Some New Portraits

As you know I'm always trying new things when it comes to my portraiture and continuing to strive to create a portrait that could not only hang in your home, but would just as comfortable in a gallery.
Recently I had the pleasure of creating some portraits that I hope fulfill that.

I like employ extreme areas of dark and light in my portraits.  I was told by a friend that it's something called "chiaroscuro".  The New Oxford Americian dictionary defines it as such:
the treatment of light and shade in drawing and painting.
• an effect of contrasted light and shadow created by light falling unevenly or from a particular direction on something

I had no idea I was using that technique until someone told me!  I just knew I like the look of it.

Here are few shots from those sessions.  I hope you like them.