Howard Schatz - "Nobody Does it Better!"

All images copyright Howard Schatz. All rights reserved.

by Skip Cohen

I joined Hasselblad USA in July of 1987, right around the same time that Howard Schatz and Beverly Ornstein were getting started. A few years later, I met them both. Now, twenty+ books later, I continue to be in awe of his work.

His new book, Pairs is remarkable - it's more than just stunning images. It spans thirty years of work in 365 photographs as Howard explores the relationship between two subjects or images. "Couples or colleagues; actors or acrobats; fighters or friends; lovers or dancers; newlyweds or newborns: the photographs in this book reveal the passionate and dynamic, subtle or obvious, and always compelling, mystery of relationship."

Howard goes on to explain:

From the beginning of my professional career, my main interest, my motivating force, and passion, has been to explore and experiment, searching for imagery that would surprise and delight me in my quest to explore what's deep inside. One of many areas of my ongoing interest has been the exploration of the relationship between two subjects: the visual, graphic, emotional, social, physical, and even spiritual dynamic resonating and resulting from such combinations.

This book belongs in the library of anyone who loves fine photography. It's the perfect holiday gift scheduled to start shipping on October 1, 2023. Having been given a sneak peek, this may be my favorite of his books to date; it's a stunning body of work and demonstrates why the statement, "Nobody does it better," is so appropriate when describing Howard and Beverly's passion for the craft.

What a kick to have followed Howard's work for so many years! ​

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Click for more information and to reserve your copy.

I am in search of the electric, sometimes eccentric and always compelling connections possible with a combination of two whether dancers, athletes mothers and newborns, gymnasts, and even inanimate objects. Sometimes, they were brought together intentionally: I've found other images that speak to each other in ways I had not previously noticed. The connections are sometimes subtle, sometimes not.   - Howard Schatz