Serpentine: Anita Blake 26

Laita unveils a pantheon of surreal, twisted and beautiful creatures in an electrifying collection that illuminates the extraordinary patterns and designs of snakes.Inciting both allure and alarm, shining pastel pythons, and vibrant green vipers slither across the page. From the iridescent blue Malaysian coral snake to the candycane-striped albino Honduran milksnake, the aptly named beautiful pit viper, and the black mamba, the world's most dangerous and gorgeous snakes are pictured here, showing off their fascinating colours and textures - as well as the sensual forms their movement creates.Through Laita's lens, there is nothing they can do, no position they can take, that fails to be anything mesmerising.Accompanying Laita's images is a profoundly illuminating essay by William T. Vollmann, winner of the 2005 National Book Award for fiction. Vollmann delves deeply into our associations with the serpents that haunt our collective human imagination, exploring themes of beauty, projections and form.