Monday, October 19, 2015

Friend + Barn, Northeast Ohio, Fall of 2015


Three or so years ago my dear friend Praxa Aneubus invited me to take part in a local fashion show. The time came when we needed a projector, and of course Praxa's creativity was rewarded with a complimentary, professional projector… donated to us by this young model's mother.

When the fashion show took place, the donor kept her promise and stopped by with her daughter, the young girl in this portrait made a little over two weeks. Immediately I noticed that she was taken by the images on the screen, and had a sincere presence about her. Her expressions showed a deep interest and curiosity, moving me to promise that one day we would also make her portrait.

Soon after we became friends on Facebook, and a few weeks ago we talked about having our own session. The years between that promise and our conversation did little to diminish her curiosity, and she was more than engaged in the details. We talked about wardrobe, hair and theme… and her positive attitude confirmed my memories of our first meeting.

So two weeks ago we met at a local park before sunrise. We looked around and decided that the tree line would get in the way of the sunrise. I was amazed at her mother's reaction, when she immediately offered to drive us to a better spot… a local church. It was perfect, and we began at a nearby field before heading for this beautiful background.

There are those who have a hard time with the sun, with the idea of a first session… and then there is this beautiful spirit who was a natural in front of the lens. The way she tilted her head and curled her fingers impressed me immensely, and I look forward to our next session. Through this portrait she stands next to the girls she so admired in my portfolio three years ago.


Note: This image was made with a Hasselblad 555 ELD and a 180 mm combination onto Fuji Neopan Acros 100 ISO film.

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