“If you put my image online, I’ll sue you” …

Though said as a joke, the sitter was obviously not happy with the reality of my portrait. I don’t do photoshop. I don’t edit my portraits except for a black & white conversion.

But, if a person is not happy with his/her portrait I will not publish it. That simple. If a person wants me to delete the files, I’ll do so (though I don’t like this, I hate deleting photos).

It is all about trust. I can only try to photograph you, to show the real you, if you trust me.

It was a winterday. Cold but nice. We had snow, ice and great light. Most of all, we had a great couple from Bjelovar getting married. Can a winterday be more nice?

I loved her shirt, knew that it would greatly fit her hair in a black & white image. We did the session within five minutes, all very simple: window light and a reflector, a camera and a tripod. An exposure of six seconds closed the deal.

Take a look at the two faces below: the shape is identical, the beard is a kind of identical, clothing is identical. The guys are not related though, they just work in the same department for the same firm. Meet Vjeko and Tomasz. Both 6 seconds.

Five seconds it took to capture this portrait of Martina. Actually, that is the exposure time. It took me more time to persuade her to have her image taken, but I guess that’s part of a photographers job: preparation is the biggest part of a photo-shoot. 

After two years I had the opportunity to photograph Denis again. His faced changed: he grew a beard. The rest was more or less the same though it is interesting to see the difference between the first and second photo. Because of this, I created a separate gallery: ’double seconds’ where I show the same persons in a different time frame.

Note to self: ask every sitter to come back for a second shoot…

Meet Ivica, Branko and Vinko: the regional sales managers of the firm. In common they have the white shirt with a black jacket, no tie, short haircut. Handsome guys. All three of them.

I love how the light faded one side of their faces, making it almost a double portrait, a photo montage. The effect is even made stronger by the squeezing of their eyes..

She came to the head office to say goodbye as it was her last week within the firm. Everybody was there so it was a nice opportunity to do so, though it must have been tough: her eyes look aqueous (watery) and it looks like her lips are trembling. 

Four second exposure with window light and a reflector.

I did not expect Marinko willing to ‘play’. I know him for quite some years now and I also know that right now he is extremely busy at work, leaving him little time for private life. That said, my portraits don’t take long: within five minutes we’re done.

Window light, reflector and 4 seconds exposure made this portrait.

Though slightly blurred, I do enjoy this portrait. On first sight it looks calm, but it is not. Oliver was not able to NOT move for five seconds. His eyes, yes. His body, not. Interesting.