Honesty: A Portrait Beyond Posing & Lighting
When I met Honesty at our New York Posing Workshop, I knew right away I needed to talk with him. There was something about his presence that drew me in.
At the first break, we spoke for a minute, and I could tell he carried stories that went deeper than what most people ever shared. During the next break, while everyone was still in the studio, I asked if I could take a quick portrait of him. Without hesitation, he said yes.
This wasn’t about posing or lighting. It was about connection. I wanted to capture something that showed who he really was.
I asked him what his best side was. He said, “The side with my scar. It tells a story.” In that moment, we both understood this wasn’t going to be a smiling portrait.
I took a total of 3 frames. The last one, I decided to get him to smile by saying something funny, and I was able to capture this truly magical moment of him smiling. It reminded me that even with scars, there’s still light, still joy, still something beautiful to share with the world.
For me, photography has never been about perfection. It’s about truth. It’s about seeing the soul in front of you and honoring it. That’s what I saw in Honesty.