*Madonna*
Fuji TX2 (XPAN) + Tmax400
There are lots of statues in St Michael’s Catholic Cemetery in Hong Kong that would not stand out in the older European cemeteries. What I liked about this Madonna however was how she stands in front of what I’m assuming is the Pauper’s graves, little boxes in a wall with photos in front of them. Not something you see so much in the Père Lachaise.
*Cherub’s Welcome*
Fuji TX2 (XPAN) + JCH400
Truth be told, there are moments where shooting as wide as what the XPAN offers is a challenge. I think I’ve gotten better at it over time, but there are still many instances when I don’t know what to do with all that image real estate. And there are times when it’s just obvious, like here. This foreground Cherub with the rest of the graves in the background just compelled me to shoot it this way.
*Angel Resting*
Fuji TX2 + Kodak TMax400
Cemetaries in Hong Kong are mostly vertical affairs as space is at a premium. But in the early days of the colony that wasn’t the case so much, so in Happy Valley you can still visit the older cemetaries on the Island. There’s a string of three (a Muslim Cemetary, the Catholic Cemetary and the Hong Kong Cemetary). The statuary in the Catholic Cemetary is quite striking, as exemplified here. I thought this angel looked a lot like a late stage Michael Jackson, but maybe that’s a heretical thought.
*Leafy Smile*
Fuji TX2 (XPAN) + Ilford FP4+
Model : Patricia
Irrespective of technique and texture, a winning smile is a winning smile, and Patricia’s smile here just makes the shot.
*Fertile Hair*
Fuji TX2 (XPAN) + Ilford FP4+
Model : N.
What led me to initially discard this photo was the stark contrast within the texture itself. I clearly shot this in the sunlight, and some leaves come out really strong while others are lost in the shade. And yet with a little more hindsight, even though that was not what I was going for, it totally works, doesn’t it?
*Striped Back*
Fuji TX2 (XPAN) + Ilford FP4+
Model : Jelle
I remember exactly which leaf I shot for this texture. It was a drying palm leaf on the ground in Victoria Park. It was kind of low contrast, but I hoped it would work nonetheless. What I like is that it’s more structured than most textures I used, and very soothing as a consequence.
*Busy*
Fuji TX2 (XPAN) + Ilford FP4+
Model : Lara
One of the conclusions I drew from the first two sessions is that plant textures with small or haphazard leaves makes the portraits difficult to read. This is even more true when the textures are shot in the sun, creating harsh contrasts. Yet sometimes that business conveys an interesting, chaotic feel to the portraits.
One-Eyed Mona Lisa
Fuji TX2 + Ilford FP4+
Model : Madline
I have spoken before of the incredible synchronicity that sometimes matches the textures with the models. Here we have Madline making her trademark Mona Lisa smile while this large leaf stem strikes he right in the eye. Isn’t it incredible ?
*Cyborg*
Fuji TX2 + Ilford PanF
Model: Lilly
In my flora texture experiments so far, the plants I shoot rarely have a direction. It’s a mass of leaves, branches or flowers. Buildings, obviously, are by nature directional. This opens up new and interesting considerations regarding the random / lucky elements of these double exposures. Here, the building column is perfectly aligned with the front of Lilly’s neck, which gives the illusion that it’s a part of her.
*Fade to Build*
Fuji TX2 + Ilford PanF
Model: Patricia
As with my previous project, the nature of the lighting is key. Here I was using rather hard light which explains why the « fade » into the shadows (and therefore the emergence of the urban texture) is not gradual. I think I prefer a more gradual look, but I have to admit that this looks pretty cool nonetheless…
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