Your Best Portraits

This photo is part of a larger editorial set styled in the theme of a vintage circus. We wanted to explore the lonely, empty feeling that comes after a performance or completion of a long-term project. All the costumes were designed and made just for the shoot and took months of sewing, hand beading, and dying feathers. My set stylist Charles- pictured with the Victrola, set up a few vintage tents on his farm and dragged out an entire room of decor to fill them up and give us the feel of really setting up a camp for the week. The day of our shoot was dry and hot, but storm clouds rolled in about half way through. We shot through pouring rain for one look, but for this one shot we got some really interesting light peaking through clouds off camera left. I had started with a strobe, but at some point decided to just work with the crazy weather; there was something pretty magical about it. Post processing was pretty minimal, some color toning to bring down the greens and lighten blacks. We were lucky that the dachshund had run through the frame at just the right moment.