portraiture

While Mel Talley does have a studio, his portraiture work is normally done on location. The simple reason is that his studio is not part of the subject’s life. Mel does not follow any formula when shooting portraiture and resists any temptation to follow current trends and styles that can “date” an image. The individual’s personality and desire to go beyond a simple image coupled with Mel’s creativity are the ingredients for a truly unique creation; a creation that often reflects a dialogue or negotiation between the Mel’s vision and the self-fashioning of his subjects. Whether they are having a portrait taken to promote their work, affirm their self-image, project their desires, fulfill their dreams or create a new identity, they were not inanimate objects, like blocks of marble to be shaped and coerced, but were instead active participants in the creative act.