Pierre Thomas Karkau was born in Bernburg, Germany. He studied interior design in Berlin before finally deciding to concentrate on photography in 1987. He gradually migrated towards fashion as a specialty and worked as an assistant for many top photographers in the fashion capitol of Milan, Italy. He's been in Dusseldorf since 1990 working as a freelancer photographer, where his core clientele are in fashion and advertising. His first book, Models Secret , was published by TeNeus in 2003.

Models Secret is an engaging vision of fashion models stripped down to their bare and often naked essentials. It's a gorgeous collection of black and white photography from Pierre Thomas Karkau, who has been involved in the fashion industry since 1990.

This is a huge book at 11 x 14" and is beautifully produced by TeNeus Publishing. It's comprised of over 150 photographs. What Karkau reveals is not so much a behind-the-scenes look at the modeling world with snapshots of runway models and location shoots, though there is some of this. What he presents here is a glimpse into the deliciously sensual world that these models are so adept at creating. It's more fantasy than documentary, more beautiful than reportive. But is does all this with a distinctly grand and illustrious style, and the girls are so amazingly, so breathtakingly beautiful - long, tall, curvaceous angels that are experts at "turning on" before the camera. With the enthusiastic eye of a party-guest and the attention of a true voyeur, Karkau tantalizes us with scenes that are erotic, imaginative, sophisticated, and fun - with photographs that bring us closer to each model's secret. This is one of Michelle7's BEST BOOKS OF 2003.

JUNE 2004 FOTO ART MAGAZINE