John Rawlings: 30 Years in Vogue

Rating:
Summary: Out of Darkness and Shadows into the Light!
Review: Before commenting on this book, you should be aware that it contains many nude images that would be "R" rated if they were contained in a motion picture.

John Rawlings took fashion photography in a whole new direction. In the 1930s when he began, the predominate style used lots of shadow and darkness to present a sense of haunting mystery. That style was also great for covering up flaws in the subject. Around 1940, John Rawlings began creating fascinating modern fashion shots that look like they might have been made just yesterday. In these images, he makes light, reflections, and color even more interesting than the darkness and shadow ever were in black-and-white. In doing so, he is remarkably effective in "keeping the photographer out of the picture."

His career was a most distinguished and prolific one. Mr. Rawlings was responsible for over 200 covers of Vogue and Glamour. These images captured a unique "chic sophistication" that you will recognize and appreciate seeing again. He also produced a series of famous Clairol ads, and published two books of nudes (some of which are reproduced here). He is one of the rare photographers from that period who was top-notch in both black-and-white and color.

Some of his best work involved making cigarette smoking by women seem more glamorous. It was hard for me not to wince which I saw those photographs.

The book opens with a poem that reflects the work published here:

"At just that crux of time when she is made

So beautiful that she or time must fade."

In the case of many of these works, it is hard to avoid feeling that time faded rather than the images of the women. The photography moves beyond the styles of the day into a timeless sense of beauty and culture.

The images are well chosen to be appealing to an audience today. The quality of paper and reproduction are both superb. The essays and background material are excellent.

....

After you have enjoyed these images, think about the meaning you attribute to the poses these women assume. What are they thinking? How much of a role do you think they played in selecting the poses? What is sophistication in fashion? Mr. Rawlings's impressive work will undoubtedly give you new dimensions for answering these questions.

Let the light show you the way!

Rating:
Summary: John Rawlings
Review: I was very impressed by the high quality of this book. It is very well edited and the choice of pictures is just right! You can tell that the author did a lot of research and was able to come up with interesting facts about John Rawlings the man and the photographer. I also enjoyed very much reading about the innovative photographic techniques that Rawlings used. This book is certainly a lesson to all photographers and anyone who is sensitive to beauty.

Rating:
Summary: Elegant, refined style
Review: This book is a retrospective collection of the work of a leading commercial photographer active from the late 1930's to the mid 1960's. Most of the pictures are fashion photos, some are Hollywood celebrity portraits, and there are nude figure studies as well. I think the fashion photos are the best part. They are exquisite. The majority were taken from the late 1940's through the decade of the 1950's, which will give you an idea of the style of the clothes and photography (extremely elegant on both counts). Both B&W and color photos are included. The color plates have a lovely unsaturated look (no Velvia used here). The dust jacket photo is from a 1947 Vogue cover.

Those who are looking for classic photography and elegant style will not be disappointed - this is a great book.

Rating:
Summary: Great collection from a master fashion photographer!
Review: This collection brings together the best images of this photographer. His work stands out from his contemporaries with thier unique, groundbreaking style. You can tell he inspired people like Avedon. His work is timeless, not date at all. If you like fashion photography from the mid-twentieth century, you'll love this book!