Beast: A Senior Profile Portrait by Andrew Coan (2015)

My profile subject was Carlos Diaz. Born into one of the most ruthless and notorious Mexican gangs in California, Carlos knew no other way of life. He sold and used drugs at a very young age, and earned respect by protecting his family and turf from rival gangs. An encounter with another gang usually resulted in serious injuries and/or death, yet Carlos seemed to have a guardian angel looking out for him. Yet after Carlos met the woman of his dreams, he traded his passion for fighting for loving. With the support of his family and a baby on the way, Carlos courageously left the gang that had been a part of his life since the day he was born, and he set his sights on a brighter future.

I took my picture with the telephoto lens. I really wanted a blurry background and I was happy with the deep depth of field. My F-Stop was 4.0 and my was Shutter Speed a speedy 0.3. While shooting, Carlos was moving quite a bit so, it was important that I set my camera to a quick shutter speed. I was also very fortunate to have a large amount of light coming through the garage door so I was able to set my iso to 100. I wouldn’t call it a struggle but, my rule of thirds wasn’t same one we are all used to seeing. I decided to frame my subject directly in the center, and I really like the way it turned out. And the vinnette complimented my layout perfectly. Overall, I am quite proud of my work and I think Carlos will like it as well.