Customer Reviews

Room Service

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Adam Raphael continues to explore the highest plane of sensual male photography with the release of this very elegant, sophisticated book ROOM SERVICE. In his introduction Raphael speaks of his affinity for grand hotels and their prepared lush atmospheres he sees as perfect settings for the privacy of adding his extraordinarily beautiful male models as artistic and erotic accoutrements. For two years he has traveled to some of the most elegant hotels of the world, accompanied by models, and the resulting spontaneous `studios' he finds offer some of the more sensitive, quiet, private views of these carefully selected young men, completely at ease in the solitude of beauty that mirrors their personal gifts: ROOM SERVICE calls upon us to open the door to an amazingly successful portfolio.

This hefty book speaks of eloquence from the size, the cover, the design (courtesy of J. C. Suarés and Paul Perlow), the unique first few pages that open the door to full page views of handsome men before a colophon or words distract the viewer, and the added subtle art pieces by Nina Duran the quietly remind us of the title - room service delivered. And then once inside the `room' there are page after uninterrupted page of full color photographs of thirty-seven masculine, very handsome men, completely at ease with their sole observer Raphael and his camera. The results are warmly sensuous, beautifully composed images of stunning men, nude and partially clothed, asleep in soft white sheets, fresh from the shower with towel, caught in languid poses in briefs, and at times communicating directly with the photographer (and thus, us) with gazes that take the breath away. Raphael continues to avoid full frontal nudity, finding that the hints of the most private aspects of his models are in the end more erotic.

Adam Raphael is a master of understatement and never more so than in this splendid visual monograph. He capitalizes on fantasy, on textures, light and fabric, and on finding a cadre of some of the most wholesomely handsome men ever collected in a photography art book. His attention to detail makes these fine images seem like personal visual communications from men so at ease with their collaborator that each page is a sensual experience shared as a moment with the viewer. This is as fine as art photography of the male nude gets - until Raphael's next inevitable foray! Highly recommended for all audiences. Grady Harp, May 07

Move over Bruce Weber, there's a new shooter in town! Adam Raphael's work is in what I would call the Bruce Weber school, but the student surpases the master in many pictures. This beautifully bound book (that will actually stay open when you lay it flat) is equally suitable for the living room or the bedroom. Adam's work has a quality and depth that will take your breath away, he has included a variety of body types with a concentration on fitness. Included are some of today's most sought after male models including Joseph Sayers, Paul Tornabene, and Evan Wade. If you pine for the Abercrombie & Fitch Quarterlys of yesterday, you'll be more than satisfied with Room Service.

I've seen lots of photographic art books of the male body, but this one is truly amazing. The lighting is perfect. The color and clarity of the images are crisp and natural. Special praise must be given to the publisher/printer for recreating them in book form.

To say the men are beautiful is an understatement. They make the guys from the old A&F catalog look frumpy in comparison. Two particular models come to mind. One has green eyes that I could lose myself in and never find my way out. Another has the squarest jaw I've ever seen on a human being. The epitome of Scandinavian perfection.

They were all photographed in hotel rooms. The captions for each photo has the model's name along with what room number they were in at the time. I've done only a little traveling in my time, but these hotel rooms represent an order of magnitude of elegance I've never experienced myself.

Dear Adam Raphael: I was so impressed by your new Male Photography book "Room Service" I just had to write you right away. I have been reviewing Male Photography books for over eight years now, but this is the first time I felt I actually had to write the photographer. You see, I am a collector, and over the years have had the fortunate luxury of viewing all the new male photography books by all the male photographers that are available, including your last two books.


Well, you have really outdone yourself this time. This new book, showcasing all your new work, is the best by far. To include 150 perfect color images in a beautifully designed book for us to enjoy is awesome. These male models are at the peak of perfection, and so beautifully photographed, with perfect lighting and shadows that they almost seem 3-Dimensional. It is certainly apparent that you are a true admirer of the male torso. Although it may be fashionable in this time period to show totally nudity, it adds to the mystique of these young and handsome models to leave something to the imagination. It is about time that young male models were photographed in settings away from the typical surroundings of old warehouses, and docks, or next to railroad tracks or water. I can just imagine these models looking back 20 years from now at these outstanding photographs and saying "Wow, look at me". And, of course, remembering how well they were treated by you, their caring photographer. What a unique and great idea to feature your models in luxury hotel settings.


This book is a true work of art, not only in the way the models are photographed, but in the books design by Paul Perlow, the unique illustrations by Nina Duran, and the creative consulting of J.C. Suares.


What makes this book great in the end is the contribution of all these creative people, but what makes this book stand out most from all the others is the author's work, in this case the photography. And Mr. Raphael, I think you are an artist in the true sense, making these naturally beautiful young men look there absolute best while sharing with us their natural masculine beauty.


This book will make one great gift for all my friends on their special occasions. Thank you again for sharing your unique talent with us. And, of course, many thanks to all your especially attractive models. I am looking forward to your next collection.


All the best, Joe Hanssen 05/2007

Yes, the pictures in this book are beautiful... beautiful men, beautiful lighting. But unfortunately there's no frontal nudity in the book -- it's all artfully concealed. So I'd say it's definitely high-quality photography, but unfortunately it leaves me disappointed.

The absolute stunning beauty of Adam Raphael's latest work reduces one to such primitive exclaimations as the above.

The photographer has corralled his usual cadre of boys next door and photographed them in various locales of an upscale hotel. Aside from the luxuriousness of the setting, another difference emerges in this collection, the use of nudity. As an artist of unerring taste, though, Raphael presents nothing gratuitous or grotesque. The naked glimpses are of several shapely backsides and nothing more (and nothing more is needed). Raphael trusts the imaginations of his viewers to fill in any erotic gaps.

The book's design is magisterial, the paper luscious, the lighting ethereal.

Adam Raphael has entered the ranks of the masters. And in ROOM SERVICE he has produced not merely a masterpiece but the finest male picture book ever published.

One would be wise to purchase a copy now, as it will no doubt someday be a collector's treasure on the order of Bruce Weber's early books (and of Raphael's own FRIENDS from several years back).