Phyliss

texted me after our portrait session “David #3 (I’m the 3rd David in her life) thank you for my photo shoot now I’m ready for everything!”

She’s 80 something and from the little I know about her, half of her life is more interesting than some peoples full lives. She worked with Martin Scorsese, their collaboration started on the film “Woodstock” and since rubbed elbows with Jimi Hendrix, The Band and was in one of Frank Zappa’s films.

Please excuse my perspective but I hold creative achievement next to Godliness. To be part of a movement or expression is to transcend your time on this planet. I hold artists in the highest esteem, next to Scientist and Inventors and several rungs above Politicians. So when I say that Phyllis worked and hung with my heroes, it’s like saying she knew……Think of who inspires you.

I had to postpone my first shoot with Phyllis and of course, was worried about being a flake. “Don’t worry David, what else do I have on my Calendar?” She was curious about the purpose this project and the “why”. I gave my reasons and something shifted, her suspicion gave way to openness and then something came alive when we started shooting, a door opened to something thing else, a place of being seen, to matter, to remember, to be the object of someone's focus. That's just me, but a relationship shifts in these sessions, deepens because we both find and create something new.

When I shared my favorites with her she chose the ones that made her look “75 not 80’s, after 80, three weeks changes everything”

Phyllis is Brooklyn, says it like it is and I haven't known her long enough to dig deep but long enough to take her picture. She's a #portraitofafriend in the making, we just got started.