This evening I was able to meet two individuals for some portraits, and stepping outside of my usual practice, I engaged them both on the nature of the photography that took place. It was not unusual for me to arrive late, as I never seem to start on time, which almost always result in untimely finishes, but they excused my tardiness. What I seemed to waste in precious daylight, I made up for insights on myself, like the raison d’être behind my major, taste and preferences in art, and even choices in style. Difficult at first, I seemed to have relaxed the two as they were unfamiliar to the practice, almost as much as I was when I first found my way. I find that the photos came naturally as they were aware what my motive and direction were, as opposed to fumbling in the darkness. Normally, I go silent as I try and take on the creative process alone, compensating for what my subject may or may not do, the scene and mood. Along that workflow, comes all kinds of resistance to creativity which impede my success – or so I get the feeling. Teamwork allows for the portraitist and portrayed to take both their perceptions and sights and aim higher, mitigating the need for strain or discomfort in an otherwise pleasant activity. I hope I found two who might return for more work, as the need for subjects waxes endless, yet even more profound, I hope my style ripens as good habits mature and poor, low-hanging approaches fall by the wayside. I still lack the bravado to point and shoot at street subjects, but even this candor can be defined by small steps - getting closer to your subject.
