ABOUT ALAN GOLDSTEIN

Editor's Note: Those of you who know Alan Goldstein won't be surprised to learn that he did not want a conventional "About" page on his Web site. Instead, we are including here selected excerpts from a "60 Minutes" interview session (which took place only in Alan's mind).

When did you first start taking pictures?

I believe it was in the late fifteenth century. My friend, Mike (Michaelangelo), and I used to hang around street corners in Tuscany with very little to do, and...

Ok. I was about seven, and my father let me use his Brownie. Dad had a friend who was a professional photographer, and I got to see how film was developed and printed. I was hooked.

Word has it that you're great at photographing kids. What's your secret?

You mean, aside being nothing more than a big kid myself? And a big kidder, to boot? No, seriously... I think one part of the "secret" is that I have always really enjoyed photographing children. I know that some photographers think photographing kids is a drag, but I've never been able to understand that. In my experience, if you can get a child to relax and feel comfortable in the studio, then you're going to end up with some really great pictures. I hope my portfolio proves this.

I guess that's the other part of the secret: I purposely take time to help kids feel relaxed and comfortable. For example, I intentionally wait for kids to arrive before I prepare my cameras and lighting. Of course, this would never work with a busy professional who's coming in for a quick head-shot sitting, but it works really well with kids. While I'm loading film and situating the lights, the kid has a chance to settle in. I let kids walk around while I'm setting up, and the older ones invariably strike up a conversation with me. By the time I'm ready to photograph, any nervousness is gone. And the kids are feeling pretty comfortable too!

I see lots of black-and-white images in your portfolio. Do you prefer black-and-white to color?

I love black-and-white, but I wouldn't say I prefer that style. The choice of color or black-and-white is always ultimately up to the customer. I've studied black-and-white photography pretty intensively through the years, and there's a richness that can come through a black-and-white image that is unique and, I think, very powerful.

Next installment: "The Lean Years"