This project began at a dinner party with friends. I noticed the way Jack sat on a barstool. His long curved back formed an elegant line that lingered in my mind.

The next morning I called, inviting him to the studio for a portrait. Jack is a man of many talents, one of which is the art of creating cartoons. His are quirky, astute and deeply human tales. Before his arrival for the portrait I began to wonder where his ideas come from. Do the images come first? The words? Or some other way?

Somewhere in my state of wondering about his creative process, the idea for this project came to me. I decided to make his portrait using simple window light, recreating the elegant line of his seated posture. After making the portrait I would hand him a clipboard with paper and pen and ask him to write his answer to the question, “What inspires you?” 

This was the first time I had done this. I had no clue what the alchemy of spontaneity, a big question and the handwritten answer would deliver. Jack’s response delighted me and raised my curiosity. 

Two weeks later my nephew Adam came to visit. Adam is a passionate bundle of fire. Because he has been at death’s door more than once, he has no interest in wasting a single moment of his life. I made his portrait and ended with clipboard, paper, pen and the same question. 

When I held Jack’s answer with his fine line and short, dense sentence beside Adam’s big, belted-out, gestural marks, the contrast was startling and I knew this was a series to pursue. 

Starting is easy. Sustaining a project for a long period of time is possible when there is a personal component that resonates with me. Driving this project were two of those components. 

First of all my own photographic inspiration seemed to be hiding behind the woodshed somewhere. In addition I discovered I wanted more, and a greater variety of, masculine friendships. 

I began asking men I knew, or knew of, if they wanted to be part of this project. Most of them said yes based on a brief description, and perhaps, my enthusiasm. 

For each man it was the same process: simple lighting technique so I could give my full attention to him. I stood three to four feet away, beside my camera and centered myself.

Then I said something to each of them such as, “I invited you here because I see you living a life of passion and inspiration. I admire and respect that in you.”  I paused for a breath or two and continued, “Without speaking aloud, I would like you to take a few moments to find your unique power and passion and let it fill you up. When you are ready, look right into the lens and tell us about it with just your eyes.” 

My intention at that point was to be still and supportive and to recognize the shifts, subtle or not, that showed up in their eyes and on their faces. More than once eyes welled up with emotions and many men told me that the process of being photographed in this way had been a powerful experience, that no one had ever asked what inspired them and they thanked me. 

One of the things I’ve learned while working with these men is that there are reservoirs of beauty beneath the surface of the masculine landscape. Unfortunately they are not often enough revealed or discovered.

I wish I had asked my father what inspired him. I wish a project like this had been around when I was young and trying to figure out what it meant to be a man. 

It is my hope that we will all let inspiration play a larger role in our lives and that by doing so the world will become a more just, equitable and loving place to be.