Why take a picture which last several seconds if you can do the same in one ‘click’? Why bother a sitter to sit still, not move at all, for seconds so I can take a photo?

Inspired by photos from ‘the beginning’ (which are much more serious, more posed than they are now for a simple reason: in the beginning iso values were low, very low, and therefore long exposures were needed) I started to experiment.

I learned that with an exposure of several seconds light wraps beautiful around my subject. I learned that the portraits gained in intensity. I also learned that not every camera is suitable. Sadly, film was not an option so I opted for a medium digital camera to get as much resolution possible.

Though I shoot digital, post processing is kept to a minimum. No photoshop is used, no cropping is done. Images are being converted to tiff and then to black & white.

With this process I am able to capture a person as I think they are. No mask, just reality.

Seconds: a black & white portrait series.