Form, shadow, and direction: lessons in contemporary portraiture.

Natalie is a working model, which makes this sitting a useful one to show: it is the same direction, the same light, and the same standard every commission gets, with nothing hidden behind experience in front of a camera.

But some clients are working or aspiring models, and Natalie is one of them. She models with Campbell Modeling Agency here in Dallas and needed fresh images for her portfolio, so we built a range of looks together in the studio.

Our first look was beauty-inspired: clean, simple, and warm. I love the balance of the beige and pink tones against her blue eyes, with a few sprigs of lavender for texture.

Professional hair and makeup are part of every shoot. You never have to come up with poses or worry about your expression either — that’s my job.

For the next look we went the opposite direction. I used my Broncolor Para 133 fully focused against a black backdrop to create a crisp, gutsy light. It’s one of my favorite ways to build mood in the studio.

Then we wanted something bold and a little unexpected. We created an “outdoor look” entirely indoors, photographing Natalie against a gray backdrop and placing faux palm leaves between the light and her to throw shadows across the frame. It was my first time trying this, and as the images came through on my camera I got more and more excited.

For every session I help create multiple looks like these. We build every session around your own signature pieces, complemented by the studio collection of silks, tailored silhouettes, and editorial textiles.

Whether you’re a working model like Natalie or you just want to feel like one for a day, I’d love to help you build a set of images that actually feel like you.