4 out of 4 stars
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LoveYoga by Randalle Love is a collection of black and white photographs and inspirational quotes. Each photograph in the collection is a full page and paired with an inspirational quote on the accompanying page. One female model is used throughout the book, and each portrait captures her in a different yoga pose. The model is nude throughout the collection; however, the images are tasteful, and no intimate portions of the body are exposed.
The photographs in this collection are striking, and each has been thoughtfully placed with a short quote. Although the same model is used throughout the collection, I found each portrait and unique yoga pose as interesting as the next. The photographer, Jessica Holt, shows real skill; the play with light in each photo really brings the model to life and makes each pose appear fluid. Further, there is almost a glow surrounding the model in each image, making the photographs all the more intriguing. Lastly, I appreciated the use of varying angles. Though most of the images are captured head on, there are a few that are taken from varying angles, adding dimension to the collection. This is a book I would love to see in print; it would make a great conversation piece.
The quotes interspersed between photographs are equally as thought provoking as the images they accompany. It is clear that the author carefully chose which quote to place with each image. Moreover, each quote is written in black font on a white page; the juxtaposition between the black background of the portraits and the stark white of each quote page was visually stimulating. Although this collection appears to be a relatively simple concept, it is clear a lot of effort went into every detail. Eleanor Roosevelt, Buddha, George Eliot, Coco Chanel and George Bernard Shaw are just some of the prolific figures whose words act as inspirational quotes in this collection.
I enjoyed almost every aspect of this book; however, I had hoped the author would include the names of the various yoga poses captured in each portrait. There are a total of 36 photos in the collection, and in each one, the model is striking a different pose. As someone who has only mildly dabbled in yoga, there were multiple poses I was unfamiliar with and curious about. Unfortunately, it took some time to figure out what those poses were called via online web searches.
This was an enjoyable book to flip through. Although it doesn’t contain many words, I found myself lingering on each page for some time, trying to soak in the images and corresponding inspirational quotes. Yoga is certainly one focus of this book; however, I think readers who enjoy art, photography and any who are looking for inspiration will find this book just as enjoyable as any yoga enthusiast would. Despite my minor reservation about the lack of names for the yoga poses portrayed, I thoroughly enjoyed thumbing through this collection. I happily rate LoveYoga 4 out of 4 stars.
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LoveYoga
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