Bill Leyden's Photog Blog

I love to make images of people who say, “I hate my picture taken. The results never look like me!” Maybe because I am one of those people. So I have tried to approach portrait-making from a slightly different angle these days. There is not a week that goes by that I do not think of my late photographic mentor, Monte Zucker. His timeless lighting and posing techniques are the holy grail of his students.

I have tried to take that appreciation for the light and look for the light emanating from people in love – to approach the portal of sentiment that made partners partners. This is a manifesto of the “Beloved” movement.

So I was grateful when Murry and Emma agreed to sit with me to explore their relationship. Murray was pumped; Emma was apprehensive. “I hate my picture taken,” she said on cue. (Usually it is the man who would rather be doing something else than making images).

Undaunted, I proceeded to invite them to explore the timeless nature of their love. I am glad we did. But I must admit that I got so wrapped up in the story, that I forgot that I had a camera with me, and more importantly that I was supposed to be using it!

Murray and Emma

After telling Murray where he and Emma could review the images, I arrived home to find this email:

“Bill, I don’t know what to say. All the words I can think of seem trite. They are beautiful. I think that 4,11,14,15 are particularly effective. The fragment of Emma’s full smile and twinkling eye in 14 are heart-stopping. In 15 you have captured the image that has lived in my heart for the last thirty years and more.

By the way, “Beloved” is something we often call each other, even if somewhat tongue-in-cheek when we are exasperated.”

"My 30+ Year Dream"

I love it!

My heart-felt thanks to Jesh De Rox and members of the Beloved Collective for sharing the pathways to the Portal.