For most of my photography / art career I’ve worked with individual models on very intimate shoots. Shoots were there's mostly one subject with just me and my wife. These days, my interests have gravitated to working with multiple subjects, pairing the right people and seeing the results of their chemistry play out on my camera. Even then I've mostly kept a tiny set where only the people watching what's happening are the ones that are a part of it.
So it was with nervous surprise and enthusiasm that I accepted an invitation to do a live performance at the Hotel La Concha.
They wanted a select group of invitees to witness to the way we work. Bring them to fantastic the Presidential Suite where we would be painting and working with people while they watched. It’s something that always makes me nervous.
Our shoots are often chaotic and messy, they’re always full of experimentation and just a little bit of awkwardness.
The invitees would witness everything raw and unfiltered by the magic of fancy lenses, powerful lights and clever editing.
To make it more interesting, we had the added challenge of finding people who were not only comfortable with public nudity but also represented the right chemistry to deliver magic. It was very exciting to pair my two subjects:
We separated the event in two stages, a very intimate bathroom shoot, and a more open roof garden shoot where our subjects would be the brush that painted a canvas.
It was very exciting to work with these two, within minutes of meeting their chemistry flowed like longtime lovers, their energy was INTENSE.
I frequently glanced to the side of our guests seeing their big open eyes as the stared separated by only a sliver or glass doors.
The bathroom section was limited to a small amount of people, they would only enter for a few minutes, watching us through the glass of the bathroom doors as Camille and me worked in tandem painting and photographing while our subjects would make everything appear effortless.
Confession: I had a hell of a hard time choosing the photos. This is what they call “Poetry in motion:”
I need to get this out of the way.
I am generally a shy person, opening myself up to a public and guiding them to the way we work was nerve wracking.
But at the same time, I’ve never felt more alive or happy.
After the bathroom, we invited all guests to join us in the Rooftop terrace.
It was here where our subjects illuminated by the light of the moon became the brush of our canvas.
They would perform against a white backdrop, their movements and energy gracefully tracing paint on the canvas.
their paint would brush against the canvas, quickly becoming the memory of their movement.
Once their performance was ended, me and Camille sealed the canvas applying a layer our paint, it was then that our painting was finished.
I live for moments like these.
moments where hours feel like seconds.
Those moments where we create a really good mess
Down the road, I might forget what I said, but never how it felt.
The finished piece stands stands at just over 6 feet tall.
It’s conflicting lines and brilliant color stand as the only remains from that amazing night.
It is now available for purchase through this site.
Want it?
Thank You:
La Concha - For believing in us and letting go crazy in your space
Albert - I can’t thank you enough for everything you’ve done for us. Thank you.
Cristian and Yulie - For being our subjects, our canvases and flowing with our ideas. I couldn’t ask for a better team.
Foto One - Our printing place of choice in Puerto Rico. Luis you’re genius and I can’t thank you enough.
To all my guests, those that stopped by and those that showered me with love, your support means everything to us.
More to come…