'Prime: Reflections of Time and Beauty' [Book Review]

New York-based Peter Freed successfully worked in the photography industry for multiple decades. Freed’s photojournalism, event photography and portraits have brought him in touch with celebrities and many high-end publications. However, Freed had yet to embark on creating a photo book. Now, Prime: Reflections of Time and Beauty stands as a strong and engrossing piece of work.

Prime: Reflections of Time and Beauty contains 130 black and white portraits of women, ranging in age from 35 to 104. While some of these women are celebrities, many are not. What ties each photo together – aside from gender – is the complete lack of makeup or alteration in each shot.

Peter Freed demonstrates that less is more

Freed demonstrates his abilities as a skilled photographer in this book. He is able to capture the beauty and intricacy of these women, without pageantry or contrived arrangements. Though this would be a beautiful compilation in pictures alone, Freed went one massive step further. Every women photographed submitted a personal essay to accompany their image. The words, stories, conversations and sentiments each shares, opens a window into their lives.

Both Brene Brown’s forward and Cristina Carlino’s introduction set the stage beautifully for this work. Neither is patronizing or overly embellished. Both smoothly open the door into the world of Prime: Reflections of Time and Beauty.

The first photo and essay combination features 53-year-old Dani Shapiro. A well chosen opening piece, it delves right into the overarching theme of this work – what does being in one’s "prime" mean? Shapiro’s words create a real context for the rest of the book, while exploring a relatable blueprint for the role model hunt so many women experience.

The rest of Prime: Reflections of Time and Beauty is full of stories that move readers to tears, to laughter – and sometimes both. Along the way, lines such as Emily Sanberg’s “Did the arrangement of my bones define me?” – or Joy Rose’s simple statement “Living is brave” jump out. Each woman shares her own perspective on aging, growing and learning.

Prime: Reflections of Time and Beauty is a well-executed and powerfully presented work. The permeating realness of each essay and image will likely resonate with women of all ages.