6x6.com Nudes [Gebundene Ausgabe]

Modern images of the nude are created for two reasons: To shock or titillate. Photographers go to extremes, only to achieve notoriety for the shock value of their work, while the images themselves remain empty. Others attempt to titillate with redundant themes, devoid of emotion.

Rarely is the nude form photographed with the intelligence Sylvie Blum has shown in her latest book, "Nudes". A triumph of clean lines, composition, and attention to detail; the images in "Nudes" are breathtaking.

The controversial photographer/director, Leni Riefenstahl, once said: "I am fascinated by what is beautiful, strong, healthy, living. I seek harmony." Those words describe the vision of Blum's figure studies. Every photograph in "Nudes" is alive, and every woman is strong. Blum photographs women who have strength and presence, while avoiding the stereotype of woman-as-object.

By pointing her camera and releasing the shutter, Sylvie Blum portrays the beauty of Woman. Nowhere is this more apparent than in the photograph "Two": A proud mother-to-be, with hands on hips, looks with one eye through her tousled hair, as the camera captures the graceful charm of pregnancy.

Only a female photographer can truthfully show the power of a woman, and Blum's photographs gain their strength through the commanding presence of each model. In "Wet" and "Green Door", Natalie reveals herself without appearing vulnerable, and instead; lets the viewer know who is in charge. In "Touch and Feel" the woman's intensity is amplified in an aggressive stance, with her back turned to the camera in defiance.

Where most photographers attempt to seduce the viewer, Blum's thoughtful images entice and offer deeper meaning. "South Beach Beauty" can easily be mistaken for what the title implies. However, this is not a fleeting example of the redundant imagery found in men's magazines. The model's pose is self-assured. The chest is thrust, and her arms poised at her sides, ready for anyone who crosses her path. With clouds in dramatic formation behind her, the image acts to reinforce Woman as "the other half of the sky".

The nudes' relation to geometric form is where Sylvie Blum's compositional skills shine. A woman lies next to a pool, not in a conventional pose; but in a way that harmonizes with the V-shaped lines of the "Black Pool". Stunning examples of line, light, and form are perfected in "Stairs I & II". Horizontal lines contrast the curves of a model in "Garage" and confirm that there are no straight lines in nature.

There is a mysterious beauty in figure studies that avoid revealing a subject's face. Blum uses this technique to expose the details of her subject among the shadows and light. "Aysa II" is a masterpiece; perhaps one of the greatest black and white photographs of the naked form. Elements of composition and light never have resulted in an image so rich with detail, flawless in technical execution, and stunning in its originality as to render the viewer awestruck. "Torso I" can be seen as a subtle compliment to "Aysa II", with soft shadows and delicate light caressing the outline of a partially veiled body. In "Katja" the lithe figure of a woman calms the frantic jumble of rough weeds upon which she is laying. The fluidity of the female form dominates the jagged ground, but Katja's face remains a mystery - she is a presence - not an object.

Blum's vision has made a difference in how the nude is depicted in contemporary photography, and the examples in "Nudes" challenge convention. When Blum is behind the camera, beauty and strength abound, but in the end; Sylvie Blum and her images prove strongest of all.