In-Depth: Portraits from Home

This project began with a longing to document the people I miss and care deeply about from my hometown of Eau Claire, Wisconsin. Each portrait was taken as I visited with the many friends and family over the course of a week in March. As with all visits, this one was short but sweet. There were many folks I didn’t get to see, and some whom I saw but did not photograph. A handful of the photos I took didn’t pan out.

These photographs are a way for me to remember the details in the personalities of individuals that I cannot always conjure when I reminisce of home, so I chose to use a Hasselblad 500c/m, a medium format film camera, for most of the shots. This camera has a sharp lens that allows for exceptional control of focus, which is perfect for portraits. Other pictures were captured using various SLR and compact 35mm film cameras.

Jon asked for a portrait highlighting his llama hat, so I thought that using the light to mask part of his face would emphasize the white emblem.

Part of the challenge of this project became light. I brought my camera to gatherings at night, and I didn’t carry a tripod because these were social gatherings. This meant faster shutter speeds and large apertures. Post-production allowed me to match skin tones and room environments with how I envisioned them at the time.

This was a difficult subject to capture properly. I knew that Mabis shouldn’t be smiling due to his contemplative nature. He also stands larger than life. I chose to shoot this from a low angle, keeping farther away than other subjects in order to capture his style as well.

These two recently bought a home, so I wanted to get them together in their place. Originally, I had intended to take a photo of them in their living room, but the light at the time made me opt for the porch. I like how the post and railing seem to loom larger than life, splitting the frame, and yet Emily and Josh still seem to be sharing an intimate moment.

Jon and I went on a number of photography excursions together. Jon had been examining this wall, and I noticed that his head was framed perfectly by the white square of material mounted to the door. The peeling and chipped paint matching with Jon’s jacket and hat made this one of the best shots I took.

My dad and mom have always been my heroes. I like this portrait of my dad because it shows how tall he is even though he’s sitting. He holds papers in his hand and is dressed for work: casual yet serious in a way only he can portray.

My mom has a way about her that is calming. She is confident in herself: more than most people. Even though she hates having pictures taken of her, it doesn’t show in this picture.

 

I chose this photograph because both my dad and the dog, Brie, are looking into the sunset with searching and contemplative stares.

 

I thought I’d shoot some black and white film later at night, but the slow shutter speed of this camera caused many of the pictures to blur. I chose to include these because they represent the mood of many of the evenings, with all of their camaraderie and haziness.

 

 

 

 

 

My brother has a contagious smile and a sometimes goofy demeanor. I wanted a close-up since he has so much expression in his face. I added the broom in the second shot just to add a little bit of absurdity, but I think it ended up revealing the constant smile in my brother’s eyes.