By Scott Shephard

One of the few resolutions I have made for 2019 is to sift through the vast collection of digital photos that I’ve amassed over the years. Since 2002, when I got my first high-end digital camera (a Canon 1D weighing in at 4.4 megapixels and $5500), I have gathered almost 300,000 images. I have thrown few away.

In the process of trying to select my best black and white images, I came across this image of Melissa taken back when I was doing senior portraiture 17 years ago. This was one of Melissa’s final selections for prints, though she ordered it in color. This morning I turned it into monochrome just to see what it looks like. So now I have 300,001 images in my collection. :-( Such is the nature of my attempt to reduce and pare down. . . .

Melissa may not know this but she is the person who probably had the greatest impact on my decision to try portraiture. Long before decided to try commercial portraiture, Melissa and other members of the Video Club were willing subjects would go out with me to do portraiture for fun. No pressure.

Melissa was the best of subjects. She was comfortable in her own skin, had a thousand different looks, and made the whole act of taking portraits, which can be challenging for a shy guy like me, fun. I don’t know where you are today Melissa, but thanks. (And I hope you don’t mind that I’ve posted this.)

Canon 1D 1/400s f/4.0 ISO320 70mm (35mm eq:91mm)