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Product Description
Book Description
A startling and compulsive account of sex, love, genius and despair by award-winning writer Simon Garfield
Product Description
Bob Carlos Clarke, one of the most controversial photographers of his generation, had a reputation for brilliant, sexually-infused shots. He had entertained Princess Diana at his studio and was a mainstay of Chelsea parties for twenty years. He photographed major rock stars and models, and he was universally recognised as an unrivalled photographic printer. Students of photography packed his lectures and queued for hours for his autograph, and many experts believe him to be the among the greatest unsung artistic talents of his times.
But Carlos Clarke was also his own worst enemy, a unruly genius beset by self-doubt and prone to bad decisions. When he killed himself in 2006, at the age of 55, many people saw it as an inevitable ending to an inspired but troubled career.
Simon Garfield stumbled on this world of photography, rock music, moneyed society and erotica while working on another project, and soon it enveloped him. The more people he spoke to, the greater his curiosity grew. Who was this unpredictable man? Was he really the 'dark genius' those in the know saw him as? And, most importantly - what, or who, killed Bob Carlos Clarke?
Passionate and compelling, Exposure is a story of love, art, sex and corrosive despair. Above all, it is a unique window into the soul of a man burdened with obsession.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
I read the first two reviews on the book - both five star and was so looking to reading it. What a disappointment! the writer has written the book like he has written his notes - in date order with paragraphs from each character. It doesn't flow as you need to recall who said what when and the first section of the book hardly refers to Bob Carlos Clarke. The writer admits that the book was supposed to be about a agent for "b and c" list celebrities but he discovered Bob Carlos Clarke during his research. In my opinion it seems that the author has tried to get his biography out as soon as possible and really has cur corners in the presentation.
Now if you do wish to read a biography of Bob Carlos Clarke, the best is his autobiographical book Shooting for sex. This volume Exposure takes chunks of that book and has inserted it into his book - he has had to Bob Carlos Clarke had committed suicide before the writer researched the book so there was no alternative. But if you do want to get into Bob Carlos Clarkes head then Shooting for Sex is a better option and also has some great photographs which this book hasn't got. - though that book does not deal with hi depression.
All in all I would not recommend the book. I gave it 2 stars because there were some bits of information which i didn't know - but they were few and far between. I regret that the writer has missed a great opportunity to produce a biography covering the life and death of a great photographer.
Now if you do wish to read a biography of Bob Carlos Clarke, the best is his autobiographical book Shooting for sex. This volume Exposure takes chunks of that book and has inserted it into his book - he has had to Bob Carlos Clarke had committed suicide before the writer researched the book so there was no alternative. But if you do want to get into Bob Carlos Clarkes head then Shooting for Sex is a better option and also has some great photographs which this book hasn't got. - though that book does not deal with hi depression.
All in all I would not recommend the book. I gave it 2 stars because there were some bits of information which i didn't know - but they were few and far between. I regret that the writer has missed a great opportunity to produce a biography covering the life and death of a great photographer.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
I've been a fan of BCC for many ,many years and cannot describe my huge disappointment in this book. There is a fascinating story to be told here ,but the lack of detail and insight into the subject and his work is shocking.
The book reads poorly as a series of quotes from the interviewees which shed little light on the main subject and the writer quickly becomes a pain in the backside
I looked in vain for details on BCC's books such as The dark Summer which gets one or two mentions but then only in passing.
The only good thing is you can get through it in an evening.
Give it a miss.
The book reads poorly as a series of quotes from the interviewees which shed little light on the main subject and the writer quickly becomes a pain in the backside
I looked in vain for details on BCC's books such as The dark Summer which gets one or two mentions but then only in passing.
The only good thing is you can get through it in an evening.
Give it a miss.
Format:Hardcover
In Exposure Simon Garfield attempts to expose the life and inner workings of Bob Carlos Clarke. The format used is to splice up interviews and words of people who knew Bob, Bob himself and Simon. This gives a picture of the world in which Bob worked. Along the way there are also insights into how photography has developed as a business over the years. There are some thought provoking views on the effect of digital on the profession.
That said there the format of splicing narratives together detracted from a good analysis and narrative summary and meant the book isn't as cohesive as it could be. I didn't really feel connected to the people and this is where I feel more effort could have been placed on putting things in context, explaining events or places that the speakers were well versed with but readers may not be. I don't really feel the state of BCC leading up to his suicide was explained particularly well. Also while not being a book about the BCC's work, it would have been useful to have more photographs of it, and interspersed throughout the book, rather than in clumps in the middle.
That said there the format of splicing narratives together detracted from a good analysis and narrative summary and meant the book isn't as cohesive as it could be. I didn't really feel connected to the people and this is where I feel more effort could have been placed on putting things in context, explaining events or places that the speakers were well versed with but readers may not be. I don't really feel the state of BCC leading up to his suicide was explained particularly well. Also while not being a book about the BCC's work, it would have been useful to have more photographs of it, and interspersed throughout the book, rather than in clumps in the middle.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
Buy it
As a long-term Bob carlos Clarke fan, I bought this book to read on holiday, which I did - twice! Despite a somewhat long and slightly dull intro, the book gives a great insight... Read more
Published on 30 Nov 2009 by KSG Photography
Biography or performance?
Well, is this a biography or is it a performance? The reader is told right from the start who the main players are...sort of a cast list... Read more
Published on 9 July 2009 by J. R. Bestall
Interesting insight into Bob Carlos Clarke, strange format
Bought this book to learn more about Bob Carlos Clarke and it is a good summary of his life with some insight into his work and death. Read more
Published on 7 Jun 2009 by P. White
Mad World
In the last half of the '80's I was a fan of B C-C - these were the days before Amazon and I had to order "The Dark Summer" at full cover price from a bookshop in Croydon - I was... Read more
Published on 15 May 2009 by Philip Laskey
Riveting read
Being a Chelsea girl who used to know Bob Carlos Clarke before becoming Mrs P (!), I picked up an advance copy of 'Exposure' at The Little Black Gallery in Chelsea last week -... Read more
Published on 10 May 2009 by Mrs P
A swift compelling read!
I tried to think of some sort of pun-tastic title for this review ("Exposure: Deserves the utmost... Read more
Published on 9 May 2009 by Luke Dormehl
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