Water Babies

One day while my wife was taking a bath I saw a “photo.” That “eureka” moment lead to the idea of Water Babies, an exploration of creating portraits in a confined space that would limit my poses, my lighting options as well as the distance between my “model” and my camera. First friends and friend of friends became my models, as I explored the various visual possibilities that were open to me. When I began to notice how the reflections in the water could create distortions that either would enhance a person’s expression or give them a surreal quality I tried to take advantage of those moments. Click! I eventually became aware that when my models were submerged in the warm comforting water of the tub a relaxed mood would be created and some inhibitions were easily shed. Click! Click! At other times, being submerged would create the opposite effect, raising fears of pain and discomfort that made it difficult for the model to relax, but on occasion it would still yield worthy images. Click! This series is a sample of that creative effort. The "Water Babies" series consists of 20 images which were photographed with a Hasselblad using b/w film and printed on both 11x14 and 16x20 Fujicolor Crystal Archive Paper.