I always look back at my old work. I find that when I was young and hungry that I would try a lot of things that I perhaps am now old enough and wise enough to actually accomplish. We lose certain things as we get older(what we gain is better-don't get me wrong) but that youthful desire to create greater things and not knowing the vastness of work out there where others have done similar or the same sort of thing is something that you just can't get back. But in looking at old work we can--sort of get a little of that back and see that we may or may not have been on to something. One thing we learned in photo school was to hand color our prints(sort of an antiquated notion for sure now!) We used photo oils. One day I heard of a technique using pastel chalks and a lot of fixitive. I went to town. I remember making this image and getting a lot of positive comments about it. I sorta laugh about it now looking at it. But it was a good lesson to learn and I actually still have this print. The above portrait I also remember making and getting a lot of feedback on. And though I wouldn't approach a picture at all like this now, it is interesting to see that I did then and in a way I would like to think about this as a jumping off point again for an improved portrait today. Photos from 20 plus years ago by Richard Sayer.