Portraits

I've been fortunate to have been able to work on sharpening my portrait skills recently. That's another way of saying that I've started putting into practice some of the skills I've learned at various workshops I've had the pleasure of attending over the last few years. While my "bread and butter" has been editorial work, changes in that market have pushed me (read: kicked me in the can) to start exploring other areas of photography. Getting creative with lighting is lots of fun. I'm a disciple of Joe McNally and David Hobby and like to emulate, as best I can, both of their lighting styles. I find that a lot of the portrait work I see, especially locally, is pretty sterile. Make no mistake, it's beautiful, award winning work. But, for me, being tied to the overhead of a studio is not the least bit desirable. Take me to a place like a hockey rink, when the ice is out in the summer, or an abandoned factory, or in the woods, with lots of natural green, moss covered boulders, then supplement the lighting with one of Dave Hobby's paper Chinese lantern light mods. I think the images are wonderful.

So, most recently, my friend Jill and her motorcycle "Pretty", in the Laconia Ice Arena, a few days before the ice goes in for the season...