"Exposure" presents an expanded compilation of what Sports Illustrated called the "All-Star SI Cover Model Beach Party" in its 2006 Swimsuit Issue. The photo shoot by Raphael Mazzucco took place in the Bahamas, and featured eight past SI swimsuit cover models, the most famous being Elle MacPherson, Rachel Hunter, Rebecca Romijn and Daniela Pestova. Overall it's good photographic work, and every collector of these swimsuit issues will no doubt have favorites among the eight models.
There are over 100 photos, color and b&w, that range from cleverly artistic to "eh, whatever." Many of the photos are taken right from the Swimsuit Issue, but are enlarged to fit the book's not-quite-double the magazine's size. The girls look great and are dressed in various forms of white bikinis (fashion credits listed in the back of the book).
The one glaring problem I found with this compilation (hence the 3 stars) is that what was supposed to look like a fun-filled frolic (au naturel, sort of) on the beach too many times comes across as a bunch of really self-conscious models unsubtly covering themselves up. Perhaps the girls had a contractual agreement not to be photographed bare-chested, or maybe it was SI's unwillingness to be Playboy-ish, but I think there are better ways to limit such exposure without being so pronounced. I could almost hear the photographer: "Okay everybody, hands over your breasts please!" To me, the artistic direction made these photos restrained at best, and just plain goofy at worst. Believe it or not, I would have rated this book a star or two higher had these pictures been left out(!) since the swimsuits are made to bring out the best in a model's figure (right?). Fortunately, many of the remaining images are awesome in terms of the artistry of capturing beauty(ies) and the beach. It's a good book, just not a great one.
