I’m as interested in the process of photographing people as much as I am in the final product. The act of creating portraits is a collaboration between the photographer and the subject. This relationship provides a certain feedback that’s not present when photographing, say, a building or still life. That’s what draws me to people—the energy exchange and the nuances of that relationship. But it’s even more complicated than that, in addition to the back and forth that happens between the photographer and his or her subject, the camera becomes part of that affiliation and creates another layer of complexity.  It, literally and figuratively, comes between the subject and the photographer. While I look through the lens, my subjects look at the lens. Then, in a 1/250th of a second, I’m able to stop time and capture what would otherwise be just a fleeting moment.

These photographs are either the product of longer relationships—where I’d either known my subjects for extended periods or spent hours with them during the photo-making process—or shorter affiliations where I had a minute or two to capture a moment in a stranger’s day. In both cases I tried to create what I hoped to be some sort of visual narrative.

Anthony Rhoades is a Brooklyn, NY photographer who was born and raised in and around Portland, OR. He splits his time between editorial and commercial assignments for a variety of clients. For more of his work, visit: http://anthonyrhoades.com