Masculinity Hardcover – January 1, 2012

Incredible artistry in these photographs! Every photo tells its own story. The trust between the models and the photographer is evident in the photos. Some are teases, some are contradictions, all are thought provoking to varying degrees, and ALL show the beauty in the male form and body, from an artistic and not a prurient stand point. Michael Stokes is a photographic god when it comes to presenting the male form in ways that have deeper symbolic meaning and in ways that inspire the intellect. The photos, at the most simplistic level are gorgeous photos of gorgeous male bodies! The beauty of Michael's presentation is that one immediately, or almost immediately, sees a story or point of view that Michael and the model are presenting. Anyone who is offended by Michael's photos is most definitely not looking at the photographs with anything other than a lude and lurid intent! Michelangelo would have appreciated Michael Stokes photography for the incredible art that it is; the messages presented; and analytical thoughts provoked. I hesitate to use the word "passion" only because some will take the use of the word in the basest possible meaning, when the intention is the opposite. Never-the-less, "passion" is the most accurate word to express the feeling one senses in Michael Stokes relationship to his own work process and the ultimate product. These are serious artistic photographs, not beef cake!

I had a rough idea of the content contained within Michael Stokes' Masculinity book before I received it yesterday. I have to say, I was *extremely* surprised and delighted to see the mastery of his work in printed form. Michael has a special knack for drawing out the very best features of each of his models--the eyes, the body, the way his waste twists in motion, a smoldering gaze, the back of his head--you can rest assured that you're seeing the pinnacle of stylized male form beauty.Simply put, Michael is a visual poet.One would expect a book of the idealized male form to be somewhat salacious, but in this book, the obvious care with which he's constructed each shot vibrantly comes through. Each image is presented with class, style, and substance. Highly, highly recommend this addition to your collection.

The photos are top notch; the men are handsome, athletic and masculine; the book is quite solid and well bound.Strangely enough, it felt as though there weren't as many pictures as the size of the book would otherwise suggest.I have a few other books with similar themes but still disappoint. Stokes really sets himself apart from his colleagues, demonstrated here by his skill behind the camera.It is also good to see that the men featured aren't afraid to 'bare all' and show the bodies in full view.No matter though

Robert Stokes's "Masculinity" is an erotically charged photo essay of beautiful men. Partially dressed, nude, in the studio with fantastic backgrounds or on location, you may recognize some of the singer/DJ/actor/models from dance music album covers, high-fashion websites or You Tube videos. Photographed mostly in full color with some in black and white, the men are captured as athletes, policemen, soldiers or lovers waiting for you to come over and spend some time with them. Stokes, as many of his contemporaries, does not shy away from photographing his models with full-erections, hence the accurate title of the book. The men are presented without shame and therefore the photographs are sexual but not pornographic. Grown-ups will not be offended, however some may be envious. Masculinity will be a splendid addition to your collection of art and photography books.

I purchased this book several years ago after seeing Michael Stokes Photography on social media. I immediately fell in love with his work, and was on a mission to collect all his pieces. I’m thankful I did. This book is absolutely amazing. The artwork is beautiful and the print is a true collectors piece. I have continued to collect each additional book Mr Stokes has produced!

It appears that the photographer spent lots of effort in creating these images. My guess is that many are composite images and the reason is not that there are seams between the subjec and the background: the reason is because I cannot imagine how a nude model could have been in those places.Having said that, I was (and am) stunned by the quality of this work. Even the very erotic (solo) images are quite well done.I do have one complaint and that complaint I have with many photo books and that is that many images span two pages. I would rather spend more money and get my images in "one piece". [Publishers please take note of my complaint.]

I bought this coffee table sized pictoral for my husband's birthday. Could not have been more pleased with the quality of the photography, model selection right down to the paper stock. Michael Stokes succeeds in capturing the essence of these guys masculinity from their physique right down to theirvulnerability in their eye expression.

This is my first book purchase of Michael Stokes' photography, however, I was familiar with his work from last year's wall calendar. Let me just say that everything about the presentation is perfection. From the selection of the model's/scenario's/photo's, to the binding, dustjacket and thickness of the paper it was printed on....absolutely stunning. A definite must-have for the coffee table - beautifully captured. Very impressed and have already purchased his 2013 calendar, also titled Masculinity.