Paul Giltrap Fantasy Portrait - Yves de Contades

Paul Giltrap, CD, Bright Blue Day:
When Yves asked me why I wanted my portrait to be shot like this, I replied my 8 month old daughter has aged me 8 years in 8 months!
I've had very little sleep, and I'm totally knackered!
But it wasn’t just about what I wanted to hide, it was also about adding intrigue. I’ve always liked portraits that don’t reveal every last
detail of the person but instead leave a sense of mystique about them. You always wonder what secrets they keep.
Dr Cecilia d'Felice's psychological interpretation:
This beautifully lit Chiaroscuro portrait evokes a profound introspection and an aware vulnerability embodied in the arms protectively folded over the soft abdomen and the downward gaze of the eye. Everything is, in a sense, hidden. Without the eyes as revealing windows, we can only guess at the depth of feeling contained within and suggested by the tenebrismic shadow to our left. Something life changing has occurred and the slight tilt upwards of the mouth suggest that it is joyful yet focusing.
One longs to reach out to the subject, Paul Giltrap and be supportive. Yet his stillness suggests that he is doing just fine. The sense of wanting to connect is further engendered by the emotional depth described in the contrasts of light and shade. A depth that reveals more than it conceals in the richness of its affect laden, yet gently weary, quality. Yet, this is also a young vigorous man, denoted by the black t and edgy beanie in that pared down style that suggests an effortless lack of superficiality and a get down to it sensibility.