Still life photographer Ellen Cantor pays homage to her childhood book collection with a series of multiple exposure images that emulate the tactile experience of flicking through their pages. The series, titled Prior Pleasures, celebrates losing yourself in a good story, and is a reminder of the increasingly-rare pleasure of reading a real book in an age of e-readers.
“Prior Pleasures is deeply influenced by my love of literature,” says Cantor. “This series explores memory and preservation of the past while ensuring the creation of a visual legacy for the next generation. The books photographed for this series are the ones I have carried with me since childhood.”
Cantor’s memory-soaked series is inspired by the camera obscura work of photographer Albelardo Morell. Similar to his unusual photography methods, Cantor uses a multiple exposure technique to achieve her effect without the use of Photoshop. Flashes of illustrations and text are captured and layered into one image. Cantor explains, “This process allows me to show the excitement of a book fluttering open and coming to life for readers of all generations.”
Scroll down to explore Cantor’s charming Prior Pleasures series. Do you recognize any of these books from your childhood?
Photographer Ellen Cantor's series of multiple exposure images emulate the tactile experience of flicking through the pages of books.
The series, titled Prior Pleasures, celebrates the artist's own childhood book collection.
