Mes Fleurs... Finding Beauty in Family and Friends

Mes Fleurs ... Finding Beauty in Family and Friends is an ongoing project of portraits. In these difficult times it is important to search for beauty and happiness within the people in our lives.

I have been making portraits most of my life. I am continually seeking ways to make beautiful, authentic, and unique portraits of the people I love and the people I encounter. Sometimes I bring people to the studio. Sometimes I employ compositing techniques. But mostly I make environmental portraits. I often work with dancers, as many of my friends are dancers and performance artists. I also record many portraits of family.

Portraiture is at heart a collaborative art. There can only be a good and true portrait if there is connection and understanding with the model.

Although I enjoy lighting in the studio, I prefer to work with natural light. Still one must use the light that is available to define and add depth along with all the tools of composition. I work both digitally and silver/analog processes, although I have mostly included digital work in this project.

I wish to concentrate on even more technique and unique approaches to make portraits of beauty and depth. If awarded a grant, I would use it for time (I am ever consumed by teaching Photography and Filmmaking at a small college in rural Ohio) and I would purchase a better portrait lens for my Canon 5D camera or replace it with an equal mirrorless camera and portrait lens, plus upgrade my printer to do larger format work.