Seeing Without Sight - Beyond Beauty PortraitA conceptual portrait inspired by the idea of an oracle—seeing without sight—where a woodland concept evolved into something more grounded and ambiguous.

Welcome to another entry in Beyond Beauty, a series where I explore conceptual beauty work—images that move beyond traditional portraiture and lean more into idea and interpretation. This body of work sits closely alongside my fine art photography, focusing less on the subject and more on the concept behind the image.

The idea for this image came from the makeup artist, Shauna LeMay. We wanted to collaborate on something more conceptual than a standard beauty shoot—something we could take out of the studio.

Not far from my house is Sholan Farms, an apple orchard here in Leominster, Massachusetts—also known as the birthplace of Johnny Appleseed. Behind the orchard are hiking trails and a stretch of woods that get especially lush in the summer. It felt like the right place to explore something a little different.

Shauna’s original concept was a woodland fairy, but as we worked through different looks, makeup, and wardrobe, the idea started to shift. It became something more grounded and a little more ambiguous—a kind of mythical oracle, someone with the gift of sight who doesn’t rely on it in the usual way.

We photographed several variations that day, but this image stood out. For me, it captures where the idea finally landed. Shauna—who also modeled for the shoot—really carried the concept, both in the styling and in the performance.

What I’ve found over time, especially with more conceptual work, is that the final image is almost never exactly what you had in mind going in. But it usually stays connected to the original idea—just evolved into something you couldn’t quite see at the start.

Seeing without sight.