- photography. a merge. inevitable, it feel to me.
These words are the opening of photographer Cathrin Schulz‘s bio on her website. They speak to her approach to image making, pointing to the idea that her camera has become part of her. Schulz’s description of her relationship with the camera reads as a kind of spiritual connection, as if the first time she pressed the shutter-release button was a moment of serendipity, an invitation from the universe to find her passion. The poetic introduction to her work from her bio is continued through the titles of her works and the layout of her site.
The text that accompanies each series of images reveals sensibilities that see the work come full circle when presented to the viewer.
Her series UN[DOMESTICATED] sees women photographed with wild animals as a visual signal to a kind of surrendering and undoing of the idea that women need to be “tamed”. The different animals come across as representations of their spirits, and the closeness between the women and the animals points to the idea that they are intimately engaged with their spirits.
Shadows, blurs and capturing intense gazes from the people she photographs directly articulates her motivation. One is pulled in, wanting to find out the story being told through the images. The delicacy and sensitivity with which her work comes together is evident in the balance between light and dark, creating mystery and evoking a sense of nostalgia all at once. It is as if each image is a paused moment from a romantic movie or a snippet of a dream that you remember in the middle of the day. The series 8 FT [UNDER] alludes to this evocation.
To check out more of Schulz’s work visit her website.
