Picture perfect.

Photography has been a hobby of mine for a few years.  I was at the height of my amateur photography when I was involved in the Boston burlesque scene.  I would shoot flyers for upcoming shows, do photography for some of those very same shows, and do portraits of dancers in costumes, artistic nudes, candids, or whatever crazy idea they wished to capture on camera.  I had a lot of fun practicing photography, and it was a very fun time of exchanged creativity and forging connections with people I worked with.  When I had a very bad falling-out with some influential people in that scene I lost many opportunities to work, and my subsequent bout of severe depression drained all the inspiration I had to pursue photography any further.  My trusty old camera was shelved for almost two years.

I had the opportunity to photograph a dear friend last August, and again in February of this year.  It was great to get behind the camera again, and I felt that spark being rekindled in my soul.  The spark quickly died, as there were few opportunities to work with anyone in these intervening five months.  My camera went back on the shelf.

This past weekend I was given the opportunity to work with someone new.  I’ve been friendly with Sarah for a few years now, but within these past few months we’ve grown closer, and when she put out a call for a photographer I answered the summons.  We had little to no plan going into our photoshoot, and we stumbled a little in the beginning.  I was rusty as a photographer and had lost some of my confidence.  It took us a few tries and some experimenting, but it wasn’t long before I felt that spark reignite in my soul.  I remembered why I loved taking photographs.  The back-and-forth between model and photographer.  The creative exchange between how someone wants to be seen, and how they are seen.  The collaboration that happens when someone becomes comfortable in front of a camera and the photographer is skilled enough to capture the moments that blossom from that comfort.

I hadn’t felt the thrill of photography in five months, and for a long time before that, but this past weekend’s photoshoot brought everything back.  It’s nice to rediscover a light you thought had been snuffed out.

Here are some unedited images from our shoot, posted with Sarah’s permission.  I’m proud of what I captured, and I’m honored she shared these moments with me.