WELCOME TO THE LAKE HOUSE
This book was produced to raise awareness for men’s mental health and the issues that arise from the struggles that we face as a result. I have been affected throughout my adult life by mental health issues including anxiety and depression so I know just how valuable support can be.
“BODY…of work” : my previously published book, is a collection that covered years of shooting, learning and growth as well as a lot of experimentation. During its production I had a crisis of creativity. Looking at my own work over the years made me question my direction, my style and technique as well as what my work represented.
I think it was a signalling point that a change needed to occur. I looked at what I was producing and it struck me that more honesty and authenticity needed to be reflected in the work. BODY…of work really heralded the end of one era and the begining of a newer, more refined way of working. It was this new raw approach that I brought to this book.
I had always had it in the back of my mind to publish a book like THE LAKEHOUSE but as life usually goes, things just didn’t align for it until recently. I discovered the location quite accidently a year ago, it is a protected bird sanctuary in the heart of the Barossa Valley in South Australia. When I first saw it, it was winter. The lush green of the forest, the beautiful expanse of the lake and the colours of the property were really inspiring, hence the title of the book.
Fast forward to shoot day, the middle of a South Australian summer, 39 degrees, and a lake that was really a half dried up dam with a colour palette very unlike what I had in mind when I first saw the property.
Like most circumstances it worked out for the best in the end. The end result is the culmination of a lot of preparation, a lot of fun shooting and uncountable hours of editing and selecting.
The men in THE LAKEHOUSE all work tirelessly to raise awareness for men’s mental health and the synergy of meeting them all and being able to produce this book was sheer perfection.
I hope you enjoy THE LAKEHOUSE as much as we did making it.
All book available at www.johnnygeorgiouphotography.com
Other books by Johnny Georgiou
#MASC was my first published book. It was an exploration of what masculinity looks like based on a set of questions that I fielded out on social media. It took me 2 years to shoot and showcases a wide range of men from the cute twink, all the way to the big butch bear. It was so much fun finding the all the models to shoot. Matt Hirawani was an early contender for cover boy as he embodies everything I class as masculine. He is no doubt very sexy but has a boyish quality to him as well as a powerful yet subtle masculine appeal. The cute smile and cheeky eyes got me from day one and the shots of him in the book reveal a lot of his personality traits. As my first book it will always hold a special place in my heart both for its purpose and its end result. Published 2015.
BODY…of work is my second published book. An anthology of everything I had shot in the 5 years after releasing #MASC, it really showcases my journey as a photographer. 5 years is a long time and there were a lot of shoots done in that period, each vastly different from the next. It really is a broad visual collection of my experimenting with different techniques, editing styles, models and locations. In putting it together I was amazed at my own growth in that period and it also heralded a change in my aesthetic. It really highlighted the need or desire for a more raw feel to my work and also a purpose that goes beyond just showcasing a perfect physique. I’m proud of it as a collection that shows the real me in every shot I take. Published 2021.