When teenagers fall in love, there is no end to the amount of kissing that they can do, even in public. For 16 years, skateboarder and artist Ed Templeton found himself naturally drawn to these very private moments that were taking place in a public forum. From a voyeuristic perspective, he photographed young lovers who were consumed by each other and completely unconcerned about their surrounding audience.
After sorting through his archive, Templeton eventually discovered that his interest could be translated into a comprehensive collection of work. The extensive photo project and book, entitled Teenage Kissers, documents these public exhibitions in a mix of black and white and color images. In every photograph, he captured the youthful passion and shameless displays of affection of sometimes aware and sometimes oblivious subjects.
“The reaction is out of my control,” says Templeton. “I have heard feedback from people who said that it reminded them fondly of their teenage years. Others said it made them feel creepy. I think most of us have partaken in this sort of activity at some point in our lives, so there is always that element of shared human experience when you are looking at photographs. We all remember our awkward teenage phases. I hope that spirit comes through.”
Ed Templeton's website
via [This Isn't Happiness], [American Photo]
