Book Review: Dirty Rendezvous by Chas Ray Krider

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Book Review: Dirty Rendezvous by Chas Ray Krider

July 27th, 2014 by Richard Storm

They say that the downfall of every great hero is wine and women. In the case of Dirty Rendezvous it’s more like whiskey and women. Chas Ray Krider has made a career out of contemporary/classic fetishized retro pinup photos with a hint of mystery while using some of the most gorgeous alt models on the face of this planet. I hate using the word “alt” because truly what the fuck does “alt” mean any more? The hint of mystery I mentioned can be described as a mixed bag of feelings when viewing the photos in this book. The images are extremely well put together, well lit for mood, staged in an extremely alluring and provocative way and if you flip through Dirty Rendezvous you can’t help but question the relationship between photographer and model.

There must always be some kind of connection between subject and subjector, whether it be friendship, quiet kinship, money, a desire to create art, or any other unquantifiable and intangible reasoning behind a great photographic relationship. The beauty of this book is the suspension of belief you feel when you flip through the pages. Each visual tells a story and each model in frame begs many questions. These are the cool chicks you try and talk to, the girls you’re afraid are into things you have no idea about, the dangerous chicks who will ask you for a light and stomp right into your heart with a 6 inch heel. They could be your ex, your cheating wife, the mysterious woman you just met at the bar, your ultimate fantasy, or a nightmare just beginning to unfold. Stare at these photos and try to come to any sort of conclusion. The mystery is the majesty in these images. The anachronistic setting of the photos only adds to that illusive ambiance between dream and reality. Recently coming off a huge Twin Peaks/David Lynch bender makes me appreciate certain stylistic elements in these photos even more which harken to a forgotten time long ago.

Who are you and why are you here? The images will also fill you with a sense of detective noir. Are these women suspects or victims? Both? The photos lend themselves to a simpler life but one with many secrets buried underneath the covers. Krider’s excellent sense of lighting and composition leaves us wanting more. The audience wants to solve the mystery and hear the secret of the story that we’ve been swept up in whispered in our ear. On the other hand this book is full of awesome pictures of awesome babes and goddammit I love both.

Dirty Rendezvous
by Chas Ray Krider
Goliath
For more info and to purchase the book: https://www.goliathbooks.com/shop/en/books/all-books/4/dirty-rendezvous

About Richard Storm

Richard Storm is a photographer and writer based in NYC. You can see his work at nyphotony.com He tweets too @nyphotony

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Location: Online Type: Book Review

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