Dirty politics

"Jeff Francom poses at his Saratoga Springs home, Friday, Sept. 25, 2009. Francom, one of the two remaining mayoral candidates in Saratoga Springs, has been fired from his job because he refused to bow out of the race."

I love portraits. I've always had this obsession with others faces. There is so much you can say by photographing only a face.

I could probably talk about that forever, so I'll spare you that this time around.

My assignment was about one of the two candidates for mayor in Saratoga Springs. Jeff Francom said he lost his job after a letter and his own campaign literature were sent to his employer.

"There is an underhanded campaign going on that cost me my job," said Francom. "It's dirty politics."

Dirty politics...probably true. But they've obviously never been to Baltimore. All kinds of corruption and scandals back east.

That's besides the point.

When I arrived, we sat and talked. I got a sense of who he was, what his story was and was ready to get to business.

I had my visual, my eye candy - the blinds and strong west light. Unexposed and popped up a strobe to the right. But what about his facial expression?

Happy: That said anything but the truth.

Sad: Well, he was upset, but not ready to cry.

Angry: I thought it told his story, but maybe not his character.

So I went with a neutral look. A way to invite the reader into the article and let them make their judgment. And I think it sorta worked, besides it a political story, it got tons of comment online.

Now only if I could go back in time to tweak the image a bit more. Hmm...