Locker Room Nudes / Dieux du Stade: The Rugby Players of Stade Francais Paris and Their Guests

There are two major kinds of power: physical power and social power. "Locker Room Nudes" is a book about men who have both. The rugby players of Stade Français Paris are the elite of the elite, one of Europe's premiere teams in one of its premiere sports. Playing one of the toughest and most physically challenging games in the world has honed their bodies to perfection, and their championship wins have turned them into gods among France's sporting crowd. They are almost a force of nature. "Locker Room Nudes" is a beautiful celebration of their power.This hefty book collects the (mostly) nude photos of the rugby players that have been taken by photographer François Rousseau for their annual wall calendar. The men are shown in the locker room as well as the weight room, the shower, the stadium, and even the toilet. The book's one flaw, as others have pointed out, is that it claims to present a "candid" view of these men. There is nothing "candid" about the photos -- each one is carefully posed and shot, usually (though not always) so the naughty parts are obscured. Besides, it's unrealistic to assume that the rugby team would spend so much time in the buff in real life. What IS true is that they are photographed in natural lighting, with no makeup, shaving, or "prettifying." They are often shown streaked with mud and sweat, as though they've just come in from a game. And it's impossible to deny that they are still achingly beautiful men. Ranging from lithesome models like Julian Hans (p. 128-135) to hulking man-mountains such as Ignacio Corleto (p. 20-21) and Regis Sigoire (p. 148), they represent every possible image of the ideal man.Yes, this book has aspects that some people don't like. The "atmospheric" shots of an empty hallway and locker room do distract from the nudes, but they take up so little of the book that it barely matters. I don't have any problem with the collection of head-shots that appear partway through -- after all, the face counts as a naked body part as well, and many of these men are very handsome. Photographing a man's face, so close that we can see every strand of stubble on his jaw, presents just as intimate an image as the same man's nude body. And, yes, there is a homoerotic undercurrent to many of the images: men are shown hanging out together in the nude, casually embracing, and wrestling on the muddy floor. Common sense says that most if not all of these men are straight. However, they must know that their photos have a large following among gay men, and it's kind of nice to see them acknowledging that. Besides, these rugby players do share a powerful bond of trust and camaraderie. They have won this much and come this far by putting their faith in each other. They have few secrets from each other. The fact that they feel comfortable enough to take off all their clothes and exchange a manly hug for the camera shows what a bloody good team they are. I don't believe there's anything sexual in that."Locker Room Nudes" is above all, a display of raw beauty. Certain photos stand out. On pages 10 and 11, Daniel Browne strips off his shirt to reveal a torso that many athletes would kill for. Clement Poitrenaud strides up the stadium steps on p. 44-45, his flawless body streaked with sweat (or is it rainwater?) and we can almost hear the noise of the adoring crowd. Moise Santamaria kickboxes on p. 64-67, and fearlessly bares all in a defiantly erotic pose. On p. 98-99, the Bergamasco brothers, Mirco and Mauro, square off, their chiseled forms and curly hair making them look like they just stepped from an Olympian mural of ancient Greece. Fabien Galthie kisses a championship plaque on p. 103, drunk on power and glory. Yannick Larguet is caught running with the ball on p. 120-121, muscles taut, an athlete in his element. The jaw-droppingly gorgeous Frederic Cermeno visits the shower on p. 136-139, and I for one would pay big money for the privilege of toweling him dry. The soapy hot tub embrace between Regis Sigoire and Jeremie Ballais on p. 147 is so erotic that the two would have to work hard to convince people they weren't lovers.And, at the very beginning of the book, we see a dark room pierced by a doorway through which brilliant light spills. A naked man stands in the doorway, silhouetted; a second man is almost hidden in shadow to his right. The picture is an invitation to enter that doorway, to see what is merely being hinted at in the image. "Locker Room Nudes" is a fantasy given life. Flipping through these glossy pages, we can imagine that we are truly there, that we have been given the chance of a lifetime, that we are the honored guests of these strong, beautiful, confident men.That's real power.

Arrived very well-packed and protected. Being a collector of past Dieux du Stade calendars - I was excited to crack the cover and feast my eyes on these gorgeous athletes and was not disappointed. The sepia-toned images were beautifully composed, with some posed and others slightly voyeuristic. Heavy stock paper and a hardcover for such an inexpensive price was a real steal and I was lucky to have my new coffee table book. Very, very highly recommended.

I rarely purchase anything on line, but needed this for a special gift and didn't want to do any more running or phone calls. Ordering from Amazon was very easy and quick and free delivery with a minimum purchase, granted you have wait for this free service..but the gift was late anyway so a few more days were not a problem. Thanks for making this a very enjoyable way to shop, I will do this again..many times!!!!!!P.S. One of our cats fell in love with the book shipping box and now has claimed it as a new bed/nest for day and evening naps!!!

i'm never not ordering prime again. ordered from overstock for a cure because i figured i might as well save $15 and it was for a good cause. ordered the item on sept 30. shipped oct 1. arrived oc 18. LONGEST SHIPPING TIME EVER. book is good though! prepare yourself for some nude shots haha

Beautiful french men who are so relaxed in front of the camera. A welcome change from similar American books.

I gave it a solid four because of the several amazing headshots. I don’t quite understand why the photographer chose not to show anything thats beyond what you would see anywhere.

I saw this book when it was first published. So glad to find it still in print.

Ordered NEW item, recieved used item, missing book jacket.

Ce cadeaux de noel a beaucoup plus a une amie !!!il faut reconnaitre que c est mecs sont quand meme bien gaules !!remy cocquelet

An excellent, well laid out and a high quality photo-book. Very pleased I bought it. I wish I had jumpe in earlier with the other similar books in the series as I see that most have been priced so far out of the ballpark as to be unsellable to all but the insanely desperate Collectors (and if I had unlimited funds I would likely place myself in that category, but alas, not to be).

Every one of those extraordinarily beautiful and lavishly produced calendars and videodiscs that has come out year by year of photography, of supremely fine calibre, of the rugby players who are members of the team, Dieux du Stade, Paris, and of their "guests", i.e. other rugby players from teams all over the world, has become a classic of the nude and nearly-nude male body; together these iconographic items in print and moving image form form a monumental addition to the two genres of athletic and nude male portraiture. However, this book, drawing upon the wealth of photos and stills from the videos, perhaps inlucding yet other images as well of the same and perhaps other men, surpasses even previous products.This book is gorgeous; it is overwhelming; it is an exalted tribute to the male body and to the god-like figure of the professional athlete. There is something almost supernatural at times in the supernal beauty and naturalness, as Rousseau captures them for immortality, of these varied and magnificent men that makes one tremble, not just with sexual arousal (but that, too, and how!), but with wonder at the sheer grace, strength, and allure of the male human form and of the photographer's art. Even the photos of these players' faces are full of a sensibility, individual expressiveness, and beauty that adds to one's appreciation of the photos of their bodies.Judging from the copyrights, which are given up to 2007, well in the future at the time of the book's publication, one presumes that there are images and probably players, too, not yet included in the videodiscss and calendars that have come out to date.This is a lavish book and more than well worth its price, a fine monographic tribute to the photographer, Francois Rousseau, as well as to such men who, astoundingly, have been permitting themselves to be photographed so intimately. There is little written text, so whether the buyer is English- or French-speaking (or of any other language), the book will be a worthwhile purchase for truly anyone, anywhere in the world. Women and gay men will thrill at these photos, but so will lovers more generally of the nude in art of Rousseau's level as he has attained it with the camera!

Fuzzy quality of pics, mostly blurry and not very clear. Disappointing. Only about 2-3 full frontal shots, most of the others very plain and uninteresting. Would not recommend.

Beautiful book, stylish black and white images of the rugby team. As ever Francois Rousseau makes the subjects in his photographs look stunning without relying on overly sexualised imagery.