There is something unreal and disturbing in Gregory Crewdson pictures; unreal because the theatrically composition of the scenes are undoubtful, and disturbing because the characters featured in the picture always seem to be overwhelmed by doubts and regrets.

Each one of these “tablaeux vivant” is carefully composed, controlling each element in the scene, and setting the lights to create such an intriguing atmosphere. The position and attitude of the actors is directed by the photographer in order to achieve an effect. We can see how Crewdson gives indications to the actors pursing a certain mood or expression. Some of these pictures require a complete technical staff to produce them: a director of photography, scene and light directos, camera operator, electricians, carpenters, etc.. Cranes, lights, props, cables, smoke machines and all the classical paraphernalia required by stage photography are also used, but in some outdoor pictures at a large scale.

The scenes in Crewdson photography are narrative-driven, if such word exists, and visually complex, which make them attractive to the viewer, who is compelling to explore them to decipher the stories hidden behind them. The narration is frozen in an instant of impasse, something has happened and something is going to happen. The light plays an important role in the scene, helping to create atmosphere (twilight) and remark the critical elements and characters. And the atmosphere is the key element in Crewdson photography.

Using the dim twilight, the narrative is disconnected from reality and  the author opens the door to the fantasies of dreams. Crewdson does not narrate stories of everyday life, and does not try to hide his intentions, because he clearly uses a light that doesn’t look natural. The poses and behaviour of the characters are also strange and unsual. There is something unreal about the situations presented to us. Crewdson’s photography explores and exaggerates moods, seeking a connection with the world that is hidden in the subconscious. It is clearly a psychological photography, that produces a certain feeling of unease.

Certainly, the aesthetic and style of Crewdson can be named, not only by the way he works but also by the final results, as cinematic. Therefore, the dispositions and decisions made by the photographer to compose the scene, pursued such aesthetical effect.

Each kind of photography has different techniques and different approaches. So far, I didn’t make staged photography, so I cannot speak properly about the aesthetic canons of that kind of photography. When I take a picture I look for a certain degree of harmony in the scene. There is a main subject in the picture, which should have a predominant presence in the picture, but I can decide to include some secondary elements that work together alongside with the subject to pursuit an equilibrium of the picture.

The term beauty is very relative, and I would not dare to consider beauty, defined by the standards of a particular artistic movement, as my goal when I take a picture. You can find beauty photographing a dead animal, a decaying corpse, a heap of trash or a scratch on a rusty iron door. I could say that the consistency of the composition is a fundamental aspect that I have in mind when I decide to take a picture.

I took such a kind of pictures, and for me these pictures are the materialization of these visual encounters that I had. For me, their beauty is defined by the visual surprise that they caused me, and the meaning that I found on such casual encounter.