Orland Park Signature Color Studies Gallery

Paper Negative Portraits

These portraits were made with an antique 8×10 view camera and a paper negative process.

They are intentionally slow, imperfect, and deeply human.

Each image is a record of a quiet sitting — and a reminder that being seen doesn’t have to be rushed.

A Paper negative portrait made with an 8×10 view camera of an older man in black and white, looking contemplative with hands clasped under chin.

A Paper negative portrait made with an 8×10 view camera of a man with glasses, wearing a wristband, sitting with his arm resting on a surface.

A Paper negative portrait made with an 8×10 view camera of a woman with glasses leans on a wooden lattice. Background is blurred. Black and white image.

A Paper negative portrait made with an 8×10 view camera of a young man with curly hair, gazing to the side against a dark background.

A Paper negative portrait made with an 8×10 view camera of a person in black attire holds a saxophone, leaning against a wooden structure with a calm expression, surrounded by trees.

A Paper negative portrait made with an 8×10 view camera of a man with glasses and a short beard, looking contemplative against a dark background.

A Paper negative portrait made with an 8×10 view camera of a person wearing a white fedora and glasses, resting their chin on their hand.

A Paper negative portrait made with an 8×10 view camera of a man wearing glasses, seated with hands under chin, looking to the side.

A Paper negative portrait made with an 8×10 view camera of a person sitting outdoors, wearing a black top and white shorts, holding a phone, with greenery in the background.

A Paper negative portrait made with an 8×10 view camera of a black and white portrait of a man seated, wearing a denim jacket, looking at the camera against a gradient backdrop.

A Paper negative portrait made with an 8×10 view camera of a woman in traditional embroidered blouse, arms on hips, and looking confidently at the camera against a dark background.

A Paper negative portrait made with an 8×10 view camera of a black-and-white portrait of a man in a patterned shirt looking to the side against a dark background.

A Paper negative portrait made with an 8×10 view camera of a person with glasses and a bald head wearing a necklace and a dark shirt. Background is softly blurred.

A Paper negative portrait made with an 8×10 view camera of an ederly woman sitting outdoors on a bench, wearing a vest and sweater, with trees in the background.

A Paper negative portrait made with an 8×10 view camera of a young man wearing a dark shirt, looking at the camera with a neutral expression.

A Paper negative portrait made with an 8×10 view camera of a woman with long hair, resting her chin on her hand, smiling gently.

A Paper negative portrait made with an 8×10 view camera of a man with glasses and a beard resting his chin on his hand in a black and white portrait.

This project is my way of returning to the roots of portraiture: a quiet sitting, made slowly, with intention. The 8×10 camera and paper negative process remove speed and certainty, and in their place they create space, for patience, for stillness, and for something more human than a practiced smile. I’m less interested in polish than I am in presence. These portraits are not meant to impress. They’re meant to hold a moment, and to honor the fact that time is moving.

Interested in the guided portrait experience we offer for families?

Explore Family Portraits

Proudly serving the southwest suburbs and the greater Chicago area for over thirty years. Including the communities of Orland Park, Homer Glen, Tinley Park, Lemont, LaGrange, Palos Park, and Burr Ridge.