Misty Dawn: Portrait of a Muse [Hardcover]

Jock Sturges (Photographer)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1, 2008

Over the course of his career, Jock Sturges' long-term engagement with his subjects has been a cornerstone of his work. Misty Dawn, one of his primary and most popular muses, is one such subject; he has photographed her for 25 of her 28 years. Lithe, beautiful, classically proportioned, she is the personification of Sturges' philosophy of being at home in one's body.
This volume follows her growth from a shy, tomboyish child to a gorgeous, confident young woman. Taken as a whole, this series of images presents a unique, fully realized portrait of a blossoming individual and explores a rare and beautiful relationship between photographer and subject. Misty Dawn: Portrait of a Muse presents iconic images as well as previously unpublished material, mined from Sturges' older contact sheets and newest work.
Jock Sturges, born in New York in 1947, received a B.A. in perceptual psychology and photography from Marlboro College in Vermont in 1974 and an M.F.A. from the San Francisco Art Institute in 1985. He has exhibited internationally, and his photographs are in the collections of The Museum of Modern Art, New York, The Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Bibliotheque Nationale, Paris. His previous Aperture books include Notes, The Last Day of Summer and Radiant Identities.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Containing 25 years of photographs of a breathtaking woman and more, Misty Dawn illuminates what a lifetime of photographer and model working together can produce. These pictures are stunning and the progression of images of a 25 year long collaboration between subject and photographer is truly remarkable." -- Jay Gardner --Picture Magazine

"This book chronicles Jock Sturges' 25-year relationship to Misty Dawn, who first appeared by chance in a group portrait of pre-school children that Sturges shot while on a different assignment, but who he intentionally sought out some months later and who became, over the years, one of his favorite models. It is easy to see why: from her childhood to her adulthood, whether with family, friends or alone, clothed or (usually) nude, she presents herself completely at ease in her body, with unforced gracefulness and when her eyes meet the camera it is always direct, never guarded or insincere." --B&W: Black and White Magazine for Collectors of Fine Photography

"No classic beauty, Misty Dawn is often graceful yet sometimes awkward, and seems more at ease naked than dressed. What will you look at most when you browse through the book? Misty Dawn's face, which reveals a trust that only time could engender." -- Russell Hart --American Photo

"The first book by Sturges to focus on a single subject, this monograph is a beautiful portrayal of emerging adulthood." --Photo Life: The Art, Culture, and Science of Photography

Product Details

• Hardcover: 168 pages
• Publisher: Aperture; First Edition edition (October 1, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1597110744
• ISBN-13: 978-1597110747
• Product Dimensions: 10.9 x 10.8 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.9 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #350,176 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Professional still lifes, January 30, 2009

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R. Overall - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Misty Dawn: Portrait of a Muse (Hardcover)

Originally assumed Sturges would be a bit of a pedophile, but none of this work (or his others) are obviously erotic. Rather these are family pictures, of gentle, casual nudity, just as so many great photogs did casual pictures of people in everyday life. Yes, the jaded can insert eroticism, but I found the pictures to be friendly, as I would approve (with care and caution) for my own daughters and sons. Sturges admits to a factor of eros, but that exists in mainstream magazines, films, etc., to a much greater extent because they are intentionally sexy, and try hard to become borderline porno. In Sturges' work I found no porn, no sexiness, no commercial push, just a pleasing image, as one would find a great artwork, a landscape, a fine wine. The beauty of young women, and I admit I'm smitten with Misty Dawn, is timeless, clothed or not. Along with Hamilton, I find Sturges' work calming, a reminder that there really is beauty in the world, not just the everyday ugliness (like Hollywood glamour). Real people, real beauty, real world. If you aren't comfortable with honest nudity, don't buy this art. I'm a man, and not at all ashamed of appreciating the opposite sex, as I have discovered they appreciate men and boys. Sex isn't dirty, and doesn't need to be pornographic to be enjoyed. Put in its proper place(thanks mom and dad), such as art, it can simply be appreciated for what it is. I like portraits, whether face or full body or in between, and these portraits are lovely. If your friends aren't dirty-minded, this is one of an assortment of great coffee table books.

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A unique portrait, November 16, 2008

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wiredweird "wiredweird" (Earth, or somewhere nearby) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Misty Dawn: Portrait of a Muse (Hardcover)

Any one photo captures a person for one instant. This collection presents twenty-four years of the woman's life. Not just a model, Misty Dawn is Sturges's friend and inspiration. That friendship comes through clearly in this progression of photos. The earliest shows a solemn girl, maybe seven years old. Even then, she confronted the camera directly. That self-possession, plus a face with a strong beauty even then, remain constant throughout.

Later pictures show Misty Dawn growing through her coltish early teens, blossoming into young adulthood, and having children of her own. Since she comes from a naturist family, she most often appears wearing only her native charm. That lets the viewer trace each stage leading up to the full womanly beauty of the last pictures, probably around age thirty.

Other one-model collections exist, including some very good ones. They all present one stage of the model's life, though - just a few days or months of her life. Since this covers the large majority of the model's life, it offer a unique view, not just one moment, but all the passages she has experienced. But it doesn't just show Misty Dawn herself, it shows Sturges's view of her as a lifelong friend, and that adds immeasurably to this incredible montage.

-- wiredweird

12 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Average - But Worth Getting if a Fan, November 20, 2008

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Steven A. (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Misty Dawn: Portrait of a Muse (Hardcover)

Misty Dawn hasn't been one of my favorite models/subjects that Jock Sturges has used over the years, but I bought this book anway as I very much enjoy his photography and I've liked some pictures of Misty in the past.

Did I enjoy this book? Yes, pretty much. Would I reccomend it to other fans of Mr. Sturges? Yes. But am I particularly excited about it? Not so much. I liked his other new book "Life Time" (which was just released) much better and I highly recommend Sturges fans buy that one from Amazon as well (though Misty is only featured once in it).

I would like to see Jock devote another book to a single model, one found in "Life Time" named Adele. That I'd find more interesting.

About the pictures in this book, they're all up to his usual standard of excellence. If you're familiar with his past work and remember the picture of Misty Dawn and two other girls sitting behind a window with two panes of glass missing... you'll probably find it interesting (as I did) that he brings Misty and those two girls back to that very same window frame about 5 years after the original and once more about 5 or 6 years after the second.

If you're a fan of Misty Dawn, buy this book. If you're just a fan of Jock Sturges in general and collect his books, but you're on a tight budget and are trying to decide between this one and his other new book... buy "Life Time" first and save this one for later.