Where ?

This picture was taken in my hometown, in the south of France. In a public garden where I used to go as a child. There used to be turtles and water lilies in the pool you see in the background.

When ?

It’s summertime, during a poetry festival.

Why ?

The heat was overwhelming that day. A friend and I went for a walk in the city and decided to go through the garden. Usually the place is empty except for a few old men and old ladies

sitting on benches enjoying some fresh air. The festival attracted a new population, younger and enthusiastic.

During such events what the municipality does is offering a new experience of an otherwise

unchanging space and this is what drew my attention.

All these people relaxing in a silent communion. The shades of green (I’m a colour lover.) and the blunt afternoon light. I pulled the camera out of my bag and took one picture of the scene.

A few months later when I had the film developed and scanned I discovered the shadows of the hamacs in the foreground drew two distinct crosses on the ground. That and the shadows of distinct body parts added a sinister, contrasting touch to that sunny scene. A reminder of the power photography has to surprise the eye of the photographer and reveal other realities.