Shelly Mosman

All but one of these portraits was photographed on location in a natural setting. I like to
include dark backdrops for many of my images. One reason for this is to visually bring my subject
forward. At times I blend subjects into the darkness behind them, bringing forward certain
features. The image Young Danish Man, I didn't have my back drop so I used the darkness
from a long path behind him. My subjects are not completely random and I have very little
control over the overall appearance. In fact, I rely on my subjects more then they know.
Working hand-in-hand with circumstance, I find there is a fine line between getting the shot
I’m looking for and not even being sure what that shot is yet. For instance, the image titled
Defender Lover, Charlotte age 4, was showing me how she likes to hold her pet cat she named
Defender Lover. Her mother helped her wrap the pet cat around her neck like a fur stole and
Charlotte then went into her pose, like a lady of the red carpet. Without Charlotte, I wouldn't
have never captured this image or ever thought of it on my own. When I saw her pose I knew
instantly it was the shot I was looking for. Galora is a favorite of mine. This portrait holds many
aspects of what I love most about portraiture and all within a single image. It tells a story, more
importantly a story that’s not specific and is open to interpretation. Galora is a timeless image,
contemporary as well as classic. It’s simple and complex in nature because it leaves one
asking questions and sparks the imagination. Mother and Child was inspired by the obvious
classical images; I simply created a contemporary version. I see it as a perfectly simple image
of mother and child. It’s not trying to be anything it’s not already, and for me that’s refreshing.

I strive to create portraits that are simple in process and are strong enough to contain multi-levels of interpretation.