American photographer Jerry R. Harke has published a new book titled Nu Art en Noir et Blanc containing more than 400 pages of black & white nudes. The first half of the book involves the presentation of studio nudes and the images in the second half were shot on location in the great outdoors.

Harke says the book’s title, Nu Art en Noir et Blanc was chosen to honor a very special French photographer, Jean Vallette, whose work appears in a brief special guest gallery section in the center of the book.

 "Jean Vallette is one of the world’s finest photographers with an eye for presenting the female form as a gentle and beautiful landscape to be appreciated by all," said Harke.

"The purpose of my work is to capture the beauty of not only what I see before me, but also what, in my mind’s eye, I think is possible. Hence, much of my work is staged with great effort and attention given to such things as lighting, mood, backdrops, and the relationship of bodies, one to the other.

“In this book I present the human figure with a traditional emphasis placed on accentuating the lines of the body with varying degrees of light thus revealing muscle tone and the body’s supporting structure. Those who’ve seen my previous books have noted that the acclaimed poet, Keith Winston, has lent his special talents through the inclusion of poetry, often inspired directly by the images presented.

And so it is with this book as well. I am always amazed at Keith’s ability to express in poetic verse the kind of feelings I more often find in the visual presentation of art. In many ways, the tone of his work echoes the starkness of the images created in black and white.  “Keith’s poetry runs like a thread throughout Nu Art en Noir et Blanc.

Nu Art en Noir et Blanc was published in 2008 by Marigot Publishing House, Inc. It is available for purchase by sending an email message to jerry@jrharkephotography.com.