Lifestyle | Fine Art Portraits for a Kansas City Folk Singer

Last October I attended Artist Inc, a six week long artist seminar, alongside a select group of area artists. One of those artists was Americana singer/songwriter Kelly Hunt. During our initial introduction presentations I was very drawn to Kelly’s haunting voice and timeless style. Her music sounded like the images I hoped to capture; rural towns, dark highways, empty rooms, specks of dust floating in sunlight. When she approached me a few weeks ago about updating her branding images I jumped at the chance. I take on a very select number of solo portrait jobs each year, but due to our similar aesthetics I knew we’d be a great fit.

We settled on the quaint town of Weston, MO for the shoot. Kelly had spoken to me about wanting to find a particular type of light; the cool light of an interior meeting the warm light of golden hour. This type of light is hard to replicate if not happened upon, so shooting at sunset was absolutely necessary if we were going to have any luck at all. I had no idea if finding the perfect spot was going to happen, but I was definitely willing to try. I’d attempted to get in touch with a local pub to no avail, and considered the dilapidated interior of a grain silo turned salvage yard. Kelly ended up leading me to the old rail-station, now city hall, and once we entered I knew this was the place. We shot in a blinding sun spot centered on the waiting room’s checked floor. The light illuminated the portraits beautifully. Then we walked into the tiny bathroom just off the sun flooded interior, and there it was. The warm light of the setting sun, diffused just enough by the windows met the cool shadows of the small interior. It was magic.

Listen to Kelly’s amazing music at kellyhuntmusic.com