This image is part of long-term project that I am working on about couples in the mood for love is about the celebration of love through the intimacy of couples. Most of the couples who I photograph in this project are friends or people close to me so it is easier to interact with them. I enjoy exploring aesthetic mood, experimenting personally and researching life in many ways through my photography. I am not focusing on any specific style like photojournalism etc…but more focused on visually experimenting for myself.
The subjects in these photos know that they are being photographed and I stay with the couples for a long time so they can become comfortable with me. I do not direct the activity. Of course they know that I am present but the moments that I capture occur naturally. I’m not interested to make erotic photos. This image portrays unique intimacy for me along with an almost unreal atmosphere
which is very real.
Usually I adjust the color of images before capturing the pictures and I do very little in post production. I do not like to change the photos – I do not like to create fiction. I enjoy spending time with the couples and I patiently wait to capture moments that are happening in front of me – in real life. I look for unique moments that explore inside.
I am always open to different points of view and greatly appreciate all of the comments that you have shared about my image. Thank you again for sharing your thoughts and I look forward to sharing more images with you soon.

cristina

Thanks for your reply. Did you mean the mai 2008 issue of national geographic? I can’t find the picture on the webpage of natgeo. or the internet, can you let me know who shot that image you mentioned?

I don’t think anything is wrong in using illustrative images and like both “fiction” and “non- fiction”, but I do think it can be important to be clear about which type of image is presented. I think in general one should know what they’re looking at especially if there’s that thin line, if an image tends to make something look like reality while in fact it is not. I think in that case the viewer should know this or shouldn’t have an image presented as reality, this especially in news and documentary.
With this photograph f.e. I’m just not sure what I’m actually looking at, fiction or non- fiction, is that mood in the picture true or not? Am I not looking at a picture that is in fact not erotic, steamy etc at all? Could it be that the reality was very much different than what we see? So it raised a few questions to me about photography in general.

To me it does matter if a picture is directed or not. For me a picture that represents a “captured” moment in real life is more powerfull then the same sort of image which would be directed, just because of the fact, for me, more truth is captured in it and therefore more pure.
I think a less powerfull or more subtle image on the outside and at first glance, but with a strong story behind it which you can read in the caption can be much stronger than pictures that are more dramatic on the outside but with no real story or vision in it.
Question that remains for me is, to what extend (and in which genre) is it ok to use techniques/ directions to create a strong personal image without twisting reality too much? F.e. colour-, saturation adjustments etc on images? Kind of a grey area to me…

Looking forward to your (all readers) opinions on this!

Best, David

Eric

y’all must come to TO for Vietnamese….will knock your socks off :))))…though, im sure seattle’s got some great places…

incidentally, 2 weeks ago, finished reading Andrew PHam’s extraordinary ‘The Eaves of Heaven’ his biography-cum-memoir of his father’s life in Vietnam…a kind of follow-up to his extraordinary Catfish and Mandala….i recommend BOTH books immensely….Eaves is just major major book!!!

enjoy the Bún chả :))

running
bob

The EEves of Heaven

yes, yes of course…i will find ALL of you folks hunkered down in the great Northwest…a good time will be had by all…promise!!

cheers, hugs, david

Green Leaf is the best imo, and I’ve been to Vietnam five times so I have pretty good handle on it (though there are some things just not replicated anywhere outside VN).

Here ya go: http://greenleaftaste.com/default.aspx

Of course Vancouver is no slouch in Pacific Rim eating either….

Charles

mmm… “not” the floor… does that mean the couch? really?? i have been upgraded??

wow this IS good news amigo :-)))))

running to pack my bags now… next time i log on it’ll be in the BURN offices :-D

cheers
anton

I too am an Asian food freak. I don’t get to Seattle often, but when I do I MUST eat either Korean or Vietnamese. Where in Seattle do you go for the “most killer Vietnamese food?” Please tell me!! If you don’t want to publicize it here, click on my name and email me thru my contact info…

Sidney

can’t wait.

rest assured i will not come to Seattle without finding you amigo…

cheers, david