About My Work

My background is in commercial art and design, which I studied at Virginia Commonwealth University 1970-74.  Although I had been photographing my friends, family and whatever else caught my eye since the gift of a 35mm Lieca camera at age 11, I concentrated on painting and printmaking.  My decision to study commercial art was a compromise after family members convinced me that making a living as a painter was all but impossible. It was not until the 80's, while doing drawings and paintings based on my photos, that I realized that photography could be an art in itself. 

I work mainly with the human figure, sometimes in conjunction with unusual props such as fire, snakes and bones.  For a long time, my work contained a very strong, and personal religious element.  My mentors are photographers Emmet Gowin, Robert Mapplethorpe, Annie Leibovitz and the almost forgotten portrait photographers, Starr Ockenga and Norman Seef.  The later was probably my greatest inspiration.  His work was done strictly for record album covers throughout the 70's and 80's, combining a simple commercial lighting techniques combined with a unique printing style that I spent many hours in the darkroom trying to uncover the secret (I finally did -- thanks Norman!).   I also photograph dance and performance art (see my dance photography at www.sfdproject.org, www.dimsumdance.org and www.andycoppola.com)

I gave up shooting on film and working in the "wet" darkroom about four years ago for digital imaging.  A bit ironic as I graduated nearly a decade before the "digital age" -- the mid 1980's.  I am entirely self taught in computer technology and all the software that I use.  The images on this site,, with a few exceptions that were originally shot on film, were shot with either the Canon G2, Canon D60 SLR. or more recently, the digital Canon Rebel XT.  Images originally shot on silver-based film negatives or slides were scanned with an HP Photosmart S20 film scanner.  All lighting is by studio electronic flash.  The images are then archived on CD's or an external hard drive, and printed using a photographic quality inkjet printer (The Epson Photo 2200), archival inks and acid free paper.  I use Adobe Photoshop CS for minor touchup and color correction and the occasional composite image.

I am always looking for new models -- nudity not required.  Any physical type is OK, but dancers, actors and other performers are always welcome as are any other outgoing types, male or female.  If you are ever in the Richmond, VA area, and are interested in posing for me, send me an email (dhayesphotography@yahoo.com).