It’s not unusual for photographers to be inspired by other types of art. As you may have noticed their is a great deal of Renaissance Italian influence in my portraiture. Drawing inspiration from the Old Master painters like Rembrandt, Caravaggio, Titian and Ribera. I have attempted to masterfully recreate the light, atmosphere and tones of classical portrait paintings. This is even more apparent in my latest project entitled Selah.
The Hebrew word selah appears throughout the Book of Psalms. Its precise meaning is mysterious, but it is interpreted as a pause to breathe and reflect. It has been my aim throughout the project to attempt to recreate meditative religious scenes, directing my subjects to capture the highest moment of drama. Selah has found its foundation’s in counter reformation art. I have been lost in the work of Ribera. His depictions of saints and religious figures, draw their inspiration directly from Caravaggio’s tenebrism.
I’m hoping to finish Selah over the summer and bring it to exhibition in 2020. In this latest series, I captured two inspiring actors, Peter Van Norden and Frank Weitzel. In directing both subjects, I asked them to imagine they had taken a long pilgrimage, now reaching the end. Both are depicted as men of faith who are almost pensive, taking the time to pause and reflect.
