It's been a fairly manic week! We took advantage of the weather and made a few long island family portraits, and took a trip north of the Catskills, and too there was more writing on the subject of photography. Then, Friday night in Huntington I had the opportunity to meet and photograph the iconic David Lynch, writer and director of such films as Eraserhead, Lost Highway, Mulholland Drive, and producer and writer of television's legendary Twin Peaks.

When planning to photograph someone who has been photographed so many times before, I like to poke around the Internet and see what other photographers have photographed the subject, and how they approached the shot. . .I want to avoid "just another shot like...", while also making a photograph that the client (Cinema Arts) can use for their archives, and leave space for them to drop in their logo.

I had two ideas for the lighting, and settled happily on the scheme that produced this shot. It's contrasty, with a little light on the background (he's standing in front of that light ) to allow him to be visually separated, but all the while nothing overbearing or too bright.

Mr. Lynch was at the Cinema to take questions from the crowd on his career, as shown here at the podium, and to sign is new book on meditation. Lynch's Foundation provides '...funds for in-school Quiet Time programs utilizing the stress-reducing Transcendental Meditation technique. In the past year, the Foundation has provided millions of dollars for thousands of students, teachers, and parents to learn to meditate. The Foundation also provides funds for independent research institutions to assess the effects of the program on creativity, intelligence, brain functioning, academic performance, ADHD and other learning disorders, anxiety, depression, and substance abuse.' As a once-upon-a-time schoolteacher myself, I can tell you the efforts are commendable.

Mr. Lynch was great to pose for the top series of images, as I think we blind-sided him a little with our lighting setup backstage. But, not only did he take it in stride without so much as flinching, he was also super-great as to be the first one in history to ask me, "Chris, are you sure you have all you need? I'm happy to stay here longer." That says an awful lot about the character of the man, I think. Thanks again, David!