Private Story
Rizo
Summary
Several years ago, while I was photographing a film festival in Miami I met a beautiful woman, Rizo, a modern-day Chanteuse. I saw her perform in 2012 and only casually photographed the performance, but when I heard she would be returning to Joe’s Pub in May 2022, her first New York performances post pandemic, I contacted her to see if we could arrange a portrait session in New York and also photograph one of the performances at Joe’s Pub. Much to my surprise, it actually worked out and I spent an afternoon in a studio in Brooklyn photographing Rizo.
• How did you get into visual storytelling?
I photograph what inspires me to be a better artist, to create a visual connection to my community, and to record the unique history of an environment.
• What stories are you telling through visual media?
I am drawn to photograph the stories of outsiders and the communities they have created. I have photographed boxers in the ring, schooner bums sailing on Maine bays, LGBTQA activists, and I have spent several years documenting a local American Legion Post. Recently I have begun photographing women artists and I hope to continue with that project.
• Why are these stories important to you personally?
I identify as an outsider and my own search for community has led me to these subjects. Creating a relationship with my subjects, learning about their lives and daily experience has shaped my work and the stories I want to tell. Sharing the stories and preserving memories have added an additional layer to the value of my work.
• Why are these stories valuable for the overall community they represent?
The stories not only document an individuals’ experience and the roles played in their community, but their story can also now be shared and create a dialogue about a new topic. In photographing the American Legion Post over the last several years, I have built up trust with the legion members and been able to create work which not only reflects the experience but lets me share the experience with people who are not familiar with American Legions.
• Where do you feel creative freedom?
For me creative freedom comes from being really prepared for a shoot! If I have a vision I am trying to create and have set up the technical aspects of the shoot and practiced, then I can be comfortable behind the camera and have the space to respond in the moment, instead of being concerned about the lighting or a possible equipment failure.
• How do you create space for reflection?
Photography is a process, and I am continually reviewing my work and what I could do differently. As I have focused on my artwork the last several years, I can see the growth that has occurred, and I understand that it is only with continued studying and creating will my work progress.
• Where do you go for inspiration?
I am inspired by people who have dedicated their lives, professionally, creatively, and personally to a cause or personal goal.
• How do you like to experiment?
I experiment a lot by studying new lighting techniques or products, but I recently stepped out of my comfort zone and booked a studio for a portrait session with the cabaret singer Rizo, during her most recent set of performances at Joe’s Pub in New York. I also shot her backstage and during a performance, but I was especially challenged by booking a studio to shoot portraits. I typically shoot environmental photography on location but wanted to tell a more intimate story by creating portraits that would allow Rizo to focus on the camera and process.
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