An erotic yet purist collection of images from more than 25 years, always avoiding the artificial and superfluous.
Originally from Philadelphia, Sam Scott Schiavo moved to Europe at a young age, where he discovered his passion for Italy. After several years working as a booker in various renowned model agencies, he also discovered his passion for photography. Inspired by neo-realism and his fascination for film noir, which began at a young age, he developed his very personal style, which reflects the way his career began – nothing planned in advance.
This monograph shows for the first time a broad cross section of Sam Scott Schiavo’s male photography from 1992 up to the present, and is divided into 13 chapters. As an introduction to each chapter, the artist expresses his thoughts on the images through the use of short poems, which he himself wrote. Each picture resembles a random snapshot capturing an intimate moment between two people. The book reveals the unique nature of the collaboration between the photographer and his subjects. The relaxed setting, mostly illuminated by natural light, and Sam’s talent to provoke genuine emotions create an atmosphere that makes the models feel comfortable in front of the camera, resulting in pictures which are visually stimulating in their simplicity.
“Carnal remains” represents an absolutely ground-breaking event in terms of production technology. It is the first book produced in Austria using a completely new and unique method of high-end digital printing technology, in an exclusive, limited and signed edition.
“I remember being insulted and screamed at fairly often by clients… A booker’s life is not as glamorous as one may think; I always considered it a mix of Mother Teresa and Sigmund Freud. I was good at it – talking, giving career and life advice, problem-solving and building confidence in others. But it became boring and tiring for me at some point. I realized, that I needed to do something for myself. My last year working full-time, I already knew I wanted to devote more time to photography and my own self-discovery and I no longer had the patience that was required to listen, which is essential for being a good model agent. After years of doing both, it had become too much. I had to make a choice.”
“Working and establishing myself as a full-time photographer was not an over-night thing. I was contacted to work for a few magazines through contacts I had already established in the fashion business and it started like that. I decided to spend more time in Vienna, as I had a network of contacts and some friends there already, and I was fortunate to start collaborating with a client there that kept me busy on various projects. Changing professions after so many years is not an easy task and I was also not a spring chicken.
I also deal with ageism, then and now. But as all things that I tackle in life, I gave my best behind the camera – shooting editorials, portraits, products and also eventually short videos. Currently using my able eye, contacts and knowledge, I manage a select number of men that I believe in as international models and I multi-task: I shoot, I write, I act, I model, I do management, I do consulting. There are many new projects on the horizon.”
“It is a dialogue with myself. I always carry scenes in my head – although I am as much at home in the field of color photography – those are often in black and white – that is very personal for me.
At the same time, I don’t have a set idea of what the pictures have to look like. I am mostly inspired by the current atmosphere, my current mood, maybe a film I saw, a song in my head or something I saw on the news. I react flexibly to light and weather and above all, to the subject’s particular vibe. I am interested in the simple, the basic and that is probably also the most difficult because there is nothing to hide. I almost exclusively work with natural light and I usually get the photo I want in the first few clicks. A foundation of trust is necessary for that and you build it through mutual respect. You have to create a connection and understand what the other needs if you want the people who you photograph to offer their souls to you. You must listen besides looking! More than anything else, I seek emotions with my pictures – I want the viewer to feel the emotion.”
Carnal Remains – Photos and Poems by Sam Scott Sciavo
300 pages, 240 images,
24 x 30,5 cm
Hardcover with embossed linen binding, thread stitching with open spine, printed on three varieties of paper
Also available as a limited Art Edition in a linen slipcase with one of two different
signed 21 x 30 cm format fine art photo prints (25 prints of each photo in total).
Find more: @samscottschiavo / @carnalremains_samscottschiavo
Get the book: www.paperaffairs.com/carnal-remain