Still, there's something to be said for subtlety, if only for a change of pace. I appreciate a roll in the raunch as much as the next fellow, but the gynecological explicitness so much in vogue leaves one craving more refined ocular escapades.

Perhaps this is why I find British photographer China Hamilton's "Woman" such a treat. In "Woman," Hamilton, 54, presents a carnal smorgasbord consisting of his wife, his lovers and his friends in a variety of alluring poses. Of course, when it comes to subject matter, there's nothing new under the sun of Satan. Rather, it's Hamilton's antiquarian style that appeals to me. Through elaborate processes, Hamilton has tinted and treated each of these monochrome photos until the woman's form is bathed in burnt red, cyan blue, dull silver or a light xanthous brown. The result is a throwback to Victorian postcards or vintage painted daguerreotypes.

"My job is to touch the mind, even the heart, but not the genitals," Hamilton writes in his introduction. "Artists must challenge. But they must do so with grace and beauty."

Grace and beauty are, for the most part, Hamilton's watchwords. Even when he's presenting a startling photo, say, of his wife wiping her mouth with a napkin while a large phallus lies on a plate before her, or of a submissive, nude femme bent over while being caned, you seem to be imbibing the very essence of Old Europe.

The red, Chinese block letters he adds as accents and the wistful captions, such as "Consider your mouth upon me" or "Teach me sweet Master," transport you to that world of aching, concupiscent sexuality one finds in thick 19th century novels penned by "Anonymous."

Such characteristics explain Hamilton's following in Britain and on the Continent, where his work fits neatly into a tradition that stretches back to the earliest stages of photography. His photos are prized by collectors, and they're regularly on exhibition in galleries and published in photography magazines. In 1996, he won the Erotic Photographer of the Year Award from the Lydig Trust, a British charitable organization. "Woman" is his first book published in the States.

Not every image in "Woman" works for me. I've never been a big fan of S/M. Those who are get a generous dose of whips, chains and women in pain -- though Hamilton's published work is pretty tame compared with what you see in fetish mags like Skin Two or Taboo.

I caught up with Hamilton while he was at the thatched cottage in the countryside he shares with his wife during the week. On weekends, he travels to London and visits the "darkest clubs" of the city with one of his lovers. Crikey, some gents have all the fun.

When did you start taking pictures -- especially erotic ones?

At age 11, using a Kodak Brownie camera which I still have. Later, I spent four years at Croydon College of Art and Design in London, were I specialized in life drawing from the nude, photography and graphics.

I have always had an "erotic" mind; my earliest memories include such thoughts. When I grew older, in my late teens, I became fascinated with all aspects of human sexuality. All my early work was drawing the nude; photography of the female nude developed gradually after a long period of technical photography.

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