Tears of Life

"You don't take a photograph. You ask, quietly, to borrow it." ~Author Unknown I was exploring the nooks and crannies of this ancient city of Pingyao and stumbled across an intimate moment... At times I could not lift my camera to my eye. I did my best..., not to violate their trust and space. This ancient Chinese traditional funeral was a moment I stumbled upon and will never forget... Life is so precious, as are all of it's moments right down to 'past' the end of it... This series is dedicated to the people of Pingyao in my attempt to tribute/thank them for being such wonderful hosts and sharing their lives with me and the rest of the world. I hope we respect the space they tread on as if they were taking off their shoes when entering a person's home...

Gene Taylor has been passionate about photography since the early days of his childhood. Barely able to calculate apertures and shutter speeds, he began shooting with an old manual Argus rangefinder 35mm camera. This gift from his father along with hours together learning basic photography skills and building a darkroom in the basement of their family home were the beginnings of a passion that took over his entire being. Gene Taylor does not subscribe to the common phrase of 'capturing the moment' with the camera. Drawing from the vast experiences of his well-travelled life, he shoots with an intimate and uncanny understanding of his subjects. Taylor’s signature is in the raw and often unedited qualities of his images. His work reflects a distinctive journalistic style that provides a perspective based on his ability to tell a story of emotions without words thus ‘releasing the moment’. His unconventionally creativity, and keen eye as a documentarian results in images that are esoteric, poetic and highly expressive. He is sought after for commercial projects seeking a fresh and outside the box artistry. Gene Taylor’s work has been published in many print and online publications. Taylor resides in New York City and works around the world.