“Picturing Prince: An Intimate Portrait”

by Steve Parke, (Octopus Books)

Prince shooting hoops, renting out movie theaters at 4 a.m. and lounging around Paisley Park are all moments Baltimore photographer Steve Parke has captured in his latest book, “Picturing Prince: An Intimate Portrait.”

The 53-year-old Canton, Maryland, resident, who was Prince’s art director for over a decade, has compiled a book of rare photos he took of Prince while working for the late musician. At least half of the photos have never been published, Parke said.

The book will be released in the United Kingdom on April 6, and Parke expects it to be available in the U.S. around the same date.

The hardcover book will include photos of Prince doing everyday activities along with 50 vignettes by Parke describing the moments he shared with the musician between 1988 and 2001. Sheila E., Prince’s former fiancee and drummer, wrote the foreword.

“It has a very off-the-cuff feel and a down-to-earth feel and less of a setup, because, in fact, that’s what we did. It wasn’t very planned,” Parke said of the featured photos.

He photographed Prince with early digital camera equipment, which allowed him to take photos on the run without much preparation.

“Part of it is just getting at the core of him as a person,” Parke said. “Sometimes you don’t get that feel because when they’re a public personality, what they’re like from a day-to-day (perspective) is very different.”