Left Patrice Bilawka & Jessica Timmins Venturi  - Right Max von Sydow

I saw the Pixar film The Toy Store in 1996 and I never saw the connection with Max von Sydow (whom I photographed in October 1992) until a few days ago when I thought about a photograph I took of the luminously beautiful Patrice Bilawka (look at those photographs of Bilawka in that link and be prepared to cry!)  being made up by her friend Jessica Timmins Venturi.

Memory is never entirely correct.  Borges said that the art of remembering involved forgetting.

I was sure that as I was getting ready (setting up my lights) to photograph Bilawka I suddenly saw that image (vision) and I quickly mounted a longer 250mm lens and with my Mamiya RB-67  on a tripod I snapped this (see above) shot that oozes with a powerful eroticism. In the order that I took those photographs of Bilawka being made up it was the last shot. In the case of von Sydow it was the first one.

Of von Sydow I was equally getting my lights ready at the Hotel Vancouver’s Sun Room when I noticed von Sydow in profile getting some window light. I did the same with that 250mm lens and snapped the shot.

Of both Bilawka and von Sydow I have told people that it was one of those grab shots that you take when you see them. But the contact sheets show otherwise. They demonstrate that I took multiple shots and in the case of von Sydow there is a fabulously accidental double exposure. My RB-67 has a very good preventer to double exposures but somehow I pushed a little lever without being aware and there it is.

As for The Toy Store connection just like the toys came out to play as the lights were turned off in the store I wonder if my files (7 metal cabinets, each with four drawers) ever communicate with each other? Would von Sydow and Bilawka discuss how it was that the grab shot was one that was intended by my part in several exposures and not that lucky shot I have been bragging about for years!