Kimberly - left contact sheet scan - right negative scan

 

This 21st century is full of overused words like iconic, stunning, award-winning and in this case for this blog “I have been blessed”. I opt for “I have been lucky”.

My luck in my extensive collection of undraped women began in 1969 when I decided to photograph my beautiful Rosemary nude. I had no lights. I used window lighting and an almost primitive but functioning Asahi Pentax S-3 (purchased used in Mexico City in 1962) loaded with Kodak Tri-X.

I was an amateur so my intention had nothing to do with an exploration of what makes something erotic. That exploration I began in Vancouver in the beginning of the 80s.

On any given day, I change my mind as to what is my favourite rose in my garden. The same applies when I think of some of the 400 women I may have photographed.

Kimberly (sometimes she called herself Danielle) had a face that was beautiful but at the same time unusual. I decided to look at her file today. It is an overcast day and I have not much to do. Looking at photo files years after is a renewal of sorts. I noticed this streaked contact sheet frame. I scanned the frame (it is 6x7 cm) and then the negative for a side-by-side comparison.

What makes all that possible is that in my oficina I have a marvellous Epson Perfection V700 Photo. Its technology now is almost forgotten and I tell my friends who do not have an equivalent scanner, that my Epson is this century’s fax machine.

Scanning keeps me occupied and for my duration doing it I do not suffer that terrible melancholy for the loss of my Rosemary now almost 5 years ago.

My grandmother would have said about my scanning, “Cuando el diablo no tiene nada que hacer con el rabo espanta moscas.” That nicely translates to , “When the devil is bored he swats flies with his tail.”