George Streng

I enjoy taking portraits of people that reveal their inner selves and emotional depth. Too many portraits are taken (especially commercially) that show just the facade of an individual without their personality. I want my portratits to reflect humanity.

Working with subjects is half the fun of my photography. When I first start taking a portrait of someone they are often guarded and closed but by developing a connection with them and a level of trust they become more open and allow a truer version of themselves to be revealed. Many people whom I photograph do not see themselves as attractive and are surprised when they see how much beauty they do possess.

Recently I have been using simple muslin backgrounds and natural lighting in a portable studio. I have been using a Nikon D1X digital camera which has been a pleasure to use. When first using the digital format I became intrigued with the possibilities of altering the photograph but now prefer making "straight" versions. The primary advantage of digital to me is the freedom it allows in taking many photographs and this has provided the opportunity for developing a looser style.

I am impressed with the quality of the work on this site and look forward to meeting the many fine contributing photographers.