'The title of the book is inspired by the quiet intensity both young men bought to the images - there was no drama, just a strong but quiet strength and sensuality.'
In my day to day life, I struggle with silence. I like a fan, air conditioner or soft music when I'm sleeping. When awake, I like the TV or radio on, not to actually watch or listen to, but as background noise. Despite my need for background noise, in other parts of my life, I crave quiet. Not complete silence, but a calmness without the distraction of bells and rings, demands and commotion.
It's interesting to me given how much technology has taken over our lives, in this years film, A Quiet Place, in order to keep the monsters at bay and to stay alive, it was only a return to silence and simplicity that kept you safe from the terror and darkness. It makes sense then, that when life gets loud, and out of control, we search for quiet places. Many of us head to places of comfort, whether a quiet corner or chair in the house, or a lake or beach where the sounds are entirely energized by nature.
This year in particular, I have found myself searching for quiet everywhere, maybe especially in art. Images that don't try to shake you with dizzying design and color or overpowering messages and statement. I look for images that welcome you in visually with soft colors, beautiful bodies and faces and eyes that encourage you to slow down, linger and take in in the quiet beauty within the images.
Photographer Mark Leighton tapped into that quiet place, that quiet sensuality and heat that you can experience for yourself in his new book, A Quiet Heat. Shot in Bali last April, the book contains over 130 images of models Nico Rye Syuk and Kim Han Phen both in solo and duo shoots. Nico joined Mark for a seven days and Kim was there for ten. Both models appear completely nude in the book, which Mark shares was a different experience for each.
'In real life Nico is modest, unassuming, quiet and shy, but.. give him a theme, a prop, a bit of a wardrobe - and a tiny bit of direction - and he just takes it away and is enormously creative in what he does. Kim was also not remotely shy considering it was his first time nude and viewers of the book will notice that he clearly enjoyed the shoots!'
'Kim had not met Nico prior to Nico's arrival three days after his. They quickly forged a friendship and supported each other through the shoots and in persuading me to order huge amounts of food ever time we went to eat! The first few shots of the duo section were a bit too restrained but they soon found the right balance and worked very well together. The whole experience of shooting these two exceptional young men was so much fun and so easy.'
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