Young people kissing

Monday, April 13, 2009

Photos by Paul Galipeau

“The beauty of kissing in public is knowing that people will see you and not caring at all.”

So says photographer Paul Galipeau, with the confidence of an expert. He regularly captures images of public kissing while making the rounds as arguably Ottawa’s preeminent party photographer. Nice work if you can find it—and Galipeau consistently finds it.

“There's a lot of magic that can be captured in a live show or club and maybe others feel that there's something characteristic about what I capture and how I do it,” he explains. “The responses I get better push me to try different things.”

Yes, party pics can be an art form and loose-lipped intimate moments made public are certainly not the sole motivation for Galipeau.

“My interest in creative documentation [at event parties] stems from my interest in weird stuff coming out of punk and electronic music since the mid-90s, as well as visual manifestations of these two influences,” Galipeau explains.

“This is a very interesting time where boundaries between cultures have become blurred so there's a lot of room for aesthetic experimentation in music, fashion and design.”

The often-chaotic energy of parties is at once a rush and a challenge for Galipeau. 

“It can get pretty physically demanding and there's a good amount of planning and editing involved. I've broken more gear at shows or clubs than anywhere else but I enjoy the risks and ritual of it too much to stop.”

As for the public kissing, Galipeau much prefers the genuine, non-posed variety.

“Sometimes, people will smooch for the camera but when they do this I'm inclined to turn in another direction. I care a lot more for the honesty found in spontaneous energy, romance and/or lust that would take place.”

For more on Paul Galipeau, visit his web site.