Photographic Art – Portrait Design
Since 1980 I have had the great privilege of photographing thousands of lovely individuals and families while employed at different studios, most notably Busath Photography in Salt Lake City, Utah, where I had the unique opportunity to be mentored by Don Busath, one of the great master photographers of the world. From there, I was fortunate to complete an internship with Lisa Evans Portrait Design in Walnut Creek, California. In 1990 I started my own portrait design business, which took a back seat a few years later when our home was blessed with children. As time went by and with the children all in school, photography resurfaced during the digital age, this time with a shift in my focus towards what I term "portrait scenes," where I choose the models, the clothing, the props, and the location – all because of a story, a personal story, I want to tell.
A Humble Servant © 2011 Cynthia Dye
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A Humble ServantThis is a portrait scene of my daughter, Christina, which I designed to portray her inner character and divine nature. Props were used as symbols to serve as a reminder of deep personal insights that perhaps only a mother understands – and that by the grace of God.
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Let me explain how I go about creating portrait scenes and choosing the symbols. First of all, I ask myself what inner traits of the subject I want to portray. For me, this is the most important element upon which everything else hinges. What prompted this scene was a lovely discussion I had had with my daughter, Christina, while snuggled together on the sofa at Grandma's house one evening. I was talking in detail of noble characteristics that I had noticed in her. As I did so, a picture started to form in my head – not the one you see above, but one of her true divine nature. Christina is a follower of Christ, even her name, which she choose for herself when she came to us as a four-year-old toddler denotes her inner desire to have Christ be her Shepherd. The Holy Bible is placed to the side of her, representing dependency upon the Word of God. There is a pair of glasses in a case resting upon the scriptures – a reminder to see (and seek) with spiritual eyes. Christina is wearing a lace bodice passed down from generations of beautiful women, tying her to a faithful heritage of those who went before and who are very much a part of her continuing story. She is holding a bowl of vegetables from the garden, symbolizing the need of wholesome nourishment to body and mind and soul. In her hand is an onion, perhaps a strange prop, but one that has special meaning to us because of the cherished pioneer story of Emily Hill (whom we claim as a distant adopted ancestor). When Emily was starving and suffering with the Willie Handcart Company in 1856, she was given a small onion by a rescuer. Before partaking of it herself, she noticed a dying man whom she felt was in greater need, and selflessly gave to save another. Those traits of selflessness and sacrifice are ones I have noticed in my daughter, and ones I want her to realize and strengthen as she matures. Behind her on a rich tapestry is a basket of bread and grapes (wine), the emblems of the Savior of the World and His everlasting Atonement. Not as noticeable are the empty bookcase and fireplace in the background, representing (respectively) the choice we have to fill our minds with what we will, and the warmth that comes from being near the Spirit of the Lord. The final element that wraps the picture up and ties a ribbon around it is the title. For this scene, I chose, A Humble Servant, because I wanted Christina to remember that Jesus Christ was the greatest servant of all and to always keep Him as her Master by following in His ways.
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