The Velvet Crop: A Jazz-Inspired Journey in Portrait Photography

In the hushed winter of January 2021, a mere decrescendo away from my London life, I stepped into the sunlit tapestry of another Covid Lockdown in Portugal and somehow found myself in the midst of a creative renaissance, slowly leaning towards fine art photography.

After half a decade capturing moments with my Nikon F-801 on the streets of London, here I was, fresh off the plane, in Lisbon.

Swapping film rolls for memory cards and developing chemicals for Lightroom.

I felt like Duke Ellington picking up a saxophone—explorative, raw, and profoundly exciting but unsure of the result. Ain’t that Jazz, though?

Inspired by Jazz: A Symphony in Portraits

"The Velvet Crop," a photo series, emerged from this transformative period. At its surface, a lady in a red velvet dress on a bed—a setup that could easily lead to standard boudoir photography.

Yet, I wanted Jazz and I wanted it smooth. I was eyeing something more poetic, real, and explorative.

As I crafted "The Velvet Crop," the track "Wandering" by pianist Oscar Peterson played in the back of my mind. Like the music, this portrait photography series invites you into an enchanting and innocent little world with a happy-go-lucky feel.

It was an attempt to bridge the sound and the aesthetic eloquence of classic photography with my own penchant for storytelling and intricate compositions.

The Intimate Stage and Colour Palette

The room where we conducted the shoot was a small, intimate space, bathed in the glow of a single, intensely warm continuous light. Both, in temperature and in colour .

The heat was palpable, but lent a warm quality to the photographs, again, echoing the summery feel of that pretty melody by Peterson.

Add to that the heat of my own uncertainties about using new techniques, and it felt even warmer.

Aesthetically, I found inspiration in the chromatic richness of the film "Amelie," where the colour green often serves as a contrast to red.

The rhapsody of the crimson velvet against the backdrop of the room's rich green walls created a poetic interplay of colour and emotion.

The Dance of Natural Movement

What drove the pulse of this collection was the natural, unscripted movement. Both subject and photographer were in a collaborative dance, crafting a visual melody that was both impactful and delicately evocative.

The Resonance of Art and Life

Intriguingly, Luisa, the lady who brought life to these photographs would later become a significant presence in my own life. The series now serves as a visual chronicle of our initial meeting, capturing the moment our lives intersected, subtly shaping our shared path ahead. It's compelling how life and art intertwine, each influencing and carving the other.

Looking back, "The Velvet Crop" feels like a testament to new beginnings. It meant leaving a lot behind but It was a time of exploration and change, a time of stepping out of my comfort zone and trying new things. It was a time of meeting new people and forming new relationships. It was a time of growth and evolution, both as a photographer and as an individual.

As the first post on my blog, this is about sharing a slice of my life and my creative journey in portrait photography. A journey deeply influenced by the emotional landscape of music. The melodies and rhythms that inspire me ultimately shape the mood and tone of the images I create. I hope these images resonate, inspire, or perhaps even challenge you, just as they have for me.

End of the day, not knowing where you’re going is fine as long as you have a good soundtrack. In Art and in Life.

Thanks a lot for reading,

Dazz

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