Max

Apparently Jack's portraits from a couple of weeks ago have been successful on Match.com, so his friend Max got in touch with me to see if he might improve his chances in love with a new profile portrait.  We met in the city on Friday, and earlier in the week we worked out a plan that involved a lot of walking around and several locations, and making use of the decent weather that according to Monday's forecast, we were supposed to enjoy.  Max is a snappy dresser, so he picked out stylish yet easy-going attire for the shoot, everything down to spiffy brown sheepskin loafers.  All of this was planned in advance.

Of course, because all good plans must be foiled, it snowed like crazy on Friday.  Big time.  And the streets were a special kind of New York City Slushy.  Reviewing my notes in the safety of a Starbucks before Max's ferry arrived, I thought about calling to tell him that he should perhaps consider alternate footwear, but thought better of it, because what kind of guy in his twenties needs someone calling and telling him to button up because it's cold and all of that sort of parental sounding advice.  He would of course wear boots or something.  He's a smart guy.  Little did I know, he's a dedicated kind of guy who always wants to look his best.  Not only did he wear the spiffy loafers, but he brought extra hair gel in case the wind tussled his coiffeur.  Max is one classy guy.

Of course, our location plans were shot to hell, and plan B was invoked.  A plan I didn't really have going into the day, but it worked out really well.  The Port Imperial Ferry station is fantastic.  A modern glassy building with great light and great shapes and perfect for natural light photos.  We were able to shoot for about almost half an hour before security (very politely!) asked us to leave, because we weren't supposed to photograph the terminal nor the boats.  Go figured.  And it wasn't like I was keeping any of the terminal in focus anyhow.  But we complied, because he was doing his job.  So off to Grand Central we went, for something a little different and warmer.

Thanks for a great shoot, Max!  And if anyone else is interested in having some awesome profile portraits made, shoot me an email, and we'll make it happen!

-Sam

Another Awesome OFN Conference!

Jack's New Look

It's funny how with people that you've known for a long time, but don't see that often, they seem to stick in your mind as they were when you first met them, and stay that way, until all of a sudden, they seem to break out of that mold and become something new, but somehow more true to themselves.

Jack was my roommate in college about nine years ago.  I remember him as I saw him last year at a friend's wedding.  Happy-go-lucky and smiling and everything.  Clean cut and the whole bit.  Like in the first photo below.

A few weeks back he moved to NYC and I met up with him a few days ago to take his portrait.  The first difference that I noted was his crazy winter hat from Peru.  I wish I would have gotten a shot of it - it was truly awesome, and looked like it could keep ones head warm under glacial ice.  Sadly it didn't mesh with the kinds of portraits we were looking to get, so I told him to leave it behind.  Next, I noticed the beard and longer hair, and glasses.  This seemed to be a new Jack, more introspective, a bit quieter, and more worldly.  He had spent some time traveling in Central and South America, and it seemed that it touched him, and he wanted to see what else was waiting in the world around him.  It's refreshing to see someone yearning for adventure.  New city, new job, new Jack.  And I got to take the kind of portraits that I've been yearning to take for a while now.  All natural light (really lucked out in his friend's apartment, the light coming through the windows was quite yummy), and got to play with simple "studio-like" shots and some urban ones as well.  Perfect weather for pictures (well, a little cold, but the light was great), and we lucked out with some nice lit doorways and crowds.  I'm a happy camper.  And it's always great to see old friends at the start of new adventures.

-Sam

Thanksgiving in Chicago