It’s kind of a joke that Elise and I tell when people ask how me met. We were introduced by a common friend, one Elise knew from high school in Florida and one I met when I was single and lived in the Chicago. Our mutual friend was trying to set us up on a blind date and when Elise asked what line of work I was in she replied “He is a photographer, but doesn’t photograph babies or weddings”.
I’ve been photographing for over 30 years but my passion for portraiture started 16 years ago with the birth of my first daughter. When I started photographing her, even before she was born, I did not intend to photograph families and children as our main business. But all these years later I can’t imagine doing anything else.
When I started down this path, I had a vision for the work and how the sitter and I worked together to make an image with impact and meaning. Today, with the proliferation of cheap cameras and instant imagery it has become even more vital to make that connection with the client and forge a co-creative relationship. My desire and goal is to make images that not only capture a moment in time but will also be passed down through the generations as a true rendering of what the person or family was like. This can only happen in a cooperative process, making an image as art together, unique as each family or child.
We’re turning our ship…. We have already begun to make changes. Some of them, like our website, are already done. Other changes to come. As we go, I would like to share my philosophy, thoughts and feelings regarding photography and portraiture. I would love to hear what you think too.
