Howard Roffman: Friends & Lovers

Rating:
Summary: Review
Review: Friends & Lovers is a major new work from acclaimed photographer Howard Roffman. Friends & Lovers is Roffman's 8th photo book and at 176 pages is the largest book ever published by Bruno Gmünder.
With his signature photo-narrative style, Roffman documents the real-life relationships of 7 attractive young men in the transition between the innocence of youth and a more worldly perspective of adulthood.
The book chronicles Roffman's own journey as much as it chronicles that of the 7 young men. The journey began for Roffman in 1999 with a chance encounter between himself and a young man named Jeremy. The encounter began a sequence of introductions as each model brought a new member to the group. Inspired by the strong bonds and passionate relationships within the group, Roffman photographed these young men over a three-year period, culminating in the book.
Friends and Lovers goes far beyond Romanesque posed images of muscled men and instead creates a world of real characters not afraid to expose their true relationships or give us insights into their most intimate moments. Commenting on the book, noted photographer Tom Bianchi has stated, "Older gay men might wish that they had this kind of erotic and playful start on their romantic life journeys. Roffman's book celebrates the fact that this kind of youth . . . is real for those who choose it now. He captures many elegant tender moments that suggest that this is always how we should have been."

Rating:
Summary: The Beauty of Youth!
Review: This is Howard Roffman's eighth book, and a beautiful display of youth it is! All 176 pages of this book showcase seven young men who are on the verge of adulthood in natural settings in and out of doors. What is intriguing about these photos is the playfulness of these very young, handsome men, who are naturally photogenic as they get naked and have fun in bed, in the woods, and in the bath. These images will someday be a beautiful history and reminder to these young men of the time when they were at perfection in their youthful beauty. Roffman knew two of these young men who introduced him to others, who were friends and some of them lovers. Roffman is a wonderful photographer and each book he publishes seems to get better and bigger. He certainly knows how to capture and freeze the beauty of youth, and his fans are thrilled that he does. This book should be in every serious collector's library. Touching and Tender, and beautifully designed!

Joe Hanssen

Rating:
Summary: The Beauty of Youth!
Review: This is Howard Roffman's eighth book, and a beautiful display of youth it is! All 176 pages of this book showcase seven young men who are on the verge of adulthood in natural settings in and out of doors. What is intriguing about these photos is the playfulness of these very young, handsome men, who are naturally photogenic as they get naked and have fun in bed, in the woods, and in the bath. These images will someday be a beautiful history and reminder to these young men of the time when they were at perfection in their youthful beauty. Roffman knew two of these young men who introduced him to others, who were friends and some of them lovers. Roffman is a wonderful photographer and each book he publishes seems to get better and bigger. He certainly knows how to capture and freeze the beauty of youth, and his fans are thrilled that he does. This book should be in every serious collector's library. Touching and Tender, and beautifully designed!

Joe Hanssen