Dr. Dokiso Nchama is a pediatrician who has dedicated his life to serving children in Cornwall Ontario Canada for many decades. At 74 years old he is still practising as there is a shortage of pediatricians in our community. I have been privileged to be called a friend for several years now, and my first impression of the gentle and kind man I met when he took a photography course I offered at a local Community College, has been more than confirmed over the years. Dr. Nchama makes regular trips to Africa, bringing hundreds of pairs of eyeglasses to needy children in his homeland.
From when I first met Dokiso I know I wanted to create a portrait which would capture and reveal a truly exceptional soul. There were just the 2 of us, when I asked him "the question". "How do you deal with the loss of a child?" That's when I captured "the look". With tears in her eyes his wife later told me that she saw that look regularly when Dokiso was worried about a sick child.
I entered the portrait at a juried show. An internationally known art critic said that he was fortunate to have an original "Karsh" on his wall at home. He went on to say that this was the closest he had ever seen to a "Karsh" over a career of 40 years. It was my 15 minutes in the sun, as I have chased the Karsh light for many decades. Most importantly I have been blessed with a friend who has enriched my life.
I am a serious amateur who has had a love affair with photography for 40 years. I have been fortunate to have been published twice in Shutterbug over the last few years.
The photo was created in a home studio with Paul Buff studio flashes. The camera is a Nikon D800E with the 85 mm 1.4 Nikon lens, on a Gitzo tripod. Setting F8 at 1/250 sec.
Bernard Carrière
635 St. Felix Street
Cornwall, Ontario K6H 5B5
P.S. Should you require, I have a signed release from Dr. Nchama.