 |
This book is a photo documentary with a unique perspective: pictures of people in a multitude of circumstances and places and all taken from behind—showing heads, backs, clothes, hats, and rears—from spots in the US such as Memphis, Venice Beach, and Houston to global locales like London, England, and Interlaken, Switzerland, plus many more. The backs of heads and bodies are as intriguing as faces in other types of photographs. Jerome's photos are frequently even more so as we see the backs of people’s heads looking at artwork and walking around flea markets with mottos sown or pasted on clothes and drawn or tattooed on skin. The people are as varied as their backdrops in regard to their ages, races, genders, and moods. They are literally studies from the back.
When the subjects' heads are shown "from behind," their thoughts, actions, and motivations assume an intriguing character that is, perhaps, similar to the intrigue felt when a person's face is coved by a hood or veil. Variations in geography render a variety of perspectives: two people wearing caps sitting in Carbon Canyon Regional Park in California are made almost invisible by their surroundings. In contrast, a person decorated by many tattoos appears to be the whole show in Palm Springs. The author has a few eccentric publications to his credit. His imaginative creations are well served by his talent. Nearly everyone will find photos to ponder, to enjoy, and, possibly, to abhor. The book evokes many emotions but never boredom. Perusing this volume is a treat for the eyes, the imagination, and the intellect.
RECOMMENDED by the US Review