Rishwain Boys

Since their oldest son Gabriel was a baby I have been photographing the boys of my good friends Erin and Brian Rishwain. Often I photograph them a month before Christmas, so Erin can use one image for a holiday card. This can present a challenge because I'm always attempting to make a portrait, while Erin wants me to take a fun, smiley, and animated photograph. This year we reached a compromise. For her I pulled out the 5D and shot away until she saw something she liked on the back of the camera. This year, now that the boys are old enough to hold still for at least a minute, I brought the 8x10 Horseman. Working with an 8x10 is never easy, yet making a portrait with it is a real effort. Too shoot people with the 8x10, working the camera must be second nature. At the price of sheet film these days improperly exposed film is a very expensive waste. Yet, when you nail an exposure there is just nothing like it. I'm not sure you can see the quality of this exposure on your screen. If you can't let me assure you it's full of detail. And the tonality is extremely rich. I hope to annually photograph the boys, a la Nick Nixon, using the Horseman. The boys are restless, especially Julian on the left, but after they start to see the results I believe even they will begin to appreciate their annual portrait. I also intend to make Platinum/Palladium contact prints. I'll keep you abreast of my progress. Cheers