I first photographed Shannon about a year ago at a workshop. It was a solid experience, and I learned a lot. But like most workshops, you’re working inside someone else’s setup. Someone else’s lighting. Someone else’s style.

This time was different.

Same subject, but everything else was mine. The light, the pacing, the decisions – good or bad. No safety net, no template to fall back on.

It’s a different kind of pressure when it’s all on you. But it’s also where the work actually starts to become your own.