CLIFF NOTES
This is not a blog cause I don't do blogs. This is just a place to express my views, share my history and talk about my photography. If you read it and find it interesting, I am glad. Come on back anytime and read it again or just see if I have written anything new. If you don't read it or don't like it; sorry bout that. I guess you won't be back and you will be missed.
Added 11/16/2009
I have been in photography for about half of my life and there are no happier moments than when I am holding my camera. I like to shoot pretty much anything but my passion is boudoir portraiture. It is what I started out doing but I got side tracked along the way and starting working with models. I admit that I enjoyed working with the 18 to 35, drop dead gorgeous types and creating images for their portfolios, website, etc.

Couple of years ago two young ladies called me about doing boudoir portraits. I had not done any in quite some time but I told them to come in and let's talk about what they wanted. Both of them were slightly overweight, both were older than I normally shot and both had had kids which meant stretch marks. Neither was the model types that I had grown accustomed to shooting and neither had any desire to be models. Both were happily married and wanted to give their husbands a special gift of love. Neither of them stated it but I think that they also wanted to give a gift to themselves. A gift that would raise their self esteem and bring back the confidence in their beauty that the years and circumstances had lessened.

They did the shoot together and did some great shots with each cheerleading the other, suggesting poses and fixing makeup back and forth. They were laughing and having a good time throughout the entire shoot. I shot each of the images trying to accent the pretty features of each while dismissing the imperfections. Then a little touch up work, lightening stretch marks, etc, and they came back to see the finished product. One of them looked with her mouth open and the other started to cry. She said, "I had no idea that I could possibly look that good." They placed an order and left.

When they were gone, I was almost overwhelmed with a really good feeling and I realized that was the reaction that I had been missing in my photography. These model types are used to getting great images, they are not impressed. What I want to do is bring out the beauty of the average housewife. The one who is beautiful in ways that the world may not understand, but beautiful just the same. These two great ladies attitudes, enthusiasm and reaction to the images made them two of the most beautiful subjects I have ever photographed.