The Making
How much thinking sits behind a single frame — a documentary of process.
Case Studies / Portrait / 2026
Studio Light
One window, one sitter, no noise — a portrait series about what restraint reveals.
Overview
Studio Light began as a reaction to overproduced portraiture. Twelve sitters — actors, makers, neighbours — photographed in the same chair, by the same north-facing window, over three weekends.
With nothing to hide behind, personality does the work. Sessions ran long and unhurried; most sitters forgot the camera within the first ten minutes, which is exactly when the series starts.
Approach
Available light only, shot on a 50mm lens at its widest honest aperture. Retouching stopped at tone and dust — skin, lines and all, exactly as the window found them. The consistency of setup lets the differences between people carry the series.
- 12 sitters, 1 chair, 1 window
- 3 weekends of unhurried sessions
- Exhibited as a 12-frame gallery wall
From the series
The Sitting print comes from this series.
Related work