Purienne

“What is an average day like for Henrik Purienne?” an interviewer once asked. “I wouldn’t know,” the South African photographer replied. Unless, of course, average can be defined as hedonistic, sun-drenched, and beachside. Draped across a vintage car or an unmade bed, rolling in the sand, or standing waist-high in an endless ocean, the subjects of Purienne’s photographs convey a sexuality that’s as nostalgic as it is au courant, at once innocent and sultry. The founder of Mirage magazine, Purienne always seems to have his camera pointed away from real life and toward a fantasy of beautiful girls with nothing on their minds but fun, and even less on their bodies. Paging through these stunning photographs, however, readers will appreciate Purienne’s adroit staging and composition, ingenious use of light, and impeccable styling—all the skills that have made him one of today’s most sought-after fashion photographers.