Vivian, Drink and Click Portrait – Austin, Texas

I like shooting portraits at night or in dark places. There’s a moodiness that you don’t get during the day time. Consequently, many of my Drink and Click portraits have fairly dark backgrounds — some are nearly pitch black. Today’s portrait of Vivian is an exception and I think the background adds to the flavor of the photo. I like how it works with her outfit.

I made this portrait in late January at the Craftsman Bar. While I generally like to work with a model and select an area away from other photographers, here Vivian was already in position near a continuous light source. I was able to make this picture with minimum fuss.

I’m not sure if it’s Vivian’s hairstyle, the outfit or the textured background, but this to me looks like it’s from another time. Maybe the 60s or 70s? What do you think?