From Boy to Man

• Feature article •

A few weeks ago, we created a photo series with Benedek.

What made the assignment interesting was the challenge of making trendy, confident, professional photographs of a sixteen-year-old boy while keeping the images completely age-appropriate.

Whenever I photograph teenagers, that is one of my main priorities.

The pictures should not be too serious or too provocative — but they cannot feel overly childish either.

Benedek is at a fascinating age.

Alongside his playful, mischievous, still-childlike side, you can already sense mature, adult behaviour.

He is still a teenager, but you can also begin to see the Man he is becoming.

To find the best outfits, visual styles and moods for each guest, I always begin by understanding their exact needs.

One of the most useful tools is a small collection of photographs from the internet — actors, models or anyone else — whose mood or style appeals to the client.

This is an important part of preparation because those references help me understand what my future model considers beautiful and harmonious, and give me a glimpse into their personality.

With Benedek, we drew inspiration from the youthful mischief and rebellious charm of a young Marlon Brando or Leonardo DiCaprio — seasoned with a generous dose of charisma.

We never want to copy inspiration images.

Instead, we use them to identify moments and emotional qualities that our own model can comfortably inhabit.

Benedek particularly liked the black-and-white photographs.

For good reason.

Black-and-white is often considered one of photography's essential languages because it can reveal the core of an image without colour distracting the eye.

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“The worst thing in the world when you're a teenager is to be different from everyone else. But the older you get, the more you understand that your distinctiveness is your strength, your weapon, your armour.” /Cecelia Ahern/

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Part of the BANHALMI ecosystem

For the professional context and practical side of portrait photography, visit the BANHALMI professional website. Related art series, books and exhibitions are preserved in the BANHALMI ART archive.