PROJECT HISTORY

A chance photograph taken in October 2004 was the seed from which THE SMOOCH PROJECT grew. During a local art event, where my twin sister and I were exhibiting our creative wares, I was my usual obnoxious photographer-self, snapping endless pictures of our fellow artists trapped in their booths and unable to escape. I believe this was Barbís attempt to turn the camera on myself. ìTake a picture of us,î she said, and stood next to me with her arm across my shoulders

Not an easy task, given the size and weight of my camera, but I accepted the challenge.
I recall the struggle to point the lens, not at all sure of what is was capturing. Then, just as
I snapped the shutter, Barb impulsively turned her head and smooched me on the cheek. Such a natural and poignant gesture, my memory of that small, cherished act of affection has yet to fade.

As you can see, I managed to catch very little of us as we both stood together. Poorly framed, only a glimpse was recorded of that instant ñ certainly not a very good indication of my photographic skills. Even so, I simply loved this photo. Every time I came home and saw the framed print on my wall, my heart lifted, no matter what my mood. A small thing, perhaps, but the repeating effect this photo had on me got me to thinking.

If a single photograph could have such an unwaveringly positive effect on me, surely the same would be true for others. What would it look like if I began a collection of smooch shots? Given the billions of people in the world, how many could I possibly take? Not knowing the answers to these questions, I started to experiment, utilizing an ample supply of long-suffering family members as my visual guinea pigs. With their and many others help, THE SMOOCH PROJECT evolved to become what it is today. I still donít know the answers to many of the questions this project has raised for me, but I have learned a few things.

Born from a single act of affection, I remain amazed at the incredible momentum THE SMOOCH PROJECT has so far enjoyed. Many, many people have open-heartedly volunteered to place themselves in front of my camera and allow me to document their affection for a loved one. The list of project participants is steadily lengthening. The images
I have succeeded in capturing are amazingly beautiful and sometimes incredibly so. I am absolutely certain this is not the result of any special skill I possess, any more than I am the cause for the sun to rise or a flower to open. I am simply a very lucky photographer who happened to be at the right place at the right time, with a camera in hand.

One small, seemingly insignificant gesture of love between siblings has know grown into a project that may succeed in reaching around the world. Even now, years later, that photo of my sister and I continues to lift my heart every time I see it. Life can be so amazing at time.

© 2006 Bonnie Fournier. All rights reserved.