Portraits of Friends

Prior to taking these portraits much of my photography work was of landscapes and objects, documenting my travels, etc. Taking photos of people made me nervous. But there was a moment I shared with one of my subjects, whose portrait was taken alongside some of the others submitted in this competition, that changed me as an artist: he said every time you take a photo "you leave a piece of yourself in your work"... and just like that, something clicked. My confidence as a photographer changed and, thanks to him, I now, almost exclusively, shoot portraits.