Carlos’ latest book, Corazón Salvaje is a unique selection of photos documenting everyday intimacy, pictures of people that we may or may not see ever again as well as a series of self-portraits. “Times of introspection help me take ideas out of my brain, to always keep on shooting.”
While some of these images were undoubtedly born out of spontaneity, others give a feeling of being wonderfully staged or can be easily mistaken for outtakes of a movie – although this is as far from the truth as it can be. “Normally, I never think about composition. It comes naturally with the idea, right about when I shoot it.”
Tell us who you are and what do you do!
My name is Son, I’m 30 and I am an entrepreneur.
What do you identify as? What are your pronouns?
I’m a cis male. Pronouns he/him.
Can you tell us where you and your family are originally from?
I was born and raised in Germany. My parents are from Vietnam.
Having roots in Vietnam culture, has your culture influenced your identity?
Not really. Growing up in Germany and being exposed to both Western and Vietnamese media and culture, I didn’t see any significant difference in the way queerness was addressed or talked about. In both worlds, toxic masculinity was prevalent. There was always a strong emphasis on how a boy should behave, dress and look like.
As someone with such unique intersectional identities, how do you choose to consolidate all of them?
I don’t choose. I have stopped consciously thinking about what kind of behavior is considered appropriate in which setting. It’s not like I have sorted my traits, my behavior and my identities into different drawers ready to pull them out depending on the situation. Now it’s just a big mixture which can sometimes be confusing for people who have just met me.
If there was one word you would choose that represents all that you are, what would it be?
Water. The ocean! I think of myself as an ever-changing body. Highly adaptable. Fluid in one moment but solid and unmovable in the next. You’re forced to learn how to do that in order to embrace all influences, all cultures. You need to be flexible in some situations but also stay solid and true to yourself in other moments. Otherwise you will drown and lose yourself with all the different inputs. Sometimes, I stand still while other times I move and flow to different places. It’s an ongoing process.
If you could achieve anything in this world what would that be?
Inspire people like me with the things I do. Achieving everything my younger self would have never dared to dream of.
Thank you, Son.
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