Rotarians (after Hill and Adamson)

I’ve been continuing to make portraits of the members of my local Rotary Club, Rotarians (after Hill and Adamson). I have been doing this work alongside my 45 seconds…  project, using the 4×5 camera. The poses are based on those used by Hill and Adamson in their Calotype photographs made  in the mid 1800s.

When looking at ‘good’ portraits I often find it difficult to pin down what it is that makes them stand out. I have now made eleven portraits of my Rotary colleagues. I make six image for each subject so that makes around 70 images. Of these only one really stands out. This is a recent portrait of my colleague Chorus, who originates from Zimbabwe.

Quietness, peace, ease and confidence are adjectives which I and others have used when commenting on this portrait. Chorus was pleased to have his portrait made, he was relaxed and took the sitting seriously. From my point of view everything went very smoothly…not too much fiddling around with the camera and more time looking at my subject.

I have been encouraged to think about entering work for this year’s Taylor Wessing Portrait Award competition. I am seriously thinking that this portrait might be one I should enter. I plan to make a post soon setting out my thoughts on this year’s Taylor Wessing Exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery. I have been twice and intend to go again before making my post.