Oh My Goodness! With spring here and Mother’s Day approaching my studio has been very busy. I am so lucky to have this beautiful home studio where I can fuss with my props and play with my lights anytime. I often create portraits in my mind, some that come to fruition and many that do not. This photo shoot gave me the opportunity to create images that I have wanted to make for many years. These three little characters in their matching yellow and green dresses where the ideal subjects.
This shoot made me think about an interaction I had the other day while introducing myself to the members of the Platform Centre for Photographic and Digital Arts board which I now sit on. In my short intro I discussed my academic background, experience on Boards and finally the development of my photography business. When I was done a former colleague and friend said “you forgot to say that you are also an artist.” This made me think about the distinction between my personal art practice and my portraiture business. I think it exists on a spectrum, on one end is the shoot where I am given specific instruction to create a specific result. For example, when I do head-shots for actors. On the other end is this shoot. The photo session where I am given creative freedom, I luck into subjects that suit my aesthetic perfectly and behave in a way that I find completely intriguing. It is sessions like this that are not only my business but also my art practice. Opportunities like this are serendipitous but anywhere in the grey area gives me a chance to create art not just do a job which is why I love this business.
