I'm grateful to find myself featured in a new article by Samy's Camera — "The Photographer Who Shoots Legends: How One History Student Became the Go-To Portrait Artist for Stars, Soldiers, and World Leaders."

The piece traces an unlikely path: from lecture halls steeped in historical inquiry to studio sessions with some of the most recognizable faces of our time. Game of Thrones actors, Marvel stars, British royalty, military commanders — each sitting has been a study in character, a moment suspended between who they are and how the world sees them.

What began as an education in history quietly evolved into a career interpreting it through portraiture. The classical masters — Holbein's psychological precision, Caravaggio's command of shadow and light — continue to inform my work, forming an invisible architecture beneath each image.

The article also highlights my upcoming Portrait & Headshot Masterclass at Samy's Camera Los Angeles, scheduled for Saturday, November 15, 2025 (11 AM – 4 PM PST).
Over the course of five hours, I'll share the lighting philosophy, directorial techniques, and compositional principles that define my studio practice — from cinematic approaches and Westcott lighting configurations to methods for revealing the authentic presence that lives just beneath the surface.

This isn't a lecture on theory. It's a workshop built on two decades of sitting across from actors, executives, soldiers, and leaders — learning what makes a portrait work, what makes it fail, and how to navigate the space between technique and intuition. Whether you're photographing for casting, editorial, or personal legacy, the goal remains the same: to create images that feel both timeless and immediate, sculptural yet alive.

What You'll Learn:

• Classical Lighting Techniques — How to sculpt faces with light inspired by Renaissance and Baroque masters, adapted for modern portraiture

• Direction & Connection — Guiding subjects to authentic expression, building trust in the studio, and capturing the moment between poses

• Westcott Lighting Setups — Practical demonstrations of the exact configurations I use for headshots, environmental portraits, and editorial work

• Compositional Strategy — Framing, negative space, and visual storytelling that elevates a portrait beyond documentation

Over the years, I've been fortunate to photograph extraordinary individuals: Sir Patrick Stewart, Sir Ian McKellen, William Shatner, Gwendoline Christie, Maye Musk, Tony Blair, and military leaders whose names belong to history. Each session has taught me something — about light, about patience, about the quiet negotiations that happen in the seconds before the shutter clicks.

What I've learned is this: portraiture is not about capturing perfection. It's about capturing truth. The slight furrow between the brows, the asymmetry of a smile, the way someone holds themselves when they think no one is watching — these are the details that transform a photograph into a portrait.

The masterclass at Samy's Camera is an opportunity to share those lessons in a hands-on, intimate setting. Spots are limited, and the workshop is designed for photographers at any level — whether you're refining an established practice or taking your first serious steps into portrait work.

You can read the full feature on Samy's Camera's website here:
👉 The Photographer Who Shoots Legends

And if you're ready to dive deeper into the craft of portraiture, I'd be honored to have you join me in Los Angeles:

🎟️ Register for the Los Angeles Masterclass – November 15

Workshop seats are filling quickly. I look forward to sharing the studio with you.