Coffee Table Book – Life’s a Beach thanks to Martin Parr

As far away as summer sunshine may seem, with hail, rain and snow pelting down outside, English photographer Martin Parr has made it a little more tangible with the release of his 2013 limited edition photography book, Life’s a Beach. Giving a snappy happy insight into how natives choose to soak up the sun in across the globe, Parr’s latest release will be sure to brighten up any glum day; it might even give you a little warmth if you are lucky! Parr has said that although Americans may have given rise to street photography, Great Britain can boast that it gave birth to photographing seaside seas.

Whoever said the Brits have a stern, stiff upper lip will certainly be forced to eat their words after catching sight of some of the ‘beach models’ on show in his last book, The Last Resort, which compiled snapshots of New Brighton beach in Liverpool. Its success led Parr to set sail for the slightly more tropical shores of China, Italy and Japan to pap bathers abroad. Of course, British beach bums still feature heavily in the latest book.

Presented like a family album, the photographs have a delightful, fresh and natural ‘joie de vivre-ness’ as a result of Parr capturing the precious and, in most cases, totally unique habits of beachgoers worldwide. It is comical and colourful with lots of continental zest! Images range from men rolling around in the sand in Speedos in Japan to ladies with suspicious looking biscuits on their faces in Belgium!

Please note that although Speedos feature heavily in the photographs this is by no means a green pass to actually sport them. Not just yet anyway.

Time to book that summer holiday…