Photographer Paul Scala’s book is a celebration of beauty and male confidence.
Forget the birds and the bees. Australian-born photographer Paul Scala has explored the parallels between the serenity of birds and masculine beauty in his brand new visual book, birds & boys.
Perched and in flight, birds are seen interacting with male models in the series of intimate and striking images – where there are strong parallels seen between the two subjects.
We chatted to the London-based photographer on the inspiration behind the book…
Where did the idea for the book come from?
It came from a conversation about what I miss most from Australia. I said I miss the birds & boys.
Why birds?
I’ve always had an obsessions with birds. Growing up in Australia it’s the first thing you hear when you wake up, and they are loud!
What do you think the link is between men and the beauty of birds?
In the bird world, the male is typically the most flamboyant. So I wanted to position the birds against the raw beauty of the boys. Stripped back and showing how they express humour through their movement.
What’s next for you?
I have a few things planned – another book perhaps!
Which is your favourite image and why?
I have a few, but one is definitely Fergus with the bird perched on his face, but for me it’s not really about the individual images, It’s how the images work together in the book that I enjoy the most.
Copies of the limited edition book are available. Find out more here.