I got my first camera, a pretty little red 35mm film camera, from my parents when I was 13. It wasn’t a particularly expensive camera, but it was mine and I rarely parted with it. I took pictures of everything; I probably bankrupted my parents with the development costs. My backyard, the fruit my mother bought in from our trees, our pet rabbit. Nothing was off limits.
People are so interesting and I love capturing their spirit on film; my goal is convey their feelings, thoughts and emotions and preserve them forever in a photograph. You know what I’m talking about. That twinkle of deep affection in a father’s eye when he looks over to his wife holding their first born. The calm serenity that overcomes an expecting woman as she gently touches her swollen belly. The heat between a newly engaged couple who can’t seem to stop staring at each other. The commanding presence of a high school grad who’s posing with enough confidence for their entire graduating class. Or that ounce of mischief in a brother’s sly grin as he looks up at his older sister. To me, portrait photography is all about capturing emotions, personalities and the dynamics of various relationships.