Customer Reviews

Jessica Todd Harper: Interior Exposure

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This is a collection of pictures of the photographer's loved ones. If I knew that without being able to look at any of the pictures, I probably wouldn't bother with it. But the cover photo intrigued me and so I googled Ms. Harper's name and checked out a couple of dozen shots on her website. I was hooked. Now I've got my copy of the book and I'm really hooked.

Have you ever wondered where all the interesting-looking people who posed for John Singer Sargent's paintings went? Well, they went to Jessica's house. Ever wonder where all those cool light effects that Vermeer used went? They went to Jessica's camera. And have you ever worried that modern life with its wall-to-wall carpeting and unmade beds isn't spiritual? Look at these pictures and you won't worry anymore.

I don't mean that these pictures are in any way religious. Rather their subjects are touched by a fragile light from without that betokens the one from within. Only we couldn't see it without Ms. Harper's help.

I especially liked her self-portraits with her fiance Christopher. She looks very intelligent and self-aware, and those are very attractive qualities. A lot of the pictures are erotic, not because they involve nudity (only a few do), but because of the tenderness and physical presence of the subjects.

I suppose the overall effect might be a bit dreamier than some people like, but maybe not. I don't much like dreaminess and I loved the book. I don't care for family photos, and I loved the book. I don't even like pictures of people, and I loved the book. The highest recommendation I can give is that she won me over despite my natural predilections. It was that style, that grace, that, to use the overused word, vision. Go over to her website and check out the pictures for yourself. I'll bet you'll come back for the book.