This is a special image because it is the very first portrait I have ever taken.

And it was taken on the day when I was invited to shoot with Manny Librodo for the first time. He knew I only ever took photographs of weeds and buildings and shadows on walls, but he urged me to come for this shoot.

So I did. And oh, boy. That afternoon, I upgraded my camera and bought a new, good lens.

And never looked back since.