When it comes to photography, I mean working as a full time photographer, you have to stay sharp. Most photographers create personal projects in which to sharpen their skills, and continue to get better at practicing their craft. I've started numerous personal projects, that are on-going, but I started a new one these past couple of months. I thought something that is "personal" with me is my faith, so I contacted many of the people who have influenced me and my faith over my lifetime. Of course, I received many rejections to photograph them, but I did get quite of few that were willing to allow me to create a portrait of them. I'm calling it "Men of Influence". After about two months of phone calls and emails, I was given the awesome opportunity to photograph Eric Metaxas, a New York Times best selling author, speaker, and radio show host. You can learn more about him here (www.ericmetaxas.com). Eric is from New York, so coordinating the logistics was quite a feat. Fortunately for me, Eric was speaking in Houston (The Woodlands) at a fundraiser, the PACN 2018 Spring Gala (Pregnancy Assistance Center North). I was only going to have 15 minutes with him, so I had planned about 3-4 different setups. When I arrived, the event planner, Mindy Reynolds, promised to get me a space to take Eric's portrait. She delivered for sure. I was given a large conference room. I couldn't have asked for a better setup. After giving it some thought, I finally decided on two setups. One for a more dramatic look, and one for a more commercial, but different look. Eric arrived, and was so down-to-earth. His sense of humor is by far, the wittiest, I have ever been around. He was game for anything I asked, so when I broke out the big-nose, hairy eyebrow glasses, he took and ran with it (see one of the images). One of the reasons I wanted to photograph Eric was his authentic, matter-of-fact faith. He pulls no punches, and doesn't criticize your beliefs. He just speaks truth and isn't apologetic about it. One story that solidified him in my ring of influence was when he was speaking about his book, "If You Can Keep It". He tells the story of the creation of the United States Constitution and the Bill of Rights. When a local madame asked Ben Franklin what they decided on (what type of government), Mr. Franklin responded with "A Republic, if you can keep it". The meaning goes really deep into how our country came to be; the two principles of how it is structured. And that, along with Eric's unwavering faith, helped me choose him as one of my "Men of Influcence". If you get the chance, visit his website (www.ericmetaxas.com), and make sure to listen to his "I am Second" testimony. It's fascinating. Well, back to the story, the fifteen minutes flew by, but I got some great images that reflect his character and personality. After wrapping up, the husband of the host of the gala event invited me to eat dinner and listen to Eric speak. I can't say I wasn't blessed that night. Safe travels, a great room to setup in, and the hospitality of all involved truly blew me away. If this is how the beginning of my "Men of Influence" project will turn out, I can't wait for my next subject. Thanks again to all that helped coordinate this: Janille, Mindy, and of course, Eric. I'm grateful for this "Divine Appointment".
