About erotic photographer Jock Sturges:

"When I graduated from high school in 1966 I was faced with one of three choices: go to college, be drafted into the war in Vietnam or actively evade conscription. As I knew I wasn’t ready for college, had no interest in killing or being killed but nevertheless found unacceptable the notion of dodging the draft so that a minority without my social advantages could go in my place, I chose to enlist in the US Navy. I didn't enjoy military service particularly, but my four years were in fact fascinating as I was stationed in Japan where I worked as a Russian language communications specialist. Pursuing an interest that had already begun to dominate my attention in school, I also taught photography at special service facilities and eventually was made base photographer as well. To our mutual relief, the Navy and I got shut of each other in 1970 at which point I went directly from Japan to Marlboro College in southern Vermont -- and much longer hair. There I started out studying educational psychology but ended up working with two psychologists from Cornell and a photographer named Richard Benson on a cross discipline degree in perceptual psychology and photography. Summers, I worked in Newport, Rhode Island  photographing the plastic yachts and ch***ren of the well to do. After college I continued to live in Vermont for a few years working in the local school system and moonlighting as a photographer and as a paramedic with a rescue squad.  I also worked for the Experiment in International Living as a trip leader to Russia and Japan for two summers. In the midst of all this in 1972 I shifted my photography to the large format (8x10) view camera and began the fine art effort that has since become my life's work."

"I worked for Richard Benson for a year as a printer/business manager in Newport, Rhode Island where we were printing the negatives of Atget, Paul Strand, Gary Winogrand, and Lisette Model among others.  In 1978 I finally pulled up stakes once and for all and moved west to California’s meritocracy. I’ve worked in many corners of the photographic medium since but from the outset my commercial efforts specialized in classical dance, fashion and portraiture. This work was all accomplished in the winter months so that I would have my summers free to concentrate on my personal work.  This work consists of life-time studies of girls, young women and mothers and daughters accomplished in west coast communes, on east coast beaches (Block Island, Rhode Island), in naturist resorts on the Atlantic coast of France and in small towns on the West Coast of Ireland.  I received a Masters degree (MFA) from the San Francisco Art Institute in 1985 which I like to describe in retrospect as the least useful thing I have ever done to eight thousand dollars. I lived in San Francisco at the same address for 21 years and have most recently moved with my wife, Maia, to Seattle, Washington where she is a hardworking medical student and I continue my work in a beautiful new lab. My life at this point is entirely taken up with fine art photography, the majority of which is done in France which has become a second home. I have done five major book in the last eight years: two with Aperture, one in Japan with GAKKEN and, most recently two with Scalo of Zurich Germany. I am currently represented by 25 galleries in eight countries, have three more books and numerous gallery and museum exhibitions in the works and a full program of workshop teaching lined up for 2001 -- 2002 as well."

We used to present sample images from Mr. Sturges' books. However, due to the nature of his model releases, he has politely requested that we only present the covers from his books. In 1990, the FBI raided his studio and confiscated all of his work and equipment, charging him with the production of ch*** pornography. It took a lawsuit and a year to get his work and equipment back (although most of the equipment had been damaged beyond repair.) The grand jury, after being presented with 15 months worth of investigative evidence, threw the case out with a vengeance. It's extremely rare for a grand jury to throw a case out because they are only shown the prosecution's evidence. However, Sturges has been photographing the same families for generations. The subjects of the photographs flew out from Europe to testify on his behalf. And, he takes the unusually considerate step of requesting the subject's release for each exhibit of a photograph, in which they are featured.

Most recently, Jock Sturges' books have been subjected to legal confrontations in Tennessee, Alabama and Pittsburgh.  Because the distributor and publisher are facing criminal charges, SCALO is not making any more copies of Jock Sturges (Museum fur Moderne...) available unless and until the legal challenges have been resolved in their favor.

Enjoy next samples and have a nice day...