This is a photo I took of my father some time ago in the kitchen of my parents house. I have always wanted to capture an image of my father showing the strength and fragility of a man that has lived quite a life.
My father was in the military, serving in both the Air Force and the Army as a helicopter mechanic and as a pilot. He served five tours in the Vietnam War, flying Huey helicopters dropping and picking up troops...a pretty dangerous endeavor. This image was taken at about 7:00 in the morning sitting at the kitchen table, as he often did smoking his ever present Pall Malls, shirtless and cross-legged drinking a can of Hamm's.
I took paper from a black sweep, crumpled it up and then taped it to the kitchen cupboards letting in some ambient light with a little off camera fill flash. I decided to use Kodak Tri-X to get some grain peaking through the skin tones and some contrast in the lines of his face. The result is a portrait with the subject staring you down, an almost Popeye look with nothing to hide. What you see is what you get, the essence of my father.
