Customer Reviews

Watermark

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3 star:		(1)
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I just received my copy today. I have collected ALOT of photography books over the years, many from more-established artists. This debut book by Mark Jenkins shows a mature and sophisticated eye. His composition of the well-proportioned athletic men is accentuated by the flow of water over the masculine figures. What stands out most to me about Jenkins' images is his use of coloration: a warm glow reminiscent of platinum prints from the 1920s and 30s. Many black-and-white images by others are literally "pale" in comparison; his lighting and glow give a "life" to the image that is noteworthy. The book is a bit under-scaled for these quality images, but many publishers are probably cutting costs. The book itself is well-printed in duotone on high-quality paper, and the design is well-paced and visually well presented. A fine work that is worth adding to a collection. I look forward to seeing more work by Jenkins, hopefully as a larger volume.

WATERMARK = Sensually Pleasing from cover to cover. This photo journal packs a wallop . JENKINS' works here are stunning to the eye and soul. This work epitomizes his unique style and pure clarity of photography . This journal is a collection of truly unique and beautiful male imagery .

WATERMARK is the first monograph of the images of the male nude by San Francisco based fine art photographer Mark Jenkins. It won't be his last! Publisher Bruno Gmunder Verlag will doubtless encourage Jenkins to format another book soon, so popular has this particular debut book become.

In the genre of fine art photography of the male nude it is gratifying to find photographers who will take a theme to unite the works included in the collection, and even nicer when the photographer has the security of expanding the concept of the theme to provide the greatest variety of images. As one might imagine from the title WATERMARK the unifying theme here is water, water as it is captured in space in its gravitational motion, as it coats the surface on which it lights, and it bounces back and forth from source to receptacle, and as it is confined or simply in the distance. Of course the theme in no way interferes with the fact that first and foremost focus is on the models so carefully chosen by Jenkins. These men are more like Greek Gods, works of art that Bernini, Michelangelo, and Donatello would have selected as models!

Each of the photographs in this book appears as though Jenkins carefully paced the lighting and the response of water on the figures. The result is immaculate and elegant duotone photographic art that is creatively presented, and the results are studies in intense masculinity and sensuality. Grady Harp, August 10

Many nice pics exhibiting relaxed body flexibility and body definition.
Of the figure study books that I ordered, I found TIMELESS by David Vance to be the best for doing drawings of the huan figure.

A Small book but the images are superbly well taken. A lot of thought process went into preparing this little gem. The lighting is amazing and with the element of water glistening from the statuesque torsos, the final product is truly exquisite. I highly recommend this book.