08/21/2026
Sharing some images from the Portraits with Presence workshop with Jonny Edward in Jersey City a few weekends ago (in Lindsay Adler beautiful studio). The idea behind Portraits with Presence hit me so hard because it’s so much like how I approach my photography: it should be focused on human connection, stripping away “masks”, a collaboration with your subjects. It’s a conversation I have been having so frequently lately, and well, that’s a whole additional tangent I could go on.
There are plenty of folks in the education game, plenty selling the idea of this next big thing or system you need to succeed. There are some folks, though, that they are undoubtedly worth learning from: Jonny (and Lindsay) are definitely two of them. I met Jonny randomly through Facebook before attending WPPI for the first time, and quickly saw we were very values aligned and he also keeps that at the forefront of his work.
Some of these visuals, I think, are so in line with how I see the world. I often think of “reading the room” to know when to step into the action, or step back and observe and anticipate to show the larger picture. When I’m second photographer for someone, I try to think a step ahead so I’m not simply taking a repeat photo, I’m thinking of small changes I can make to create a new visual where we are already at.
Image 1: I loved this lens cap back the model had with some lip gloss and I asked her to put on the lip gloss and showcase the bag, while acting as if I wasn’t sh*t.
Image 2: Jonny was talking through some of his process with other attendees and Ioved the angle of including others in the image. But I also noticed that he is incredibly animated as he talks, and just, clicked at some of the right moments.
Image 3: There was beautiful light coming in from the windowpanes, I asked the model how he felt about maybe using the step ladder for some dynamic poses as if he were reaching for that light.
Image 4: Again stepping back and observing, using others as a frame.
Image 5: Just let her go and keep hyping her up!
Michal Elizabeth ghost.fac3__
