Life is not what one has lived

I chose the theme of intimacy because it represents my willingness to share my own story. By addressing this topic, I have to be vulnerable and reveal aspects of my personality that may be intimate and vulnerable.

Life is not what one has lived, but what one remembers and how one remembers it, Gabriel Garcia Marquez.

It’s true that telling one’s life story can be difficult, especially when one reaches a certain age. We question ourselves, what have I really accomplished? What could I have done better? Life goes by so quickly, musically it could resemble a piece played on the bandoneon by Astor Piazzolla, following the rhythm of tango dancers. As time goes on, all we have left are memories.

Photography has been my outlet, and at times I have chosen to be its servant. As a child, I first drew, but as a teenager, I discovered photography, the darkroom, a practical tool for effectively telling what the eye sees, or at least expressing the things that obsess us, without needing words. At the beginning of my photographic journey, I captured images in order to better record reality, stopping my gaze on what surrounded me, and it all took shape through photography. At the age of majority, I was fortunate enough to be employed by a professional photographer and make it my profession. Since then, I have accepted certain compromises to stay in the world of photography, which means making a living doing commercial work while continuing my personal research and expressing the images I wish to share in the form of series.

What I particularly enjoy capturing when photographing people is the moment when their presence-absence is palpable. They are there, but not quite there, their mind is somewhere else. It is in these moments, when the subject is absorbed, that I try to capture this fleeting moment. It is when they forget my presence that their true essence is revealed. It is this fleeting passage that I am seeking, the one where their profound being is unveiled through their gaze or expression. That is why I love capturing portraits, to capture these intimate and genuine moments that reflect a part of themselves.

I am delighted to see that ‘PRIVATE’ offers a platform for us to write and share our stories with others. Today, I realize that it has become easier for me to put my thoughts into words. Thank you, ‘PRIVATE’, for this precious opportunity.