In this beautifully bound book entitled "Chics With Guns", photographer Lindsay McCrum has taken female photography to a level unimaginable. In page after page she has captured women of all shapes, sizes and ethnicity in every conceivable location and background toting, bonding and at times holding their guns with swagger.
Quoted as a "powerful cultural portrait of women gun owners in America" it is definitely unexpected. Said to explore an "indelible part of our national identity". Gender and self image are in the cross hairs.
For 166 pages Lindsay McCrum has portrayed beautiful stunningly fashionable women who are either hunters, sportswomen, ranchers, jet-setters, law enforcers, young girls and grandmothers lovers of guns. And though not all pictured would be considered classical beauties, Lindsay McCrum has masterly shown them to be appealing, confident, poised and very proud holding their weapon of choice.
The cover image is of a lovely twenty something. Dressed in a light weight low cut sleeveless garment looking off camera. She is sitting upon a place carpet of design detail, by her hand rest a English Forsyth system scent bottle pistol, ca. 1820. Behind her sitting is large elk with ateliers. Hanging on the wall also behind her are five rifles of unidentifiable age and two gilded art pieces.
The background and settings alone make it a must see book. They are stunning, majestic and carefully chosen environments across america, accompanying the personal text as to why they favor guns. The quality of the printing in black and white as well as in color is on par with the photography, excellent.
Liken to photographers August Sanders, a bit of Richard Avedon and a touch of Mike Disfarmer, Lindsey McCrum does them all proud. So much so that I wonder would it be more fitting to title the volume "Guns With Chicks".
No comments:
Post a Comment