2011 Golden Iris Nominees: Photography Book of the Year

The global economy remains clouded with uncertainty, leaving fans of male photography more hesitant than ever to part with the cash necessary to expand their home libraries. Fortunately, 2011’s best photography books in this genre feature work by some of the mediums most reliable and skilled artisans, which minimizes investment risks. And all five books are destined to become collector’s items.

The Company of Men, by top celebrity photographer Blake Little, honors organic masculinity as a new gay archetype; Dolce & Gabbana Uomini, the latest tome from fashion photographer Mariano Vivanco, presents the world’s top male models as light emerging from shadow; George Platt Lynes: The Males Nudes features unpublished work by the 20th century master; Players Two, the sequel to Rick Day’s 2009 smash, includes some of the year’s most viral images of men; and 615 Jefferson Avenue, artist David Armstrong’s first photography book in nearly a decade, reaffirms that his sumptuous vision is like no one else’s.

Check out this year's nominees and vote for your favorite. Our pick for 2011’s Photography Book of the Year will be announced the morning of Wednesday, December 21st. The reader's pick winner will be revealed when voting ends later that same day.

THE COMPANY OF MEN BY BLAKE LITTLE: As an adolescent growing up in the Pacific Northwest, photographer Blake Little was drawn to and identified with masculine males, but could not find any he identified with in mainstream gay culture. A few years ago, Little noticed men with an organic, non-exaggerated masculinity emerging as a new gay archetype and began photographing them. Eventually, the subjects' sexual orientation ceased to matter and the Los Angeles-based lensman simply shot men he identified with on a physical, emotional, and spiritual level. The results of his visual journey can be found in The Company of Men, a stunning collection of environmental portraits shot across the U.S. from 2004 through 2010. While the technical and artistic prowess of the work is certainly seductive, the dominant power of the images stems from Little’s intimate connection with the men. “He has the ability to put the subject at ease, allowing the subject’s vulnerability, where all the strength and power reside, to come to the forefront,” punk icon Henry Rollins wrote in the book’s forward. And it is the vulnerability, power and strength of Company’s men—including Little himself— that make these photographs so commanding.

DOLCE & GABBANA UOMINI BY MARIANO VIVANCO: “Any type of light can create something beautiful. Your mind will find the right image,” says photographer Mariano Vivanco in the interview that opens Dolce & Gabbana Uomini. It’s a telling statement from a photographer who’s captured the unconventional beauty of Rick Genest and Lady Gaga using crisp, controlled studio lighting and also shot the world’s top male models as light emerging from the shadows in this beautiful 2011 photography book. Uomini's photos draw upon many of the same visual references as Bruce Weber and Herb Ritts, but rather than lassoing light as if it were a wild horse to control, Vivanco interacts with it; even following it’s lead on occasion. The models are drawn into this sensual interplay, too. Some become so soothed and relaxed by it, they bare all for 35-year-old photographer's lens. But there’s nothing lascivious about the images. Rather, the scent of magic permeates the otherworldly beauty of Vivanco's photographs. At times, Uomini comes close to convincing you that Mt. Olympus actually exists.

GEORGE PLATT LYNES: THE MALE NUDES EDITED BY STEVEN HAAS: Twentieth century master of photography George Platt Lynes has become known for his male nudes as much as he is for his early fashion work for Vogue and Harper’s Bazaar, or his portraits of cultural icons such as Diana Vreeland, Salvador Dali, and Orson Welles. But after turning over all of his of his homoerotic prints and negatives to Alfred Kinsey shortly before his death in 1955, the majority of this work remained unseen. Art historian Steven Haas was able to change that by getting permission from both the Kinsey Institute and the artist’s estate to debut many of the photos in public for the first time in George Platt Lynes: The Male Nudes. It's a fascinating look into Lynes’ artistic process, featuring both favorite images and rejected prints. It also serves as a revealing document of homosexuality in mid-century America, showcasing dancers, athletes, servicemen and swimmers in every imaginable scenario; from poses inspired by Greek mythology to graphic images showing various states of arousal. One of the most interesting aspects of the late photographer's homoerotic work is the inclusion of many African-American models—some engaged in interracial coupling—all photographed prior to Brown v. The Board of Education. And Haas is to be commended for creating not only one of the definitive examinations of Lynes’ work, but also one of the best history of photography books in years.

PLAYERS TWO BY RICK DAY: Rick Day’s 2009 photography book Players was an international smash, so it’s no surprise that Bruno Gmünder published a sequel in July. The New York-based photographer’s uncanny ability to shoot models minutes before they go viral in the gay blogosphere is part of what makes Players Two feel like a shiny new toy rather than a retread. Case in point: internet “it boys” Daniel Garofali, Seth Kuhlmann, Kaylan Morgan and Matthieu Charneu (a 2011 Golden Iris nominee) all seduce from the book's NSFW images—some much more explicit than those stored on hard drives around the globe. And considering how prolific Day’s output is, we feel an annual tome is in order. Luckily, that’s been the case since Players debuted (Day’s second book, Pioneers, was published in 2010). Our pick for 2012 would be an entire book devoted to Day’s breathtaking Brazil sessions that made up Rufskin’s spring/summer swimwear campaign. For now, we are perfectly content enjoying this year's batch of Day dreams.

615 JEFFERSON AVENUE BY DAVID ARMSTRONG: It’s been nearly a decade since David Armstrong has released a photography book, but 615 Jefferson Avenue was absolutely worth the wait. Named after the artist’s Brooklyn address where the intimate portraits were created, 615 is a sumptuous collection of images of young, unconventional beauties bathing in muted, natural light. Like his friend— photographer Nan Goldin—Armstrong prefers to spend days, even weeks with his subjects, getting to know them and developing their trust. The models become vulnerable and even listless in the presence of the 55-year-old photographer. As a result, their eyes and bodies reverberate a sensual mix of optimism and ennui that is rare in portraiture, adding a nectarous new flavor to the homoerotic pantheon. And Armstrong’s exquisite eye knows the exact moment to capture the most compelling energy, which makes the book serve as a testament to his unique vision, as well as being a collection of striking beautiful images.

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