DAY 55

PORTRAITS

Use of Color

HUNT SLONEM, PAINTER

Hunt Slonem’s paintings are so often full of color that you feel that they are jumping out at you, right off the canvas. This commissioned portrait was the result of another successful collaboration with my subject, and my way of incorporating his artwork in the shot with his pet parakeet as well.

When Hunt paints, he lets one of his parakeets sit on his shoulder, and you get the sense that they are helping him choose the palette of colors he applies to the canvas. Hunt chose the green jacket after I pointed out that it would great to see him emerging from his painted jungle, complete with monkeys and birds. I asked if he could also be holding one of his birds, and when he obliged and ventured out of the colorful artwork, the shot was complete. —SA