People are my favorite subjects. There's just something about the face that draws the eye of both the photographer and the camera eye to it. It is the most vividly expressive part of the body, the part of the body through which we communicate our intentions, our feelings, our emotions, our desires, our empathy, our hopes, our interest or lack of interest, and even our dreams. It is to the face that we are most instinctively drawn for any type of visually-oriented nonverbal communication, be it a glance, a proposition made from across the room, or, in this case, a photograph.

Whether presented in soft, muted tones, figuring in bold silhouette, incandescently bright, or shrouded in shadow, a portrait can give a window into the soul and personality of a subject and connect with the observer in a way that no still life or landscape photo ever can.

The photographs featured here represent some of my personal favorites from my collection. The oldest date back to the end of my high school days; the more recent ones include some current and former local poets and open mic artists, and some friends and acquaintances of mine from over the years.