July was Gulf month for me.  I spent most of its 31 days in Louisiana for several different clients.  Four different oil spill stories from four different angles.  Two of those clients have published the work, two more will publish in September.  The opportunity to spend such a lengthy amount of time in the region is something that I’m professionally grateful for and the resulting body of work is something that I’m extremely proud of.  The LUCEO site will feature a complete edit from the spill once all of the stories have run.  Until then, I’ll unveil it in increments.  

First up is a handful of portraits that I shot for AARP Bulletin.  Unlike the last couple of assignments that I’ve done for Bulletin’s Michael Witchita, this gig involved a lot less exploring and a lot more in the way of logistics.  Coordinating schedules, streamlining an aesthetic, and driving.  Lots of driving.  

The portraits cover a swath of professions impacted by the spill –fisherman, fishmonger, activist, restaurant owner, and bird rehabilitator.  The idea behind the portraits was relatively simple and involved creating a chiaroscuro-type contrast between the subject and the dark.  Something that would echo the very serious subject matter and would keep the people being featured from becoming props for a larger composition.  The portraits that I am happiest with were shot through various glass items that I brought along with me.  Those are the pictures that I selected for this post.  The text and additional portraits are available on the Bulletin’s website, here.

July was Gulf month for me.  I spent most of its 31 days in Louisiana for several different clients.  Four different oil spill stories from four different angles.  Two of those clients have published the work, two more will publish in September.  The opportunity to spend such a lengthy amount of time in the ...