Unfiltered Portraits in Toronto | The Experience of Being Truly Seen
11:36 PM. October 31, 2010.
That is when these portraits were taken.
Whenever someone agrees to step in front of my camera, I become like a kid in a candy store. There is playing involved, laughter, experimentation, and, without a doubt, a few imperfectly perfect frames. Not every image needs to be technically perfect. In fact, some of my favourites never are.
For me, portrait photography has always felt like a dance between the person in front of my camera and myself.
More Than a Selfie
We live in a time when we can photograph ourselves at any moment, but being photographed by someone else feels different. You don't have to pose the way you would for a selfie, worry about finding your best angle, or know how to perform for the camera. You don't need to be a model or know what to do with yourself in front of the lens.
You simply have to show up.
My job is to find the little nuances—the expressions, movements, gestures, and unexpected moments that make you unmistakably you.
I want to show you how beautiful you are in your own right, rather than create an airbrushed version of you.
The Dance Between Photographer and Subject
I photograph on location often now, but my roots are in film photography, where conversation and connection were always an important part of the process.
I set the stage, guide you into a pose, and then let you loose in it. Every session adapts to the person in front of me; I pay attention to what makes you curious, playful, expressive, or simply yourself, and pull those things forward until you may forget the camera is even there.
Not every image will be right, and nor should it be. It is often through the experimenting, the unexpected reactions, and the moments in between that we arrive at the photographs that feel most alive.
That is the unfiltered magic.
An Unfiltered Portrait Session
This particular session was especially meaningful because the person in front of my camera was a dear friend. Ironically, despite our friendship, I had never asked her to sit for a portrait session before. When I finally did, she was elated—and so was I.
The setup was simple: a black backdrop, hard light, and very little distraction.
We photographed for about an hour and a half, not including hair and makeup, and her curious, unmistakable dancer's spirit was very much ignited. There was plenty of playing and experimentation as we moved through the session, allowing the images to unfold naturally rather than forcing them.
When you are truly present and engaged with the person in front of you, the energy begins to create something of its own. You can feel it in these photographs.
Years later, I look at them and remember that energy just as clearly as I remember the images.
Unfiltered, By Design
I chose to present these photographs in black and white because stripping away colour removes another layer of distraction, allowing you to notice the eyes,
the expression, the movement, and ultimately, the person.
Perhaps that is what I love most about portraiture. It isn't about creating a perfect version of you, but discovering the version that is already there.
In a world where so much of what we photograph is carefully posed, performed, and curated, I want my portraits to offer something different—a chance to slow down and see yourself through my eyes, perhaps in a way you haven't seen yourself before.
If you've ever wondered what it would feel like to step in front of the camera and simply be yourself, I invite you to experience it.
Every person brings something different to a portrait session. Discover more Unfiltered Portrait stories and see what your own experience could look like.
