My friends Steph and Mia called me last week and asked me if I could do a special shoot for Mother's Day. I was to replicate a black and white portrait of their mother taken some thirty years ago only using Mia as the subject and with Steph recreating the hair and makeup. I stopped by their salon on my dog walk to get the details and to snap a few sample shots.

It was early evening with indirect light through a huge window. Pretty much the best kind of light. This is what I got:

Not bad for a sample.

Apparently, the pics I took of the two of them are already printed and are likely to make it to their web site.

Clearly, I rule.

So we did the shoot yesterday. I used my big, living room window in late evening to get the light just right and bought some thick, black felt for a back drop. We did three sets of shots, and a few goof pics for giggles. I got a LOT of really cool images.

In related news, I've tried to fix my brother up with this girl for FOUR months. He's always had some lame excuse. "I'm busy". "I'm working". "I'm sick". "I have to run twenty miles today with a bunch of sweaty Marines" Whine whine whine whine whine.

Clearly he needs work on his priorities.

I digress. The goal, however, was to replicate this image as closely as I could:

How did I do? On short notice? With zero Photoshop skills and sans studio lighting? I think I did OK .

I have to shoot Chelsea and her sister for their mother's day as well. And I may get to shoot my friend Lauren for the cover of her first single.

Needless to say, you might see some far prettier faces than Josh's for a little while. For this, I suspect, most of you are very very happy.