Sunday, September 09, 2007

jim

jim

A new good friend of mine, Jim. All natural light, in a square in Savannah. The squares are surrounded by buildings that bounce lovely currents of light through the space. Just finding the right spot makes a person glow. I found some quiet shade by a tree that was getting a lot of reflected light and asked Jim to let me take his picture. I had him crouch down by the tree so I could shoot from a slightly higher angle, that tends to flatter most people's faces and also lets you focus on the eyes with a lot of fall-off across the rest of the face. Jim has great eyes so that's exactly where I want the focus to be. Because we were in quiet light, Jim can also be looking up towards the clear, blue sky without being dazzled by the glare. The blue sky acts as a huge catchlight in his eyes, with my silhouette breaking things up. Jim is a successful film producer and director and it was a real privilege for me to be able to pick his brain about how he sees the world and light. He was really generous with his time and ideas. The amazing thing was that all his images also had a cinematic quality of light and composition. Inspiring.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Gordon, you were an inspiration to us all in Savannah! Your creativity will challenge me. I also appreciate all your help and patience with me about lighting and portraits.Keep pushing beyond those boundaries and set no limits.

Dale Fox said...

Gordon, thank you for your energy and inspiration. This is a terrific picture of Jim. It really captures Jim as the fun and approachable person that he is.

You left me such a gift from Savannah, which was seeing you try many different things, and reaping such wonderful results. You helped me to open my mind even more.

I plan to visit here often, so thank you in advance for your teaching.

Dale Fox

Anonymous said...

Gordon,

Wonderful image of Jim. He was one of my favorite subjects this weekend. His face tells a story and encourages one to ask about it. He exudes confidence, knowledge, compassion and understanding. Meeting Jim was a "gift".

As for you, I look forward to our many encounters.