Walking through a bookstore and I saw this fascinating man staring at me from a book cover. I often preach the importance of not judging a book by its cover, however this photograph drew me to it. I did not contemplate for a second not buying it and I was surprised I did not know of the photographer Paolo Solari. So I rushed to check out and took it home to sit and go through it. Hours later I stood up, stiff from the lack of movement and went to my computer to drop Paolo an email thanking him for sharing such images.
I have hundreds of photography books, and enjoy each and every one of them. They tell stories like no other medium can. I can look at the books on my shelves and tell you about the pictures they contain. But few of those books have moved me as much as this one. Paolo captures the people of Zambia in an incredible way. His wide angle coupled with his close proximity to his subjects give you the detail of a dedicated portrait balanced with the background of an environmental shot. This is critical because the people captured in this book are just as much a part of the land around them as they are to each other.
The images are intimate, this is not the picture taken by a stranger. This is shot from inside their homes, from across their dinner pots. Paolo brings you into the villages, onto the roads, into their farm fields and offers you a chair (or spot on the floor) at their family get togethers. The people are dignified, and look unapologetically at the camera. It is clear that Paolo built great relationships to be able to capture such intimate work.
I have hundreds of photography books, and enjoy each and every one of them. They tell stories like no other medium can. I can look at the books on my shelves and tell you about the pictures they contain. But few of those books have moved me as much as this one. Paolo captures the people of Zambia in an incredible way. His wide angle coupled with his close proximity to his subjects give you the detail of a dedicated portrait balanced with the background of an environmental shot. This is critical because the people captured in this book are just as much a part of the land around them as they are to each other.
The images are intimate, this is not the picture taken by a stranger. This is shot from inside their homes, from across their dinner pots. Paolo brings you into the villages, onto the roads, into their farm fields and offers you a chair (or spot on the floor) at their family get togethers. The people are dignified, and look unapologetically at the camera. It is clear that Paolo built great relationships to be able to capture such intimate work.
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Paolo keeps the perspective of his shots changing. At times he is sitting on the floor, level with his subjects, at other times he is shooting from above or below. This allows him to tell the story a bit differently and each shot has a newness about it that keeps the book from becoming stale.
The smile of his subjects are genuine, such as this young lady holding little kids. Her smile reaches her eyes and reflects warmly. The curiosity of the kids around is perfectly captured and the wide angle lens captures the details of the world around them. I understand that these images were captured on medium format film but without knowing the details of the camera I cannot speak to the technical aspects beyond saying that they are wonderfully rendered with careful attention to the tonal ranges. Each photograph is a work of art that can easily stand alone. Going page, after page of wonderful art is almost too much for a single sitting. The single subject images are astounding in their power. Below, one of my favorites, speaks volumes of the man. It is a most powerful portrait capturing a strength of character rarely captured in todays photography. The background, while out of focus, provides enough detail to appreciate how the environment must have helped shape this man. There is an image in the book of a young girl riding on a train, captured in such a unique and powerful way that I can stare at it for hours on end. Just as I think I have found his best image, I turn the page to find another work of art just as powerful. |
Image by Paolo Solari Bozzi
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Image by Paolo Solari Bozzi
The book is of the highest quality, with each page having the heft and weight that is needed for such powerful images. The book is large and the square format works well with the images. The book does justice to the images it contains.
In short, Paolo has assembled an amazing book of a quality of photography that I thought dead. These are images that can easily sit in my collection of books made by the masters of yesterday with unflinching confidence. This is not the photographs of someone looking to exploit a people, or images made for mass consumption. These are images that are feasts for the art lover and just as you think you have had your fill you open to another photography of equal strength. The mastery of the tonal range allows you to fall into the blacks and see detail all the way down then climb the whites without losing your way. It is truly a feast for the eyes and heart.
Simply put, one of the top books in my collection and the best photography book I have purchased in years.
In short, Paolo has assembled an amazing book of a quality of photography that I thought dead. These are images that can easily sit in my collection of books made by the masters of yesterday with unflinching confidence. This is not the photographs of someone looking to exploit a people, or images made for mass consumption. These are images that are feasts for the art lover and just as you think you have had your fill you open to another photography of equal strength. The mastery of the tonal range allows you to fall into the blacks and see detail all the way down then climb the whites without losing your way. It is truly a feast for the eyes and heart.
Simply put, one of the top books in my collection and the best photography book I have purchased in years.
