Behind the Shot

Ryan Borne may be a little biased about this image. The subject is a lovely Tahiti native named Poeiti. When Ryan photographed her in the Moorean rainforest, the two were just friends. Their romantic feelings developed within a matter of weeks after this photo shoot, and they are now life partners.

Ryan was creating a personal art project he calls Wild Child. “I wanted to do a photo shoot with someone in the jungle,” he says. “Poeiti is amazing. She grew up exploring the jungle—that’s her playground. I wanted to capture that essence. This photo is a nice memory.”

The two enjoy perambulating the varied terrain of Moorea, one of more than 100 French Polynesian islands heralded by the legendary Bora Bora and Tahiti. Eight jagged mountain peaks rise from Moorea’s azure lagoon, surrounded by lush greenery, ivory beaches, glorious waterfalls and fern-covered cliffs. The tropical jungle in the center of the island is mostly void of wildlife but contains a multitude of tropical plants.

In this print, Poeiti is hiding behind the root of a mape tree. These giants are particularly majestic, with a dense canopy and large buttress roots. They grow abundantly near ancient marae—sacred temples that served religious and social purposes in Polynesian societies.

This minimalist artwork is both delicate and wild, at the same time pure and primal. It draws us in to the innocence, curiosity and playfulness of nature while also conveying a gently seductive mood.