French Rugby Team Overexposed

The French national rugby team has gotten what it's been wanting: more exposure. As part of a promotion for the team, players have posed nude or semi-nude for a team calendar since 1999. The popularity of the calendar turned into two DVDs documenting the making of the 2004 and 2005 calendars. Now, photographer François Rousseau's work is collected in the book Locker Room Nudes: Dieux du Stade, The French National Rugby Team. The book was released in the U.S. last week and went straight to No. 1 on the Photography Chart. This nude-photography trend recently made news with the book Four Inches, featuring female celebrities posing naked, in only Jimmy Choo shoes (skimpy) and Cartier jewelry (equally skimpy), with proceeds from sales going to the Elton John AIDS Foundation. But the French national rugby team simply wants to generate greater enthusiasm for their sport, and for their team. So finally, the boys get their time in the buff. And apparently, the American reading (or, er, looking) public appreciates it very much.

1. LOCKER ROOM NUDES, François Rousseau (Universe, Hardcover, 0789313073)
2. ADOBE PHOTOSHOP CS2 FOR PHOTOGRAPHERS, Martin Evening (Focal Press, Paperback, 0240519841) Chart continues below ?

3. UNDERSTANDING EXPOSURE, Bryan Peterson (Amphoto, Paperback, 0817463003)
4. FRESH FRUITS, Shoichi Aoki (Phaidon Press, Hardcover, 0714845108)
5. PHOTOGRAPHERS MARKET 2005 (F + W Publications/Writers Digest, Paperback, 158297277X)