Stags Hens & Bunnies Hardcover – 16 Jun. 2014

This book rewards looking at again and again and can be read at several levels. At first glance it's an astonishing and shocking record of people anticipating a fundamental life-change they are about to witness or undergo - and it's gruesomeness takes your breath away. You marvel at how Dougie got such sharply composed pictures in the chaos he records. Then you have to ask - what has brought these people to this? What is it about their lives that makes this behaviour a pleasure? What are they escaping? This book is an important anthropological document telling more about life in some parts of Britain than any number of academic research papers from think-tanks and charities. It is, or ought to be, political dynamite. The images stay with you and leave you thinking. (When you've studied the pictures, don't miss the intelligent and perceptive intro.) As the reviews here show very well, it is a good book to uncover what people who see it are - cognitively and emotionally: what you think about Dougie's work can tell a lot about yourself.

It's not easy getting right up and into the space of these 'out of their heads' groups of bingers.......they have given themselves licence to behave badly. To point a camera with a flashgun is asking for trouble and one man looks as though he wants to attack the photographer.......his mates hold him back and/or up, others shout or scorn but most are oblivious and are caught before they offer the 'peace' sign, but I doubt that's what they'll do.It is Dougie Wallaces bold technique and timing that enable him to capture these revealing moments of off guard mayhem, and show the viewer these 'cultists' of fancy dress. The book is full of great shots. Lets see more unusual and bizarre rituals and lifestyles.

There's certainly a photo story here of folk going to Blackpool to enjoy themselves under any circumstances and many of Wallace's photos capture this vulgar abandonement. Unfortunately so many of the seventy-two pictures in the book do this in a rather sloppy way with their badly cropped heads, tilting backgrounds and a lack of focal interest to pull the eye into the frame, making them not much better than snaps anyone could have taken. There are plenty that are not worth a second look either.The book's production doesn't help either, instead of leaving the photos centred on the page with generous margins several butt into the spine and there are four spreads with them page wide and butting together at the spineThere is a story here but I didn't think Wallace quite captures it with his images.

Check out his website to get an idea what you're in for. Brilliantly captured nightmares.

A brutal, yet hilarious documentation of Blackpool at it's best/worst depending on how you view it. Fantastic book, 5 stars.Book arrived damaged though with deep scores in the outer cover, disappointing from Amazon. For this reason, 3 stars over all.

Quite horrific, but great fun. The book also contains some majestic street portraits.

Sadly Dougie is yet again a Parr too far. What he lacks in intellect he makes up for with a certain muscular crassness. His barracks humour could clear a room at closing time. Rather than bouncing flash he should be bouncing on the door. I expect that will come later when his commissions dry up. No pun intended.