Ann Menke’s approach to travel + fashion photography has always been with a careful eye for location, location, location. Sought after by industry heavies including Condé Nast Traveler + GQ to find exotic locations for fashion shoots, came naturally as an expert global explorer + anthropologist of sorts. Able to create narratives through her lens, in ‘See The World Beautiful’ by Ann Menke, published by Glitterati Incorporated, through Menke’s photography, you get to dive in, head first, into a world of faraway places punctuated by it’s people + surroundings, always with the feeling of being part of it all. Colleague Julia Chaplin, a New York based journalist + editor who covers contemporary art, fashion, design, lifestyle, + travel, refers to Anne’s work as, ’Nobody wants to be a tourist. It’s way better to be a spontaneous houseguest. And this is how Anne’s images made me feel.’
Diana Vreeland was infamous for going way over budget with her elaborate fashion shoots in exotic places, but her overall concept always made sense. The ability to pair a location that would perfectly highlight a product or evoke a certain feel doesn’t come as easy to some but Menke never had a problem, as you flip through the book full of luscious imagery. A for instance is this pic with African women wearing White looks with Yves Klein blue patterns photographed in front of almost reddish earth, making the subjects pop.
Noting photography greats like Henri Cartier-Bresson as her inspiration, ‘See The World Beautiful’ perfectly documents ten years of Menke’s going up those mountains + down those dirt roads to capture the location at it’s realest. Like in the pic below, it doesn’t get as real as this with miles + miles of fields + mountains in the horizon, easily setting the stage for some ikat print looks or even more graphic patterns in simple black + white.
‘Her lens brings us past the photo itself + discovers a deeper beauty that exists in every moment. Experiencing the different cultures in their natural environs has inspired her to see the world beautifully, + to share it with us one image at a time,’ says Tommy Hilfiger in the book’s foreword, which just reinforces how much of a keepsake this book really is.
For you to experience the world through the lens of Menke, a copy of ‘See The World Beautiful’ by Ann Menke, published by Glitterati Incorporated is available for purchase at Glitterati Incorporated.