Sensual Africa

119 pp. These thoughtfully composed, large-scale black and white photographs offer revealing insights into the mind and spirit of a mysterious continent. This is the sensuous, aesthetic portrait we have been waiting for since the appearance of Herb Ritt's famous publication. The photographer, born in 1952, was assistant to Franz Lanzi, honed his darkroom skills working with Brett Weston, and owes his enthusiasm for the high art of black-and-white photography to his encounter with Jeanloup Sieff. His large-format, tinted images radiate an enormous aestheticism, a striking sureness of form, and at the same time a high degree of emotion. The authentic spontaneity of the people in these photographs fuels our fascination.