Lindsey and I went to high school together. We graduated at the same time, both winning the prestigious Knight of the Round Table award (our mascot was the Knight). I almost asked her to prom but then I didn't (yeah, I wussed out).
Four years later, we've both graduated college and she is nearing the end of a campaign to raise money for cancer. So far she's raised $1,250.00 and she's got 14 days left before she shaves her head to finish it off and reward people for their donations. Oh, and to raise awareness. Yeah.
Lindsey has gorgeous hair, so I proposed to break in my new studio and have her sit for my first real portrait session. She (miraculously) agreed, and we spent 1.5 hours today in the studio taking pictures and catching up.
The concept of the shoot was based around this image:
...and then we moved on. I acquired half a dozen new hats this morning for use as props, so I had Lindsey give them a try.
Then, of course, a final image to show off her hair before it gets chopped off and she spends the next 18 months growing it back out...
I'm on a one-light kick these days, shooting all my portraits at 50mm around F/4 with just my Einstein640 and a 5' softbox. Simple and very much back to basics for me. It feels great to photograph people instead of cars for a change.
Overall, I'm pleased with them and I look forward to the followup shoot when she's BALD. Like, really bald. Like I'm-gonna-have-to-work-reflection-control-off-her-shiny-dome bald.
I've offered to host the head-shaving session at the studio. 1) so she has a fun place to do it and 2) so I can use real lights to photograph the process.
Please support her cause by clicking the link below. Any donation is welcome. St. Baldrick's is very transparant about the way the money is used - you can see for yourself at their financial page.
Lindsey is currently working on entering an MD/PhD program where she will study clinical genetics, which plays a large role in cancer research.
She's going to donate the bulk of her hair to Locks of Love, and the cancer research funding part is done with the St. Baldricks Foundation.
Stay tuned for multiple followup posts!
1) color photographs from this session
2) the shaving process
3) the final BALD portrait
