In portrait photography, I’m less interested in performance and more interested in presence.
Presence is not something that can be forced. It doesn’t come from posing harder, emoting more, or trying to “look interesting.” In my experience, it appears when the environment is calm enough for the subject to settle into themselves.
Most of my work happens outdoors, using natural light and a minimal setup. This isn’t a technical decision as much as a practical one: fewer moving parts leave more room for attention. When the process is simple, it becomes easier to notice small shifts—posture, gaze, breathing—that carry more emotional weight than any dramatic gesture.
I tend to work slowly and deliberately. A portrait session doesn’t need to be intense to be meaningful. Often, the most resonant images come from moments in between direction—when the subject pauses, resets, or simply exists in front of the camera without trying to produce anything.
This approach won’t suit every project or every person, and that’s fine. But for the kind of work I’m interested in, presence is the foundation. Everything else—composition, light, timing—exists to support that quiet center.