Hips

The human hip is one of the most enigmatic and alluring parts of the body. Photographer Patrick Roddie makes portraits by framing the sensuous curve and swell of his subjects to create a stunning body of work that reveals endless variations on the same shot. Hips is a collection of 250 arresting and inspired photographs of hips (some in costume, some in body paint, some in nothing at all), taken at the vibrant and insanely creative annual international arts festival known as Burning Man. Each subject is photographed in the exact same position, but the images themselves are varied and unique, providing a rich kaleidoscope of self-expression and individuality wherein conventional rules and regulations no longer apply. This highly original photographic document, captured in a chunky and irresistible package, portrays a style and sensibility that cannot be properly defined with words, and offers a visual portfolio to spur the imagination from an instinctive photographer who shoots straight from the hip.

Patrick Roddie is a Belfast-born, self-taught photographer. Having won the green card lottery, he moved to San Francisco in 1994. His work has appeared in Teen People , the San Francisco Chronicle , and the San Francisco Bay Guardian . This is his first book. Mark Morford is a columnist and editor for sfgate.com. He lives in San Francisco.