A Portrait Is An Invitation

It’s 2019 and we don’t use our portraits to adorn our parlor walls anymore. Portraits are not about vanity, or the preservation of the familial line. They serve a different purpose now. They are how we introduce ourselves to the world. This hyperconnected world. This is how we do business. This is how we court one another, both professionally and romantically. I see your face before I ever meet you. In general. And when I see that face an impression is formed.

What is it that you wish to convey? I ask almost everyone this question. What do you want people to take away from your photo? Confidence, approachability, competence, friendliness, strength, compassion, authenticity. Those are the answers I hear most often. And when I hear those words I say “Okay then. Embody that. Summon it.” Because I can’t bestow those qualities on you. I’m just a mirror. You’ve got to glow from the inside out.

Just be yourself. Take a deep breath and just be. It’s actually very easy. Look at me like we are the only two people on Earth. Because we are. In this moment we are. If you can relate to me honestly, and let your guard down, and be real, then your portrait will show the qualities to the world that you most wish to portray.

I am curious about people. I want to know them, and I want you to want that too. So when I take photos my goal is to capture what I see it, so that hopefully you will see it the same way too. My curiosity translates to a universal curiosity through the magic of photography. And that’s how we create these invitations, you and I.