the photographic style of street photography, defined more by the nature of its creation than content and location, naturally creates an unequal power balance between artist and subject. this continuous, endless experience of observation paired with an intent to capture life in fractions of seconds forms a genre of inherently impulsive and spontaneous images. typically oblivious to the fact that they are being photographed, the anonymous subjects have little to no say in the interpretation of their personas—oftentimes leading to unintentional misrepresentation.
though nearly impossible to create an even power balance between artist and subject, the works in “the strangers said to me” allow the strangers more time to define themselves by deconstructing traditional practices. although a lengthened window of capture reveals more about my subjects, their identities become further distorted and complex over time. with a longer exposure, not only does more light leak into the camera’s lens, but also with it flows emotion and passion.
included in this series are photographs of places and scenes from around our world. environments, when approached in the same way as people, reveal as much about those who live in them as does portraiture. some of these images do not contain people, but give insight into their living conditions and everyday life.
created with a small leica film rangefinder at night, the photographs capture a silent—almost spiritual—dialogue. to remove the additional layer of interpretation and analogies that comes with color, the images were captured on monochromatic film. the product carries a dream-like consistency that reflects a surrealistic vision of life and human interaction.
from me:
“the strangers said to me” is an expression of the world within me. while you wander through this world of mine, free yourself—as if you were in a dream. free yourself from the malicious forces separating you from your vision, all perceptions of right and wrong, and tradition because just as there are no true ways of capturing our world, there are none of experiencing it either.
as you leave my world and re-enter your own, i hope this experience inspires you to live with a little more love for our world, its beauty, and the unknown.
- a. mo