HELENA CRISTINA HENRIQUES
what is in essence, the same image. Forgive my ignorance if you disagree, it doesn’t mean I don’t appreciate and respect their work, ‘Cameras are just equipment. Many photographers talk about equipment for hours but they are unfit to talk about a photograph.’ A firm believer in the notion that ‘extraordinary photographers appear to have been born with this ability’, Henriques hopes to join in their ranks of brilliance one day. Who are these extraordinary photographers Henriques talks so highly of - Richard Avedon, David LaChapelle, Helmut Newton, Austin Young, Alan Gastelum, Conrad Ventur, Alvaro Villarubia, Jason Nocito, Steven Klein, Bettina Rheims, and Nick Knight – ‘They are geniuses’ – care to disagree? Questioning Henriques on who she would most like to photograph, I expected the standard answer of Kate Moss, or Georgia Jagger. However, I was delighted to receive the following: ‘I would love to take a beautiful portrait of each animal that goes to slaughter to feed the non-vegetarian population. Take many beautiful portraits of their lives seen through their eyes and expressions before it’s taken away from them. We could even dress them fashionably and make it all look like a parody, a lie, a sort of hidden reality few want to see face to face.’ This is exactly the kind of wake-up to reality that the fur-wearing, leather-donning fashionistas need. The result of such a shoot has the potential to be so empowering, a genuine eye-opener for those who turn a blind eye to the brutality of a bacon sandwich. Unfortunately, Henriques ‘has no strength to follow through this project. It’s a shame.’ I for one would be intrigued (as a vegetarian myself) to see these images.