Kickstarter

VENUS is a unique project several years in the making, a beautiful relatively small run of 1000 high quality books, and an exhibition accompanying the  book launch in London, which will then tour within the UK and hopefully Europe. NB* the BOOK'S RRP HAS BEEN CONFIRMED AT £40-50 and so this is STILL a chance to buy this book at discount!

I have been working on this self-funded project for four years and it's finally ready to be published. With your support and generosity, all this planning and work can finally be brought out into the real world. Shot entirely on medium format B&W film in some of the UK’s most celebrated country houses, my series of 54 unique images and 15,000 words of text is completed. 

Locations include famous and historically significant houses, from Alnwick Castle, where Harry Potter was filmed, to Castle Howard where Brideshead was revisited twice(!). The photographs combine the female form with architecture in a manner never before seen. The halls, of Houghton and Holkham, Sledmere the gallery of Newby Hall, as well as follies and fountains provide the perfect setting for these beautifully executed analogue photographs.

A handful of the images have been shot on 7x5" sheet film, within a studio scenario, using my Victorian half plate camera and some very special, custom made, sheet film carriers.

Venus is the mother of all female nudity in art. She is known for her ethereal beauty, which transcends mere desire. With the advent of photography this disassociation from the mortal world became difficult to execute. In this series, the concept of perfect encapsulation of female beauty is reclaimed and represented for the modern world.

The accompanying text on the story of Venus, by a noted antiquarian gives a feeling for the historical context. The print quality of the book itself is integral as it provides a feel of the accompanying touring exhibition of limited edition, silver bromide, hand prints and is a must have for anyone interested in B&W figurative photography, the role of Venus in art, the female nude or neoclassical architecture. Keeping the text accessible, twelve specially commissioned, hand drawn, illustrations of the 'essential' Venus poses by the talented Katherine Hardy, help guide the uninitiated through the world of Venus.

The result will be: the highest quality, offset litho printed, tonally rich, black and white, art house style, hard-back, coffee table book. Funds raised with this Kickstarter campaign will finance only one thing: producing the first edition of books. This includes commercial printing (digital laser press), paper and other costs for special binding. I have a publisher: Quartet in place (contractually), they are fully committed and ready to push sales through specialist as well as mainstream channels. But these books are very costly to produce so the support I’m seeking is by means of advanced sales of this beautiful book. Think of this as a traditional 'list of subscribers'. Advanced sales will make it possible to move ahead and print the whole edition. Think Christmas Presents!

Timing is critical. This publication is ready for press and bind, and I want to be signed off by 31st July.

Books will be produced in time for Christmas distribution and prints will be ready for shipping 2 weeks prior to the book launch date. This has not been set precisely, but November would be a good guide.

Some prints being offered here as rewards are exclusives and will never be offered or available again. Please check reward details!