GRAVITATE TOWARDS THE HUMAN FACE
WHENEVER POSSIBLE, I ASK PERMISSION TO TAKE PORTRAITS. TO MY DELIGHT, THE ANSWER IS USUALLY YES. WHY I GRAVITATE TOWARDS THE HUMAN FACE IS SIMPLE – IT’S ALWAYS UNIQUE AND SURPRISING, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, MYSTERIOUS. WHO IS THIS PERSON REALLY? I MAY KNOW THEM INTIMATELY OR MAY HAVE JUST MET THEM, BUT THE MASK IS ALWAYS THERE. AT LEAST INITIALLY. MY GOAL IS TO WAIT OUT THE POSTURING AND PEACE SIGNS UNTIL THE FACADE RECEDES AND THE UNGUARDED PERSON EMERGES.
THE IMAGE THAT RESULTS, I HOPE, REPRESENTS A TRUTH ABOUT THAT PERSON. THAT “TRUTH,” HOWEVER, DEPENDS MORE ON THE VIEWER THAN THE ACTUAL IMAGE. WE PROJECT OUR OWN SENSIBILITY ONTO THE PORTRAIT. EVERYONE’S REACTION IS DIFFERENT. IT’S WHAT MAKES PORTRAITS SO FASCINATING; THEY REVEAL AS MUCH ABOUT THE OBSERVER AS THE OBSERVED.
- TYLER BENSINGER