amos, Mark Whalberg, Leonardo DiCaprio, and a ton more. I can't even name them all.

You gotta have this. I can't imagine anyone not wanting this. It does cost quite a bit, but when you think of all the conversations you can make with just ONE picture in this book, it makes the price seem like nothing.

LOL I took this book to Starbucks and I left with two new friends. Gotta love it.

17 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Lachapelle - the photographer of the 90's, November 2, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Hotel Lachapelle (Hardcover)

David Lachapelle's work is what the 90's are all about - brash, commercial, and dripping with irony and pop cultural references. It certainly wouldn't be to the taste of those who only adore Ansel Adams, but will appeal to those who are looking for a strange mixture of Diane Arbus and MTV.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Major Eye-Trip!, April 26, 2000

By 

Luis Hernandez (New York, New York, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Hotel Lachapelle (Hardcover)

Known for his outrageous photography and amazing phototaking techniques, LaChapelle has built a modest legion of fans throughout the world. Similar to Warhol's use of pop icons, Hotel LaChapelle compiles most of his work since the release of his first book. Many celebrities such as Madonna, Leonardo DiCaprio and Mark Wahlberg reappear in this compilation, and as usual, LaChapelle does a fantastic job of reaching new visionary limits. Fans of Matthew Rolston and Herb Ritts will enjoy this book, but LaChapelle is in a class by himself. He is America's equivalent to Dali.