daveroche's review
The pictures were great and all, but reading this book made me feel like a voyeur.
perpetualpages's review
4.5
CWs: Some images of guns/weapons, and some references to gun violence
This is a very short book, so I'll keep it brief: this book is an entire experience. It's nine parts photography to one parts poetry, but I think it absolutely works *because* of that balance.
I think this photo book is an incredible marriage of visual storytelling and written storytelling. Salazar's photography and Olivarez's poetry exist on the same wavelength. They're two parts of the same universe. They have the same vibe, the same tone, the same scope, they're excavated from similar places, and so the transition from visual poetry to written poetry feels natural and feels seamless.
It's hard to describe, but this book made me understand what it feels like to *hear* a photograph. I felt like these images were speaking entire stories in and of themselves. I heard what they were telling me.
There was a distinct emotion and story that was being communicated to me as a viewer, and I think the inclusion of poetry only enhances that experience, because it's just enough lyricism to help guide your thoughts as you continue taking in the visual components. Like I said, it was just a beautiful artistic marriage of what might seem like two completely unrelated mediums.
To me, Salazar's photography is the star of the show here. It slightly overpowers the verses, just because it has such a distinct identity and comes from such a strong point of view. It could really stand on its own, but again I still appreciate the poetry for what it adds.
That said, if you can get your hands on this book, I think it definitely provides a reading experience worth having.
This is a very short book, so I'll keep it brief: this book is an entire experience. It's nine parts photography to one parts poetry, but I think it absolutely works *because* of that balance.
I think this photo book is an incredible marriage of visual storytelling and written storytelling. Salazar's photography and Olivarez's poetry exist on the same wavelength. They're two parts of the same universe. They have the same vibe, the same tone, the same scope, they're excavated from similar places, and so the transition from visual poetry to written poetry feels natural and feels seamless.
It's hard to describe, but this book made me understand what it feels like to *hear* a photograph. I felt like these images were speaking entire stories in and of themselves. I heard what they were telling me.
There was a distinct emotion and story that was being communicated to me as a viewer, and I think the inclusion of poetry only enhances that experience, because it's just enough lyricism to help guide your thoughts as you continue taking in the visual components. Like I said, it was just a beautiful artistic marriage of what might seem like two completely unrelated mediums.
To me, Salazar's photography is the star of the show here. It slightly overpowers the verses, just because it has such a distinct identity and comes from such a strong point of view. It could really stand on its own, but again I still appreciate the poetry for what it adds.
That said, if you can get your hands on this book, I think it definitely provides a reading experience worth having.
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