October, 2006
30
Oct 06
Smile
...I'm not sure whether it's the rush of the adrenaline in wildlife photography, or what, but this series of photographs are as close as I've ever gotten to stealing images from the wild and capturing a wealth of hidden drama...
These are candid photos, not posed at all, taken somewhat predatorily and approaching the prey directly and confrontationally as a purist street photographer would recommend. What transpired in the process was an act of seduction, a betrayal and a devilish beauty coming into her own moment with subtle abandon. The three slivers of male emotions emerging from delusional adoration, to reactionary sneer, and finally to overt chest-beating are what add depth and texture to the series. Although the poor chap (all in jest) was resigned to the loss, nevertheless the trusty old Nikon and the SB800 froze the heat of blood coursing through his veins, spiked with adrenaline fever racing his heart and crackling his synapses...
But Leonardo's Mona Lisa needs to step aside next to the glint in this beauty's eyes and the imperceptible curve of her Zen smile...
- I.A.T.
5
Oct 06
Shadow
A friend and I set out to capture the denizens of the night around the city, and to photograph the flip side of delight where desire is spent and the consumed fails to satiate. We hoped to glimpse key streaks of light where tomorrow either becomes a glaring burden or a daydream filled with hope; and to witness the shift when the convivial façade of decorum wears thin and phenomena of raw terror and ecstasy become manifest. But all this was wordplay and light-hearted fancy.
Equipped with night vision cameras and remote flash units we approached our prey as two hunters in search of the "subconscious". Pure mischief! As the hours wore thin, we navigated the alleys and the backstreets. It didn't take long! Soon we chanced upon a veritable circus populated with forlorn faces and expired pretences; some were broken, some elated and some shadow-dwellers. Still others were sprites that darted in and out of the layers and folds. In all what became revealed was a strange panoply of multifarious sentience rendered in muted mercury vapor wash. Who knows, perhaps a different expression of the subconscious emerges in the small hours, streams of thought interlaced with an ocean of dreams!
I captured this image at 3:00 in the morning, and became aware of the "Shadow" only subsequently while processing the photograph in the studio! Years ago, in 1895, Gustav Klimt had seen the shadows without the aid of night vision when he painted Love!
- I.A.T.
