You know what I love? An indomitable force. What I love more? The moment I get to use my camera to share that power with the world.
On this peach of a Baltimore day, I was privileged to photograph Lane Smith, author, activist, tarot reader, and all-around inspiring human.
I feel like one of those categories is impressive enough on its own, but a three-in-one? That’s pretty special.
A glance at their website quickly reveals their multifaceted persona: an advocate for social justice, someone empathic enough to harness the tarot (enough to write a book about it), and an overall activist, someone who’s stood on the front lines of oppression and battled it in its various forms.
When I was given the opportunity to capture all these intriguing aspects of Lane in a single photoshoot, I accepted gleefully.
The streets of Baltimore were our canvas and the city, with all its charm and grit, was more than an obliging collaborator. The sun played hide and seek, bathing the brickwork in a warm, mellow glow one minute and casting contrasting shadows the next, creating an unpredictable light show that echoed the dynamism of our subject.
The anticipation, the pride, the nerves, all scribed upon their dynamic countenance. I love to give my portraiture subjects more than a photoshoot. I want it to be a narrative, a story told through the lens.
We moved to a graffiti-clad wall, a canvas of vibrancy and rebellion that seemed to sing in harmony with Lane’s energy.
As the day drew to a close, I found myself not just with hundreds of photographs but with countless stories, each image a chapter, and I couldn’t wait to deliver to them.
In the end, we didn’t just create a portrait of an author, activist, and tarot reader. We told a story, Lane’s story, and much like their life, it was a compelling blend of vibrancy, determination, and a relentless quest for change. The streets of Baltimore helped us unfold a visual narrative of one of its most passionate storytellers and champions. And me? I was just fortunate enough to be the one to capture it.
