MY APPROACH
My aim is to create interesting, authentic, truthful portraits that create trust and connection.
WHAT MAKES A GREAT PORTRAIT?
Its quite straightforward to put somebody in front of a camera with a plain background and simple lighting, and tell them to smile.
And they will probably look “quite nice”.
That’s not what I’m trying to do.
If all you’re looking for is a picture that makes you look “nice” then you might be better off sending an iPhone picture to one of those A.I. bots and using whatever the computer sends back. If you’re lucky it might even look a bit like you actually look in real life.
Great portrait photography is about making a connection between the subject of the photograph and the person viewing it. It really is “all in the eyes”.
Every session is a collaboration between the subject and the photographer. I don’t like to over-direct you – I create the environment with lighting and backdrops and then let you be yourself, within that space. This takes time – time to relax, time to figure out what works for you and what doesn’t, and it’s why I don’t offer short 30 or 60 min sessions when I’m working with people who need something more than just a quick picture of their face.
Ideally you get to the point where you’re not really thinking about the photography process, or trying to figure out what will look good, you’re more inside your head – its what behind your eyes that will eventually come through in a great portrait.
Your individuality, your personality, your style. The things that make you different from everyone else.
Ultimately, the purpose of your portrait or headshot is to get you noticed, to attract attention, to make someone look twice, to think.
Its not just a picture of what you look like, its a picture of who you are.
