For me, portrait photography is intimate and personal.
I love portraiture! It is my greatest joy whenever I pick up a camera!
For me, portrait photography is intimate and personal. Before the shutter snaps, I get a vision an intuitive image of the subject. Once this image has been captured in my minds eye, I try to crystallize this vision with the subject. This can happen in several seconds, or if I am able to return to the same place (that day or in the future) I can then begin the intuitive and obvious planning of making the image.
My goal, in producing fine portraiture is, that it be executed with sensitivity, timing and discernment. Capturing a moment, a flash of light that is hidden but represents a small part of what is essential in an individual is my goal. I often see a quick and unique light flash from my subject’s eyes and in the words of one of my favorite photographers, Sabastiao Salgado, I “begin to paint with light and shadow.” I believe we each see the world from our own experiences and if I can capture a moment where my subject begins to speak of their story, their place, I am seeing and photographing who they are.
Doing this requires engagement, between photographer and subject. I feel that what I am photographing is a moment of interaction with the subject that is passing or has passed through my vision. Engagement for me is critical and can be quite fun! It becomes a brief moment of acknowledgement and respect. Often, this leads to a warm exchange between people who may only pass each other for a fleeting moment, or be lifelong friends. Intimate portraiture is about seeing the humanity in your subject and how we, as photographers treat each subject, tells the story of our own humanity.
Another one of my heroes is Richard Avedon who has produced what I think are some of the most incredible photographic portraits. Avedon freely dismisses the notion that the camera is truthful, asserting “The camera lies all the time.” He points out that in real life, family members scream, argue, and cry yet he never sees a photographic album with people in such moods. He does not seek the role of a photographer as objective automaton but describes interacting with his subject, unabashedly injecting himself into the photography through the subject’s reaction to him! He has said that one of his greatest fears is not being able to feel, as he considers that the death of a photographer.
Lummi Island has been my home for over thirty years. It is a refuge, it is an anchor, and it is a place I will always call home. And photographing here has always been and always will be one of my greatest joys!
Recently I was honored to “see” a stand of old growth Western red cedar on Lummi Island. Immediately I saw my dear friend and uncle, Jim Thomas standing with those wonderful old relatives. I had to wait an entire week before we could get our schedules to mesh and then we were all there together! With the help of two other family members I was able to return several times to this stand of cedars where Jim and I made this collection of images. These images were seen by several other friends and we realized that it would be wonderful to see through Jim’s eyes, heart and words and just maybe hear the cedars speak to us all.
I asked Jim if he could write what he saw and felt standing with these magnificent trees.
Here (below) are the images we made and the words Jim composed.
May it touch you as it has me every time I read it.
For me, portrait photography is intimate and personal. Before the shutter snaps, I get a vision an intuitive image of the subject. Once this image has been captured in my minds eye, I try to crystallize this vision with the subject. This can happen in several seconds, or if I am able to return to the same place (that day or in the future) I can then begin the intuitive and obvious planning of making the image.
My goal, in producing fine portraiture is, that it be executed with sensitivity, timing and discernment. Capturing a moment, a flash of light that is hidden but represents a small part of what is essential in an individual is my goal. I often see a quick and unique light flash from my subject’s eyes and in the words of one of my favorite photographers, Sabastiao Salgado, I “begin to paint with light and shadow.” I believe we each see the world from our own experiences and if I can capture a moment where my subject begins to speak of their story, their place, I am seeing and photographing who they are.
Doing this requires engagement, between photographer and subject. I feel that what I am photographing is a moment of interaction with the subject that is passing or has passed through my vision. Engagement for me is critical and can be quite fun! It becomes a brief moment of acknowledgement and respect. Often, this leads to a warm exchange between people who may only pass each other for a fleeting moment, or be lifelong friends. Intimate portraiture is about seeing the humanity in your subject and how we, as photographers treat each subject, tells the story of our own humanity.
Another one of my heroes is Richard Avedon who has produced what I think are some of the most incredible photographic portraits. Avedon freely dismisses the notion that the camera is truthful, asserting “The camera lies all the time.” He points out that in real life, family members scream, argue, and cry yet he never sees a photographic album with people in such moods. He does not seek the role of a photographer as objective automaton but describes interacting with his subject, unabashedly injecting himself into the photography through the subject’s reaction to him! He has said that one of his greatest fears is not being able to feel, as he considers that the death of a photographer.
Lummi Island has been my home for over thirty years. It is a refuge, it is an anchor, and it is a place I will always call home. And photographing here has always been and always will be one of my greatest joys!
Recently I was honored to “see” a stand of old growth Western red cedar on Lummi Island. Immediately I saw my dear friend and uncle, Jim Thomas standing with those wonderful old relatives. I had to wait an entire week before we could get our schedules to mesh and then we were all there together! With the help of two other family members I was able to return several times to this stand of cedars where Jim and I made this collection of images. These images were seen by several other friends and we realized that it would be wonderful to see through Jim’s eyes, heart and words and just maybe hear the cedars speak to us all.
I asked Jim if he could write what he saw and felt standing with these magnificent trees.
Here (below) are the images we made and the words Jim composed.
May it touch you as it has me every time I read it.
AMONG THE CEDARS, I STAND
Jim Thomas, Tlingit
“The Great One breathes life in the gathering of trees. My spirit slides upward, on the bark of the gargantuan cedar, as it is drawn to the presence of that one who engulfs us from the universe. My feet touch the roots who have carved deep into this Mother Earth, breaking through un-liftable rocks to establish a place that will hold the cedar in its place as it breathes of the breath of our forever keeper.
My mind twists and twirls through the rings of time, for this recorder of life on earth has seen things long before any foreign boat sought or touched our beaches. It has seen and recorded fierce storms that it has survived; it has gloried through its leaves the untold risings of the sun and the comforting warmth that only this fire in the sky can give. It has seen the horrible slaughter of my people. It has wept with the mothers of my nations; it has sheltered, even in its own perplexity and anger, the lonely ones of my ancients as they rallied so hard to survive.
And it sees me today, standing beside its majesty. It senses the cedar bark woven so gently with the hair of the mountain goat in my Chilkat Blanket, and it sighs, knowing that the bark of the past, the greatness of the present tree and the loving acknowledger are together here as one.”
“kHatsati” – “The Great One”; “Shaa Ye Gun” – “Keeper of the Mountain”
Jim Thomas
Jim Thomas, Tlingit
“The Great One breathes life in the gathering of trees. My spirit slides upward, on the bark of the gargantuan cedar, as it is drawn to the presence of that one who engulfs us from the universe. My feet touch the roots who have carved deep into this Mother Earth, breaking through un-liftable rocks to establish a place that will hold the cedar in its place as it breathes of the breath of our forever keeper.
My mind twists and twirls through the rings of time, for this recorder of life on earth has seen things long before any foreign boat sought or touched our beaches. It has seen and recorded fierce storms that it has survived; it has gloried through its leaves the untold risings of the sun and the comforting warmth that only this fire in the sky can give. It has seen the horrible slaughter of my people. It has wept with the mothers of my nations; it has sheltered, even in its own perplexity and anger, the lonely ones of my ancients as they rallied so hard to survive.
And it sees me today, standing beside its majesty. It senses the cedar bark woven so gently with the hair of the mountain goat in my Chilkat Blanket, and it sighs, knowing that the bark of the past, the greatness of the present tree and the loving acknowledger are together here as one.”
“kHatsati” – “The Great One”; “Shaa Ye Gun” – “Keeper of the Mountain”
Jim Thomas