Vienna, No Plans

Barbara came back to Vienna for a weekend a few months after we first met and we decided to shoot. No plan, no concept—just walk around at night with an analog camera and eat pizza. That’s what we did.

I don’t write much about my own photographs because either the image works or it doesn’t, and talking about it usually just clouds things. But I’ve noticed this: the best work happens when you’re not thinking about the work. When you’re just present with someone, in a place, both of you understanding that the only thing that matters is showing up and seeing what’s actually there. When neither of you is performing.

With Barbara it was immediate. That easy understanding where someone gets it—not trying to make something precious or important, just present, moving through Vienna at night. When that happens the photographs become about the moment instead of some preconceived idea of what photographs should be.

Vienna at night has this specific beauty to it, the old buildings and the light. But beauty is nothing without genuine presence, and that’s what these photographs have.