This sumptuously designed and printed book shows some unusual subjects by Ritts, well known for his fashion and celebrity photographs. His easily recognizable style has been applied here to Africa (many images were made in Tanzania and feature the Maasai tribe), where he focuses on textures and the play of light and shadows on human faces, wild animals, carcasses, and bones. He chooses exotic landscapes as backgrounds for his posed shots, mostly young African women, whose skin, hair, and jewelry are elegantly presented. Some of the strongest images are surreal juxtapositions of animals (and men) devouring newly killed beasts; desert-tough feet; and men wearing skull masks. The presentation is impeccable, but listing captions at the end is irritating and underlines the fact that this is not so much documentary work as fashion photography in a new location. However, the book will be interesting to photographers and, perhaps, anthropologists.
- ISBN10 0821221213
- ISBN13 9780821221211
- Publish Date 22 November 1994
- Publish Status Out of Stock
- Out of Print 30 December 2009
- Publish Country US
- Publisher Little, Brown & Company
- Imprint Bulfinch Press,U.S.
- Format Hardcover
- Pages 144
- Language English