Intimacy

I recently began a personal project photographing Argentine tango, a dance style I have been seriously studying only since September. The dance is characterized by a close embrace, though there are extended forms allowing flourishes by the dancers. The dance has been called a “three-minute affair.”

What captivates me about this dance, however, is the inherent intimacy between the partners. While it certainly can be sexy at times, intimacy is more than that and doesn’t need to be sexy at all. It’s a meeting between two beings, an interaction that fosters a sense of understanding and trust. Without that intimacy the dance is just a mechanical display of technique that leaves one disappointed in the missed opportunity.

In that sense, it’s like portraiture.

When I make a portrait I am seeking that common bond between my subject and my vision of the person. To do that we need to drop our guards, if only for a moment. You can project any image of yourself that you like, but behind the chimera you create is your true self. If I do my job right the viewer of the image will get a glimpse of that and want more. Portraiture does not seek to project an image, but to celebrate the person before us. If that’s not intimacy I don’t know what is.

Come along for a ride with me as I embark on this photographic journey through Argentine tango. I expect it to take me at least through November, when I plan to travel to Argentina to explore the native roots of the dance. I will be shooting at a variety of locations in the meantime — at my studio, at milongas (dance parties) at practicas (practice gatherings), and on location. If you’re a dancer and want to participate, please reach out to me.

Of course, I am still a working photographer seeking clients for headshots, portraits and events, particularly those involving any type of dance and athletics. I am proud to announce that I will be traveling to Sacramento at the end of April as the official photographer for the American Judo & Jujitsu Federation’s annual convention.

Some final thoughts: Jean Paul Sartre explores the nature of consciousness in his book, Being and Nothingness. He contrasts the existence of an unconscious being, such as a rock, with the conscious being of a human. We humans are always trying to understand our true nature by comparing ourselves with the world around us. Essentially, we are trying to achieve that simple experience of being that we share with a rock, but which is often obscured by what Buddhists call our “monkey mind.” Buddhists seek nirvana through mindfulness and meditation. Sartre suggests that we come closest to understanding our true nature in moments of extreme pain or ecstasy, when we cast off our ego, if only for a moment.

Perhaps he’s right. But I would argue that practicing intimacy is another way to reveal our true nature.