Prince: A Private View
Featuring a foreword by Beyoncé Knowles-Carter.
When Prince wanted to document his One Nite Alone tour in 2002, he turned to Afshin Shahidi. Again in 2004, he went along on Prince’s record breaking Musicology Tour. Afshin met Prince in 1989 and became his cinematographer and later his photographer. He was the photographer closest to Prince for the last fifteen years of Prince’s life. Afshin is the only photographer to shoot the legendary 3121 private parties in Los Angeles that became the most sought after invitations in Hollywood.
Prince: A Private View compiles his work into a journey through Prince's extraordinary life. With many never-before-seen photos, this is the ultimate collection of – some intimate, some candid, some in concert – shots of Prince, but all are carefully directed in the artist-as-art style that we associate with him. Deep photo captions are brief, but complete stories about Prince's life at that moment - some are incisive, others are personal and even funny.
Reviews (184)
Prince: A Private View is a Work of Art
If you're reading this the answer is YES...this is the book you want to own. I knew the photos would be stunning. What I didn't expect was Afshin's poignant, beautifully written memories of Prince. I'll cherish these as much as his photos because together they reveal Prince...the man. And that's a beautiful portrait. In a few photos of Prince and Manuela in unguarded moments, Afshin captures Prince's tenderness. And yet, these shots are never voyeuristic. I get a sense of being invited in, as Prince clearly invited Afshin in. Then there are the iconic shots and private party montages! Could we ask for more? Yes - I still love books and this one is a work of art...the choice and quality of the photos, the layout, and the book jacket with it's lovely sheen and embossed print. And then there's the photo of Prince on the back jacket. There could not have been a more perfect choice...so bittersweet. It gets me every single time I see it...a fond farewell. In the intro Afshin says he wanted to "honor the memory of a man who gave his heart and soul to so many people". He's accomplished that and so much more. Thank you, Afshin.
Are you willing to do the work?
The One Nite Alone time period from roughly 2001-2003 is my favorite time period from Prince. My favorite albums that go #1 and #2 for me are One Nite Alone Piano and Voice and The Rainbow Children. I have spent COUNTLESS HOURS and coins collecting every single artifact from this time period…like thousands of dollars of buying vinyl, art, and media, and dozens upon dozens of boots from this time. So you can imagine my EXTREME EXCITEMENT knowing that Afshin Shahidi was the official photographer of this time period and knowing he was putting out a book. This was MY BOOK that I pre-ordered as soon as it was announced! I even spent a good chunk of money on his Prince in Hawaii book as well because it was fringe my time period. I was avoiding spoilers left and right that were being posted to social media. I wanted my experience to be a shock with each turn of the page…an emotional experience….a cathartic experience…a “Princely” experience. NO SPOILERS I WANT TO HAVE REACTIONS WITH EACH TURN OF THE PAGE! I had plans…for 8 months…I would create environment, candles, incense from Salish Winds, his preferred incense place, wine, my favorite album One Nite Alone playing in the background…Salish winds essential oils in my bath even. THIS WAS ABOUT TO BE A TRUE PRINCE EXPERIENCE. I read the book by candlelight. I cannot tell you how much of a special experience this was. I laughed….I didn’t cry…but what I felt the most was MOTIVATION. I’d had a rough day at work, and was actually considering waiting until I had a less stressful day so I could be fully present in this experience I’d planned for 8 months, but I’m glad I just did it. I jokingly call Prince my “Fairy God Boyfriend” or my “Professor” but this book…solidified him as my Professor. Strong feelings of “I am not doing enough” and “it’s 100% okay to have high standards of performance and not feel bad about that” and “just because ‘society’ has a lower bar of acceptability…and you know your own bar is higher than that, doesn’t mean you can relax. Perform at YOUR level of standard no matter what.” Where before I was nervous about this book because it covered my favorite era and of course Prince is beautiful…it wasn’t about that at all…for me it was a kick in the butt to get busy..not living, but WORKING. He spent his whole life WORKING without compromise…."Get on the boat" or get left. Having that kind of work ethic is okay. Never be ashamed about that. WORK. I am soooo soooo motivated now….you only get one life. You only get one first time….so make the most of it. Never skimp on opportunities to live. Always “do the most”. You deserve nothing less that that…and you should never expect anything less than the best. Thank you Afshin for conveying this as a witness to his genius. And thank you Professor Nelson, for providing this example. Are YOU willing to do the work?
Art Fit For A Prince
For the last 18 months it’s been hard for a rabid Prince fan like me to find joy, and when I ordered “Prince: A Private View” I knew I’d been in for a treat (Afshin Shahidi is a top-notch photographer who did amazing work with Prince, as we see in the book). There’s no question about it: this book has some of the most stellar photography I’ve seen. Absolutely stunning, and blows all those other post-Prince photography books away. Reading “Prince: A Private View” sent me to Prince’s heaven, with each page bringing me back to memories of tours, concerts, and music. It was good to feel the giddy-obsession I once had of Prince without breaking down in tears, but there’s always “Man, wish he were here to see this.” If you’re looking for that perfect book that embodies who Prince truly was, this is it.
Beautiful Photographs and Story
I was "curious" to read this book as I had, myself, worked with Prince for over 20 years (our years did not overlap). What Afshin has done in addition to absolutely beautiful photographs (I'm an avid amateur photographer myself) is capture Prince in a way that simply hasn't been done. It was obvious that Prince was VERY comfortable with Afshin and, therefore, showed sides of himself that few saw - especially the playful Prince. In addition to the photographs (I LOVED the moody one taken on a back street in Panama, Afshin has woven a story showing the trust and friendship that developed between them. A wonderful book that deserves to be in ANY Prince fan's library -- in fact, anyone who enjoys celebrity photography should also buy this as the photography (not to sound redundant) is absolutely marvelous.
The pictures in this book are amazing, but what I really enjoyed was the stories ...
This is not the first book on Prince that I have purchased, but it IS the only one I sat and went through, cover to cover. I'm a HUGE Prince fan from day one and won't hesitate to criticize when it comes to him. The pictures in this book are amazing, but what I really enjoyed was the stories Afshin tells throughout the book. If you are an open and receptive person, you can feel the love and respect Afshin has for Prince. But even of you're not, this book is a must have for any Prince fan. I am so hoping Afshin does not only The B-Sides, but many books in the future. I know he has enough pics and definitely enough memories. Thx Afshin for sharing YOUR personal relationship, memories and personal glimpse into his life with us.
Beautiful Images, Beautiful Tribute to Prince
The images of Prince are stunning! This is a fantastic, intimate collection of photographs taken by Afshin Shahidi. Over the pages, you will see Shahidi's progress from fledgling photographer to professional. You will also read about his journey with Prince. These days, it is rare that a super famous artist sees the potential in someone, and then offers that person the opportunity that Prince provided for Shahidi. If you were grieving about Prince's passing, this book is definitely a healer. Well done, and I am so glad that I have a copy! That said, I, like some of the other reviewers, received a damaged copy. The corner spine of the book is bent, and their are ink spots and rippling pages throughout the book -- there is even an ink spot on one of the images that is on Prince's nose. Annoying and disappointing. I am really surprised at this poor quality coming out of St. Martin's Press.
and it's full of beautiful photos, anecdotes
I got it a couple days ago, and it's full of beautiful photos, anecdotes, memories, and stories of Afshin's time with Prince, it's just amazing. I saw some of these photos last year when AMPAS gave a special showing of Purple Rain in LA. They filled the theater lobby with photos of Prince, all by Afshin Shahidi, we had never seen any of the photos before. We were told a book would coming out with the photos, waited for over a year, and it was worth it
ELEVEN STARS!!!!
This book is a true gem!! So many never before seen photos ( along with the stories behind it) This is an amazing gift from the author..... thank u Afshin :) Your book now graces my coffee table. What a lovely tribute to Prince. Lovely photos of his wife, Manuela. I noticed someone who was omitted? Things that make u go hmmm ..... my mother always told me "its not what people say, its what they DON'T say"
Beautifully made
Beautifully made It was more than what I had expected because the pictures are really high quality if anyone is a fan of Prince Rogers Nelson this is a must have when I received it and I was looking through the book I was in shock because it had every single picture that I loved if anyone purchases this book trust me you will never regret it it is must have and it is simply beautiful absolutely beautiful thank you so much to the Seller thank you very much and God bless
The Best
magical. I've been a Prince fan since Purple Rain. When he died, it was like losing one of my best friends. This book is incredible and provides a peek inside Prince's world. It is inspiring and in some ways the best memorial anyone could do. The photos are incredible and the commentary is sweet. Absolutely buy this-you won't regret it
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