DAY 315

PORTRAITS

Inspired

ED KLEIN, AUTHOR

I received a commission to photograph Ed Klein, who is not only a bestselling author but also former editor in chief of The New York Times Magazine. I felt trepidation and inspiration all at once, and I wanted to make a commanding portrait.

Using a V-shaped background similar to Irving Penn’s series of studio portraits, I chose a large softbox strobe light above the camera, instead of daylight from above. This background conveys the subject between two “walls,” almost trapped yet completely relaxed. The final result is, as I had hoped, a strong and yet relaxed portrait of Ed, confined by his background but somehow not trapped at all.

I have been inspired many times by other photographers and then made the final image my own, hopefully leaving my own brand upon it. It’s a wonderful process to see images old and new that inspire you to make new photographs. Sit with a good photography book and immerse yourself in it, soaking up all the visual stimuli and educating yourself as to what is possible if you set your mind to it. —SA