David Paul Carr

Videos

These videos – mostly commissions- were made for different reasons using a variety of cameras, from simple mobile phones to sophisticated top-of-the-range DSLRs.
The Saint-Petersburg, Romania, Ketou, Italroro One videos are complementary to bodies of photographic work found elsewhere on this website.
The “postcards” are all about ambiance, trying to capture something of the spirit of a place and time.
Video, sound, editing, grading…all by DPC.

The files, especially the Full HD videos, will load more or less quickly, depending on their length, size and the speed of your internet connection.
Tip: press “play”, then “pause” and wait for the video to download completely (watch the progress bar) before playing it again.

Beijing. A Walk In The Park. New!

A photographic assignment took me to China, to the depest countryside, the trip bookended by a little time spent in Beijing.
Once before I had been to the city, many years ago, and had memories of how diverse were the activities in the city’s parks.
Knowing I wanted to come back with a short video, that I don’t speak the language, that I had very limited time available for the project, I decided to revisit those memories.
The idea was very simple: to try to convey some of the wonder I felt during a walk in the park in Beijing (several walks, in fact, in different parks, edited together).
I was struck by how open and friendly the people were: everyone was aware they were being filmed and I had only one gentle refusal which – communication is not always easy – may not even have been that.

Ifa Fragments. New!

The cult of Ifa is at the heart of the voodoo tradition, both in West Africa and the diaspora.
This short film, made while working on a photo reportage in Benin, offers a glimpse into the world of the “babalawo”, the initiate and priest of Ifa.
It’s impossible to say anything in depth about such a complex, rich and ancient tradition in a few minute’s video. Which is why I haven’t tried to do so.
Those familiar with the subject will recognize the processes of divination and sacrifce here. Everyone else can just take in some of the atmosphere of these fragments.
The video shows (rapidly) how the “fetishes” or orishas Legba, Shango and Ogun are installed. We then see babalawos and their clients involved in parts of rituals of divination and sacrifice.
This is a rare glimpse at something seldom shown.
I hope this film will be the beginning of a larger project which would allow me to document the world of Ifa and the voduns in greater detail.

Haïti. 23 €.

The French NGO Enfants-Soleil has numerous projects in Haiti. This video was made during a long photo reportage in the island and concentrates on just one aspect of their activity: the sponsoring of children.
23 € per month finances far more than a guarantee of schooling and often provides the only meal a child will eat in a day. In French.

Saint-Pétersbourg, 30.000, -20, 90.

The Russian NGO Nochlezhka helps some of the 30.000 homeless people of Saint Petersburg. This short film was to accompany a photo reportage about their activities (which can’t be shared here yet). The subtitles are in French. English version coming soon!