Day 1000 - Interview with myself

Why do you take photos?

I am obsessed with images. I am in love with life. I need to capture its moments. It is like taking pictures while you have sex.

Why do you take photos of naked women?

I am in love with life and in woman there is life. Woman posseses a strange power that makes her a fascinating monster. It is a terrible, mesmerizing beauty. It is irresistible.

Do you think you are an artist?

I try to make my visual messages as meaningful as I can for other people. If my photos are judged as art, it is even better. First, I take photos for my pure pleasure. But the process is not complete until it reaches other people and I receive feed-back. One buys one of my photos firstly because he likes it. Then, maybe he questions whether it is art or not.

Why do you think women pose naked for you?

First of all, they pose naked for themselves. It is their decision, not mine. And afterwards, they allow me to capture their nude moments. It is their choice all along. I am only a witness. They choose me to be their witness. And I try to show them how beautiful they are in their own way.

Then why do women like to pose naked?

Because all mirrors lie to them. And because they want the truth. And they cannot have it but through another human being’s eyes. The perception of their lovers is relative, subjective and temporary. Their lovers see them beautiful only when they are in love. I see them beautiful all the time. My perception is subjective, too, but at least I try to get out the best in them. A woman lives a continuous process of self-discovering. My images are documenting moments of this evolution.

Is it difficult to find women who want to pose in the nude?

It was very difficult and frustrating at the beginning, in 2001. Out of all the women whom I asked to pose in the nude for me, maybe only a quarter accepted. Today I understand that this is how it was meant to be. I had the right models at the right moments - no more, no less.

What is a representation of a nude human figure?

I think nude photography is a species of portraiture. A nude photo is the most complete, natural, honest, vivid, authentic and bold kind of portrait. And this is how we like people to be: complete, natural, relaxed, honest, bold, authentic and vivid. You cannot separate the face from the body. It is not fair. It is like a story half told.

Would you like to shoot nude men, too?

No, I simply can't. I only do what gives me pleasure. Following my pleasure is the best way for me to become good at something. I feel absolutely no pleasure in seeing naked men. I don't find it ugly, either. It just doesn't touch me inside. I find nothing inspiring in a male nude.

Why do you think that erotic photography is considered obscene?

Because of the way religion is manipulating people. Because religion is the politics of faith. Once they turned faith into politics, they perverted it, they nearly killed it. A true believer is a person who feels the faith. A religious person is somebody who believes because he was told and even forced to do so. You don't need the religion or any church to believe or to be a good person. A true believer will never become fanatic, fundamentalist or extremist. Only religion is transforming peoples this way. Obscene is this religious arrogance to hide the human nature behind dogma. Obscene is to see peoples hurting and killing each other, not loving each other. Obscene is everything dogmatic, kitsch, stupid, useless, mediocre, hypocrite, gratuitous, bad. Obscene is to cover, to hide, not to uncover, discover and show. I cannot be held responsible for other peoples’ twisted mind.

What is pornography?

Pornography is a representation of a human sexual act in a stupid, gratuitous and kitsch way.

What is your goal?

To make as many female nude portraits as I can during my life time.

One last word?

Always try to find out who you are. Always tell who and what you are - no matter how hard it is. Fiction is vital for human life and creativity, but becomes deadly when it is used as a lie. Dreams are never lies.

Thursday, July 2, 2009

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