Photographing Carl Solomon was an exercise in finding the balance between raw authenticity and refined classical influence. With his deep-set eyes and time-honored features, Solomon perfectly embodied the themes of Selah. His modeling during the workshop allowed me to guide him into moments of reflection and vulnerability, harnessing the same emotional depth that Ribera so masterfully depicted in his saints and martyrs. Solomon's portrait, with its chiaroscuro lighting and expressive composition, invokes a sense of timeless meditation, seamlessly blending the Renaissance past with the contemporary present.
As the golden hour casts a gentle glow over the city, I sit, enveloped in the warmth of an incredible announcement: my portrait of the extraordinarily talented Michael James Shaw has been shortlisted as a finalist in the prestigious Hasselblad Masters 2023 competition. Amidst a vast sea of 85,000 submissions, to be selected among the top 10 in the portrait category is an honor that leaves me both humbled and elated.