BERLIN - German publishing house Bruno Gmuender has seven new homages to the masculine form ready to hit the street in Europe and the U.S. The photo books will be released in Europe in February and cross the Atlantic in April.
Four of the titles are part of Gmuender's "Greats" series. Sam Carson: First Exposure, Jeff Palmer: Sensual Men and Young Men of Falcon each offers 80 pages of sensuous full-color or duotone photographs in trade paperback size. Each has a cover price of $18.99 (£9.99 or 9.95 euros).
Beaumen, the fourth title in the series, is a 64-page trade paperback filled with full-color erotic comics. It carries the same cover price as the other books in the series.
"These represent the continuation of a great idea: books with best-selling photography in a handy size at a fantastic price," said Bruno Gmuender public relations manager Helmuth Taeuber. "Sam Carson displays a variety of handsome young men in his first book, and none of the models shows the self-consciousness of a ‘first time.' Palmer's black-and-white photographs sensitively join the voluptuousness of an erotic moment with the vital appearance of strong male bodies. In the Falcon [Studios] book, almost unbelievably perfect boys demonstrate their allure and captivate us with their charm. Beau's images speak a unique visual language; his gay art is an exciting new discovery."
In UN*/CUT, photographer Giovanni takes an up-close-and-personal look at uncircumcised penises. The trade paperback, which bears a cover price of $29.99 (£16.95 or 16.95 euros), features 80 pages of duotone images. "Giovanni" is the pseudonym employed by a well-known fashion photographer; UN*/CUT is his third erotic photo book.
"The sexual organ has never been more directly or excitingly set into scene than in this fascinating declaration of love," Taeuber said. "While it may seem like a pure meat market on the surface, the artist's greatest concern is the individual beauty of man's best friend. Giovanni's models never show their faces to avoid all vanities, which leaves the work timeless, self-confident, proud, powerful and amusing."
Mark Jenkins: Watermark ($44.99, £24.95, 24.95 euros) is a 96-page hardcover that captures the male body with a masterful use of light and shadow in duotone photographs. It is the photographer's first book.
"The viewer is confronted with aesthetic precision and clarity, which culminate in an erotic experience that is born in the spotlessness of muscular bodies and intimate sensuality without being overtly provocative," Taeuber said. "Mark Jenkins conjures water as a glistening medium for his new works of liquid illusion with stunning men of classic beauty, strength and intensity. The pictures seem to follow an inner rhythm and exude an irresistible but subtle eroticism that is never intrusive."
Also in line for release in Europe in February and the U.S. in April is To the Last Man, a companion volume to Raging Stallion Studios' epic hardcore western movie. At 96 full-color pages and published in oversize format with dust jacket, the book is large and priced higher than the others in its release group ($53.99, £ 29.95 or 29.95 euros). However, the photographs do an exceptional job of capturing the hyper-masculinity of the storied American west, Taeuber said.
"The photography is fascinatingly clear and grants an irresistible charm which has never been seen in adult photography before," he said. "The viewer feels as if he is sitting with these cowboys at the campfire. The men, burly, rough and heavy hung, exhibit a yearning and the need for tenderness. Photographer Kent Taylor shaped the visual aesthetic not only of this book but also of the production company with his photography; his colleague Geof Teague adds to the style through his experience in the fashion world."
The books will be available at retail through Gmuender's websites and at wholesale through the publisher, who may be contacted by email or phone (+49-30-615 003-51).
