Creative Portraits in New Orleans

My career has always been creative based supported by the dreaded 'real job'. In Arizona I painted large canvases usually 4' and larger. They were of photos I had taken of classic cars while using a wide angle or fisheye lens. They were pretty good but I really wanted something more, something I couldn't quite put my finger on. I never really learned a good technique in painting nor what the materials were and how to use them. When I was in high school I got into photography because my dad was a journalist with the Kansas City Star. Fast forward to the 90's and I really got into landscape design. It started in Kansas City when I did exterior commercial and residential flower gardens. Then in the early 2000's I got into garden design work in Scottsdale, Arizona when we owned a landscape contracting business. We needed photos for advertising so I picked up my dad's camera again and started in 2000 learning the techniques that would help me stretch my creative eye. Flash forward to ten years ago. Here in New Orleans I was able to build a career focusing on portraiture that captures the inner self many miss. 

Why all of this background information? Well, over the last three years I have captured some of the most amazing people with my lens. During this time my clients would get a strange set of instructions when they received their final photographic image files. I'd ask that they pick out 10 favorites and send me the file numbers. Why? Because then I choose from those to create an even more artistic image that suits them. Last year I started working with ink and watercolors trying to teach myself the basics I never learned and find my 'voice'. This year I started working with paint and canvas again. 

Here we are full circle as I now am painting my first portrait of a past client and friend. Not sure where its going. I think maybe I can finally move to the next phase of my portrait photography providing clients with a painting to commemorate that moment they stood in front of my camera. Sound like something you'd like to invest in? Give me a call. 504-920-8703.

Below are a few that are in the queue to practice building my style and advancing my technique.