No. 8, September 1979

Jean-Luc Mylayne'sphotographs depend on the establishment of a relationship between the artist and his subject—a fleeting yet intimate relationship which he develops during many months of preparation. Jean-Luc Mylayne chooses to photograph birds without a telephoto lens and therefore has to create a relationship of trust with his subject so he can approach it. As he spends time with the birds, he works out the precise framing of what he calls his "tableaux." He works like a painter, taking a series of different approaches, choosing the content of the image and its structure, and defining the position of the figures and the strokes of color. For this reason, the harmonious intimacy between the artist, the birds, the landscape, and the light is at the heart of his work.