Shannon the Photo Gal: Portrait of The King of the Rodeo

William "Bill" Pickett (b.1870-d.1932) was a black man and rodeo star credited with being the first person to engage in bull dogging. Pickett was also the first African-American rodeo athlete to be inducted into the Rodeo Hall of Fame. The Bill Pickett Rodeo, begun in 1984, was started as a way to honor the black rodeo athletes currently competing in the field. I recently attended the 2015 Bill Pickett Rodeo as it made its stop in Maryland and that's when I met a cowboy with a sunflower in his hand and a slow smile that crept across his face like the sun rising in the morning - ok, maybe I spent way too much time with the broncos, but what a day!

Moments in Fatherhood: The New Arrival

With the worry and the terror involved in bringing your new baby home, as well as the lack of sleep, it's no wonder that those moments of quiet connection between parent and child are to be savored. This is one of my favorites:

Top 5: Five Things You Don't Know About Actor Meredith Richard

Actors spend so much time learning the interior lives of the characters they play that it's only natural that we're all a little curious about the actors playing these parts. So here are The Top 5 Things about Washington, DC-based actor Meredith Richard that you didn't know, and if you'd like to see her onstage, check out the NextStop Theatre Company production of "The Secret Garden" in Spring 2015!

Meredith's Top 5 Things:

1. I got my B.A. at LAMDA in London and I lived there for four years.
2. BBQ ribs are my favorite food - both to cook and to eat!
3. My favorite color is green.
4. I enjoy writing poems, especially comedic/story type poems, but I rarely read them aloud.
5. My favorite animals are house cats and bats.

And to see my Top 5 portraits of Meredith, click here to visit my Shannon Finney Photography Facebook page!

Through the Lens: The Perfection of Simplicity

As cameras get more complex and expensive and studios begin to resemble operating rooms with intense lighting systems and every other gadget you can imagine, it's easy to forget that as a portrait photographer, it's really about the simple relationship between photographer and subject. I like this stripped down way of shooting - photography's equivalent of playing acoustic. I'm a huge fan of the Holga, mostly because of its imperfection. The portraits below were taken at the end of a portrait shoot with my Holga lens, one light, and one reflector. There is a quiet intensity to the images. Thanks to my model, Meredith, for being such a great subject:)

The Scene: The Cheerleader

One of the great things about any music scene - Portland, Seattle, NYC, Chicago, LA - is the people you meet. On a cold winter's night in Arlington, VA as I went looking to hear something new, I met Ken Roseman, a freelance reporter who's covered live music for decades. He was a frenetic ball of energy and generous with his time, even while he was on assignment. I photographed him that night and this is one is of my favorite portraits.

Portrait of An Artist: Actor Frank Britton, Strength in Black and White

When actor Frank Britton was brutally attacked and robbed Memorial Day, the #DCtheatre community came together in a wave of financial and emotional support. Frank continues to prove, through his miraculous recovery, that love will always win.

Portrait of an Artist: Baritone VaShawn Savoy McIlwain In Black and White

Washington, DC may be known mostly for its occupant of a certain white manse at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, but it is also home to a thriving community of performing artists. When I first met baritone VaShawn McIlwain, he looked like a nice young man with a brilliant smile. And then I heard him sing and it was like someone turned on every light in the room. There is a buoyancy to his delivery that draws you in, and a depth that keeps you there. This young man is an old soul and I can't wait to hear more from him.

VaShawn, photograph by Shannon Finney, Washington, DC, August 2013