#fred van schagen

Fred van Schagen

Romantic Paris - A courting couple kissing under a bridge on the bank of the Seine, Paris, 1954

Love in relationships is much like a plant, it can thrive or wither, depending on the effort invested, environment placed and nourishment provided. However, unlike plants, we were not designed to be held captive in one place, with one person, for long periods of time, as seen in multiple lockdowns. 

-  Dr Tim Lebens advice on how to maintain, strengthen and resolve relationships in difficult times

I agree with this piece of advice by Dr Lebens and I try to apply these principles to other aspects of everyday living. I relate this advice to an observation I made about obtaining a relationship with beauty. It requires a sort of sacrifice of one’s self or aspects of a perceived reality in order to devote time to nourish elements of one’s environment in order to uncover/ discover or obtain a relationship with beauty. Nourishment is very liberating and permits growth. When our relationships keep us captive, it tarnishes our vision, and it stops us from being able to identifying where there is potential to make positive relationships within our environment or our lives. Great Art is an incredible sponsor for motivation and vision, in this case, great photography, can evoke the inspiration within us to pursue positive relationships with our surroundings. A recipe for a fulfilling life.

Fred van Schagen

Undoubtably, images like this acclaim the spirit of romance. Truthful romance, this excruciating yet rewarding phenomenon, tedious in its addictive manner and barely explainable sensation, impacts most of our lives without consent and control. Our lack of dominion with true romance does not stop any of us from feeling like we understand or relate subjectively to romance. The fact that this photograph is set in Paris in the 50s adds to the dramatic effect of the image, making the subject-matter of the photograph easily distinguishable. However, aside from getting an immediate allusion to the idea of romance, I am astonished by this image and how it reflects a profound understanding of romance on the part of the photographer, Fred van Schagen and the subjects of this work who are in union as a couple and in perfect harmony with their surrounding, Paris. An incalculable passing moment and perfectly set for a submissive, truthful romantic, Fred van Schagen to seal with the benediction of his eye and the eye’s relationship with his lens. That is what understanding and real romance must be. A shared harmony of elements within a passing moment beyond the subjective perception. Inclusive and real.