First Portrait

A birthday trip to the North Carolina coast turned into something unexpected. With a Nikon D300 and a stretch of beach and a Civil War era fort to work with, this became my first proper portrait session.

Derrick, a model I connected with through Model Mayhem, brought an ease and presence that made every location feel alive. The open light of Atlantic Beach gave way to the geometry and shadow of Fort Macon's brick architecture, and he moved through both like he belonged there.

Derrick has since become a celebrated artist in his own right. These images feel like a small, early chapter in a story that neither of us could have predicted.