Making love and having sex

Por motivos de ordem pessoal, não tenho hoje grande vontade de inovar por aqui.

Mas, e só para manter o hábito e o fluxo, aqui deixo um texto datado de 2009, tal como o escrevi então para uma revista com a qual colaborei.

A fotografia, naturalmente, é a de então também.

Se o escrevesse hoje, creio que só alteraria algumas referências técnicas descritas, entretanto substituídas.

Making love and having sex

I was on this gallery, seeing photographs and talking with the author. At some point, he asks me why I carry all that stuff: a heavy bag, full of equipment and my monopod hanging from the strap of the bag or hold on my hand.

I don’t remember what I answer him, but I suppose it would reflect my will of being able to photograph what ever I want and be ready for that, not depending on the limitations of some small pocket camera. Even if I always argued that we cam make good or satisfactory pictures with any camera, from the most sophisticated one to those now fashionable “pin hole”. As long as you know its limits and have good use of them.

Years latter I got this camera with a cell phone around it. Nice one, with a good lens, its just point and shoot. Almost “idiot proof”. My goal was to exercise with a focal fixed camera and impose my self the practice of perspective, the now a days poor sister of zoom lens.

Recently, I bough this pocket camera. Very nice lens, good resolution, easy to use and as light as it can be. And always ready to use, hanging on my belt all the time, just like a side gun. Lovely photographic notebook.

If some one asks it again, today, the same question, my answer would be different: I like to make love, not just have sex.

With my reflex, digital or film one, I can embrace it, lean my face against it, caress it at the focus or zoom ring, touch it gently where it reacts, having a smooth reaction, under the shape of a photograph.

With my pocket or cell phone camera, we just point and shoot and that’s all. We cant even lean on it, since the viewfinder has to be seen from a distance of 20cm, at least. There is no romantic involvement between camera, photographer and subject, there is no “preparations” or “warming up”. Just sex, not love!

I do believe that photographs are created in our mind, with our eye’s lens and everything else, from the framing and light measuring to all the post production tasks (editing, printing, framing and so) are just the technical needs to satisfy that need or creation. Necessary steps to materialise our imagination!

But all that process is also part of the fun, and we need to have fun at work, or it will become an obligation. And no one likes obligations!

Recently I have this family in from of my “oldfashion” camera. A couple and two children. The lady have the most wonderful smile I ever seen, bright, contagious, appealing! I was so fascinated with it that, being an image hunter, I desire to have that smile, almost as a trophy.

But, that day I went to that photographic practice on a light version, taking with me just the fake old camera with its tripod and my pocket camera, hanged on my belt. And none of them would be able to do the portrait she deserved.

The “oldfashion” camera as to be at the tripod, not just because of its weight but also because its shape: square and big.

As for the pocket one, its lens is just 5 times power. I couldn’t have just her face unless I got to close to her, being to aggressive. On the other hand, the non existence on lens shade would prevent me of using that very strong back light from a low sun as I like. Not even my hand doing the role would do the job, since it hasn’t the focal length needed and I would have always some ugly flares.

If I did ask her to portrait that lovely smile, either I wouldn’t be able to do the right framing or I would have the wrong light. I didn’t ask her!

It wouldn’t be an act of love, that picture! It would be just having sex.

Maybe, one day, we all be together, there or somewhere else. And I will be ready for that smile with my DSLR, leaving my pocket camera on the belt.

As for this photograph, it was an act of love, today, framing, playing with light and the deep of focus. And using my Pentax K100D with its Sigma 70/300 at a comfortable distance. Even if the sun wasn’t as low as I like.

By me