Page 68 - NyghtVision Magazine Volume 2 #2
P. 68
61 THE BEAUTY OF SADNESS
“Falcon,” said Olivier, as he that they are not good, I just do not like
turned away. His face, usu- them.” I could tell he was determined to
ally pale and framed by dark, find the words to express exactly what he
somewhat wavy hair, red- was feeling as concisely as possible. To be
honest, I was intrigued more than I was of-
dened. fended. Clearly, the issue wasn’t with the
Instinctively, I knew that this would be one technical aspects of our work. We had just
of those awkward moments. More likely spent some time looking at a number of our
more complex images – particularly from
for him than for me. I knew also that he
a series I call “Caravaggio” and it was clear
was struggling with language. French was
that they found what we were able to do fas-
his native language and as fluent as he is in cinating. It was something more.
English, there were times like this when the Olivier’s face became redder still.
translation was difficult.
“How do you say,” he continued, flustered
“It’s OK,” I said, attempting to be reassur- enough to be struggling for words, “they are
ing, “your English is far better than my disturbing. All those beautiful women. Such
French.” sadness. I do not like this. Why do they nev-
The conversation started simply enough. er smile?” He paused and brought his face,
Both Oliviers, JD and I were “summing still red, to me. “Why do you do this? Why
up” the day. It had been both interesting do you not have photos of them smiling?”
and intense. It was our second day in Paris “That’s a very good question,” I responded.
and, with the exception of an hour or so for I hadn’t ever thought about what he was
lunch, JD and I had been in one meeting saying. I didn’t see the fact that I don’t of-
after another. The four of us were about to ten photograph models smiling as a prob-
go to dinner – it was nearing 8:00 PM Paris lem either. Obviously, it was. And if it were
time – and I had asked what I had taken a problem for him, well, then it would be a
to be a rather simple question. How is our problem for others.
work different?
More profoundly, I had never thought of my
The initial conversation centered around work as disturbing. Well, I admit that some
the fact that all our work has a similar, iden- of the images could be, but, I had always
tifiable “look and feel” that is the result of thought that those images were few in num-
an internal discipline that begins even be- ber. Apparently not. At first I thought that
fore we start a shoot and continues through he was referring to some of the photographs
post processing. of women in cemeteries. But then I realized,
But I sensed there was something more. he was referring to more than that. I tried to
“To be completely honest,” Olivier began. put his comments in context but to no avail.
His countenance was deeply serious. More “It is like you are provoking us.”
serious than I had ever seen him. I paused rather than respond. I wanted to
“It’s OK, Olivier, I won’t be offended.” make sure my response was measured. Un-
“I do not like some of your photos. It is not derstandable. Accurate.
nyghtvision magazine volume 2, number 2, summer 2012
