State of Play

Today’s images are of Markus, former student, good friend and brilliant engineer.  I can’t say exactly why I wanted to photograph Markus.  I didn’t think about it much going into the shoot other than I wanted to photograph him.  Instinct, perhaps something else.  Maybe the same reason I want to photograph another friend, Dejen (happening soon).

But I think I’ve figured it out…figured it out watching my assistant’s 11 month old daughter at the shoot.  Its about a State of Play.

Markus, like Kelly Jackson, like Mason Thelen, Chunk Densinger, Michael Gorman, Jordan Nelson and others I’ve photographed, has a certain sense openness.  He was not only willing to be playful, silly, fanciful in front of the camera, he pushed it along with me.  In other words, he acted like a child playing for the sake of play.  I’m not suggesting that every portrait subject has to sit in a Speedo and let me poor water on his head, but Markus had no worries about this happening and in true engineer fashion even solved a number of our technical issues.  As a photographer I’m drawn to this and want to shoot in this manner more and more often; to capture a sense of joy, state of play in my subjects that is genuine to them.

Hope you enjoy the images.

I also want to thank all of you for another successful year with the blog.  THANK YOU for being here, for your comments and support.  Happy Holidays to you and your families.

Related posts:

1. Fashion and Beauty: Two Things I Don’t Understand
2. Studio Fashion Shoot
3. Studio Portrait Photography: Ania Saletis