Assignment, Photography

Dr.Juliet Beni–UCR’s youngest doctoral candidate

Dr. Juliet Beni earned her doctorate in psychology from UC Riverside. She is the youngest person in UCR’s history to be awarded with a doctorate.

One of the biggest appeals to photographing mostly people is the chance to meet new people.
Even the most ordinary person has at least one interesting and remarkable story.

You just have to ask the right way and hopefully that will come through when they talk about it.

But you need to be ready with that camera.

I got a chance to meet UC Riverside’s youngest doctoral candidate, Dr. Juliet Beni, 19.

Dr. Juliet Beni with the gown she wore when she was awarded her doctorate in psychology. She plans to start medical school in the fall. One Speedlight in Lumiquest softbox placed just outside the frame on the right. Space and time constraints sometimes mean keeping lighting equipment simple and minimal.

I had about 40 minutes to do this portrait.

As with most of these assignments, I always wish I had more time.

More time means more variety of situations.

I set up my light stand with my little Speedlight inside the Lumiquest softbox place it as close to my subject as I can.

That’s usually just outside of the frame.

Then I had Dr. Beni stand approximately where the light is.

We chatted. I asked about her heroes. I also asked what it was like to teach, especially students who are older than her.

I tend not to pose my subjects very much, preferring to be ready with my camera when my verbal interaction gives me the expression I like.

We won’t say what I was doing at 19. Any guesses?

Peter Phun Photography

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