The day started out like most Sundays. Up early. Water the garden. Make delicious, world class coffee. Drink the coffee. Think thoughts of gratitude for the continued existence of coffee, and then go to the 9 o'clock swim workout. Stay out of breath for an hour. Get that pulse rate up to 150 bpm.
I had almost forgotten that my former assistant and brilliant collaborator, Renae, told me she was in Austin from L.A. and would like to drop by and introduce us to her daughter. I hastily cleaned the guest bathroom, laid out the good cookies and made sure we had ample coffee and coffee accessories.
They came by at 11 and we spent an hour sharing stories and catching up. B. and I met Renae when she was 18 and we've always considered her to be part of our family. She's now 42 and a successful professional in the film industry in Hollywood. She's warm, funny and incredibly bright.
Her daughter is just like her mother. Bright, smart and confident. After coffee, cookies and conversation Renae suggested we visit the studio and make some portraits. Something we used to do quite often when she lived in Austin. So many years ago...
Over the next hour I shot about 500 frames. All with one light. One umbrella. One camera and one lens. We didn't have a make-up person, any assistants, or any clients in tow. Just the three of us having fun, triggering the flashes, laughing and making photographs.
Of course I photographed mother and daughter together but I also made many portraits of each, individually. The one above came out of a long series. I'd asked Isla to look directly into the camera and to only smile with her eyes. It's one of dozens that I like. And since I have flexible time today I thought I'd do a small bit of post production and upload this one file since I am often told that my main value as a blogger/photographer comes from sharing my portraits.
As always, I am amazed at what one can do with a single 60 inch umbrella and a flash. Or with one camera body and one lens. I have 499 more files to work with and retouch but I wanted to share this one with you to show that I have never given up making portraits. Especially when talented, beautiful people want to stand in front of my camera...
Leica SL2 + TTArtisans 75mm f2.0 lens
Craig, thanks for the memory jarring comment. I think you were referring to this image from 2013:
https://visualsciencelab.blogspot.com/2013/07/soft-side-of-photography.html
But that's actually her younger sister....
2 comments:
I recall that several years ago you had posted a photo you had taken of Renae and her daughter (then a toddler) at a gathering of family and friends. I am assuming this young woman is that same daughter. My how she has grown. (Children do have a tendency to grow up.) I have always enjoyed the posts you have made of various people in your life. Thank you for sharing this.
Hi Craig, that post was way back in 2013 !!! And that's her younger sister. But I do really like that photo...
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