Portrait Photography

Portrait Photography

Portrait Photography Boulder, Colorado

As an artist, I’m always trying to produce work that speaks to me on an emotional level.  It’s not just about photographing pretty smiles where everyone’s looking in the camera.  It’s about connection, real connection, with my subject.  I’ve been going out of my comfort zone recently and working on photographs that go beyond the typical portrait.  I’ve been focusing on mood, emotion, timelessness and light.  Here are a few images I’ve taken of my son, daughter, and a few client’s babies all in low light settings.  There’s something about the heavy shadows that lets the light do all the talking.  I’m evolving as an artist.  A few years ago if someone had asked me about my connection to light I would have said something about my love of abundant light.  My love of sunbeams and pure light on a face and perfect portrait light that leaves few shadows.  Now I’m learning that shadows play a leading role in an image with beautiful light.  Without shadows, there’s no room for the light to literally shine.  It’s the shadows that tell your eye where the light actually is.  I’m finding that when an image is 9/10th shadow and 1/10th light, a viewer will say, “Wow! Look at the light!”  But the image was almost all shadow!  I find myself studying shadows now more than light.

I do realize that there’s a real cliche connection here to our lives – how the shadowy times define the light times.  There have been songs written about this and poems.  I had no idea what a powerful translation it would have to photography.  If someone asked me today about my connection to light I would say that I am a lover of shadows.  I want more, more, more shadows.  Because that’s how I can see the light.