PERSONAL WORK
The Work I Create When No One Is
Hiring Me.
Some portraits are commissioned.
Others are created simply because an idea refuses to leave me alone.
These personal pieces have challenged me, frustrated me, taught me, and ultimately shaped the way I see people. Every experiment, every failure, and every breakthrough finds its way into the portraits I create for my clients.
01
Marsha's Fiddle
ONE POSSESSION. ONE STORY.
I created The ONE Project to explore the objects people treasure most and the stories attached to them.
Then I met Marsha.
She asked to be photographed with the violin that belonged to her daughter, who had died in a house fire. What began as a project about meaningful possessions suddenly became something much deeper.
It remains one of the most emotional portraits I've ever had the privilege to create—and a reminder that the most powerful photographs are rarely about the objects themselves. They're about the people they help us remember.
02
Pieces of Me
FORTY PORTRAITS. FORTY CHALLENGES.
This portrait was created as part of my 40@Forty project, where I challenged myself to create forty completely different self-portraits before my 40th birthday.
I've always admired the work of the Cubist painters and assumed creating a portrait inspired by their style would be relatively straightforward. I couldn't have been more wrong. It became one of the most technically and creatively demanding images I've ever made.
The portrait was later selected for PPA's Loan Collection, recognizing it among the year's top competition images. More importantly, it reminded me that the ideas that look simplest on paper often require the greatest perseverance to bring to life.
03
Brotherhood
BREAKING THE RULES ON PURPOSE.
Earning my Master of Photography degree required years of studying the principles of lighting, composition, and portrait design. Once I reached that milestone, I found myself asking a different question:
What happens if I intentionally break the rules?
This portrait became an experiment in doing exactly that. The eyes disappear into shadow. One face is turned away from the camera. The composition ignores many of the conventions I had spent years learning.
And yet, the emotion remains. Sometimes the strongest images aren't created by following every rule—but by knowing which ones can be broken in service of the story.
04
Heritage
IDENTITY. HERITAGE. CONNECTION.
Clothing is often little more than fashion—a way to express our personal style. But in many cultures, what we wear tells a much deeper story.
This portrait is part of a series exploring traditional cultural dress as an expression of identity, family, and heritage. In these images, the clothing isn't simply worn—it becomes part of the portrait itself, carrying generations of history, pride, and tradition.
The freedom to fail without consequences is one of the greatest gifts an artist can give themselves.
— LARRY LOURCEY