// April 10th, 2010 // No Comments » // Blended Living
Robert Kalman, a photographer, has recently released a stunning book of portraits of interracial couples in black and white titled ‘No Difference Between Them’.
Preview this amazing work and link to how to order the book-
No Difference Between Them
Mr. Kalman has several other portrait/places photography books published that were done in the same style as the interracial couple book. His portfolio and description about some of his work is on his beautiful website www.robertkalmanweb.com .
I had the wonderful opportunity to speak with Mr. Kalman through email and ask him some questions about his work.
IFO-How long have you been doing documentary photography?
Mr. Kalman- I’ve been shooting professionally (freelance editorial) since the mid-1970′s. My documentary work started in 1990 in Nicaragua doing work for a sister-city project.
IFO- What interested you in that?
Mr. Kalman- The kind of documentary work I do can probably be categorized as environmental portraiture. I’m drawn to making portraits of people within their environment, and I studied with Arnold Newman, a photographer credited with creating this particular genre. I also work with large format equipment, which requires a collaborative and more studied approach as I work with a person.
IFO- What was the inspiration for this book?
Mr. Kalman As my wife and I were working on a similar project of street portraits in New York City in 2007, we began to notice many interracial couples. One Sunday, we saw an exceptionally elegant couple together. They must have been in their 50′s or 60′s; she was white, and dressed in the manner of orthodox Jewish women; the man was African American, wearing a yarmulke and incredibly handsome. We consider them “the couple that got away,” because we didn’t speak to them or photograph them, but they were definitely the catalyst that convinced us to begin this book.
IFO- Where were the photos taken?
Mr. Kalman- Most of the pictures were made in New York City, but we also photographed couples in Fort Lauderdale, Boston, Provincetown, London, Lisbon and Barcelona. Funny thing about Barcelona: we mentioned to the person guiding us on our first days there that we wanted to go to the typically Bohemian parts of the city because we wanted to meet mixed race couples. She told us, “Oh, that’s not done here.” We wound up meeting and photographing at least a dozen couples.
IFO- How did you find the couples you photographed?
Mr. Kalman- If you’re filtering the world for something particular, you tend to find it. As we walked the streets of a city, we watched for mixed race couples. After two years, we photographed over 200 couples; the book has about 100. We could easily do a sequel.
IFO- Most of the couples in the preview were not smiling. What did say to the couple as to what type of photo you wanted to take?
Mr. Kalman- Everyone in our western culture has had their picture made. We teach children to smile for the camera, and so most people have a learned behavior about smiling in photographs. I’m trying to capture people as they are, rather than as they imagine themselves to be (which is why people want to smile, to show themselves as “happy and attractive”). I want the person to present himself or herself to the camera with their face in repose (but not “flat” like a mug shot). Plus, because I use a large view camera it tends to lend an air of seriousness to the experience; most people rise to the occasion. In the end, what I typically say to people is “Just look at me,” and that usually gets the look I’m after.
IFO- Did you ask anything about the couple’s relationship before you took the photos?
Mr. Kalman- We simply asked “are you a couple?” Sometimes they weren’t a “legitimate” couple, meaning they were only friends. If we liked their look, we photographed them anyway.
IFO- Could you see chemistry or lack of chemistry in couples through the camera?
Mr. Kalman- When I observe people in order to photograph them, I’m aware that I take in lots of information unconsciously. (I think we all do this all the time, even when we’re not making photographs). I have an awareness of how the two people in a couple relate to each other (and you can see the many different ways as you study my pictures). Observing chemistry as such has nothing to do with looking through the camera. (Besides, the only time I actually look at the people through the lens of the camera is when I’m composing the shot and focusing. A view camera presents the image upside down and reversed. The film is inserted into the viewing area. So when I make the photo, I’m looking directly at the subjects, not through the camera).
IFO- Which couple will you remember the most?
Mr. Kalman- For me, so many of the couples are memorable for so many different reasons. There isn’t one that I’ll remember most.
IFO- Any chance of a book signing in Denver? (Hey, that is a perk of being the interviewer)
Mr. Kalman- Our son and daughter-in-law live in Denver. So the next time we’re in the neighborhood, we’ll let you know!
I would like to thank Robert Kalman so much for allowing the Interracial Family Organization to feature his work and take time out to answer some questions for us. The book is simply beautiful.
Interview with Dawn Thomas
