Portrait

These portraits were taken over a three year period starting in 2007. All were the response to various advertisements for sitters. They actually comprise of two projects, one interior and the other more varied (mainly outdoor, but some interior poses too). I've muddled them all up for now. Perhaps I'll re-settle them into their 'correct' projects one day, but for now I like all of them enough to be enjoyed in their own right.

All the portraits here were taken using a 4x5" large format field camera. That's the type of camera where shot is composed under a dark cloth. It's a slow, exacting process that allows for much consideration of composition. As such all the images are full-frame scans from the negatives, all cropping having occurred already in-camera. The shot film was Kodak Portra 400. I'd take between ten and sixteen sheets per sitter, and the results were developed and scanned, then corrected digitally.

To a certain degree all the sitters were allowed to direct their own shoot, in terms of location, costume (or none). I would then work with each subject to select poses and positions in the setting. A 4x5" field camera is a chunky piece of kit, and it was a squeeze in some homes. But the cumbersome process was thoroughly enjoyable.

I am looking now to combine my formal portrait practice with work on the street, unencumbered with film-holders and loupes.

→ Street work
→ Shoppers