Category Archives: Stockyards_Studios

Liz Hackworth

Portrait of Liz Hackworth by Kansas City Photographer Kirk Decker
Darker Liz by Kansas City Photographer Kirk Decker
Lighter Liz by Kansas City Photographer Kirk Decker

I spent some time working up the backstory for the first image, but decided it would be more interesting to see what other people see in it.  What’s going on here?

Both images were created during a portrait session with @lizzi.leigh who, among other things, is an actress and isn’t stuck with being one person all the time, like the rest of us.  Here’s her take on it, “Learning the craft of acting and character study have helped give me the courage to explore and spelunk the deep darknesses of my soul as well as the heights of my happiness and wildest dreams.”  

Lee Decker

Portrait by Kirk Decker of a young man dressed in black with a black hat and dragon cane looking down at a toppled queen on a chessboard.  The photo is dark and moody the chess pieces resemble the medieval characters found in the Lewis chess set.
Portrait of Lee Decker by Kansas City Photographer Kirk Decker

Lee Decker @leedecker97 Chess player, summa cum laude graduate from Truman University, and part-time exorcist (reasonable prices, results not guaranteed). Lee’s chess set is modeled after medieval pieces discovered on the Isle of Lewis, Scotland.  One of the things I like about Lee’s portrait is that it simultaneously reminds me of the Muppet Christmas Carol, Shakespeare’s As You Like It, and the French Revolution. The chess pieces on and off the board being the Elect and Preterite with Lee himself being the “Hoity-toity Mr. Godlike Smarty-pants” omniscient storyteller.

Ben Parks

Portrait of artist Ben Parks by Kansas City photographer Kirk Decker.  Ben stares intently into the camera, long hair framing his face.
Artist and Musician Ben Parks

Ben Parks – Kansas City based artist (@brancesoftree) and musician (@oftree).  To say that Ben does large scale portraits and figurative work doesn’t really do justice to his art.  You need more words like “amazing” and “soulful” which can also be applied to the music that he and Laurel (@fiddlemaiden) create.  The loop, almost butterfly, light in this portrait comes from a gridded beauty dish – something Ben found to be highly amusing.

David Wane Reed

Extreme Farmer

Extreme Farmer David Wayne Reed.  Not only is his tractor bigger than yours, it goes to eleven.  When he is not Extreme Farming, David is a filmmaker – Eternal Harvest, playwright – Help Yourself, Jolly Rancher, Mother Trucker, director, producer, and actor.  KC Pitch (2017 Best of KC issue) says he is one of 25 reasons ‘Why We Love KC Now.’ Mr. Reed hosts and produces the popular storytelling series, Shelf Life, and, is an insightful and genuinely nice guy to be around.

Portrait made with a vintage Hasselblad on Kodak Portra160 film.


Zachary Weaver

Portrait of Zachary Weaver by Kansas City Photographer Kirk Decker
Portrait of Zachary Weaver by Kansas City Photographer Kirk Decker

Portrait of Zachary Weaver by Kansas City Photographer Kirk Decker
Portrait of Zachary Weaver by Kansas City Photographer Kirk Decker

Zachary Weaver, playwright, actor, and intuitive inspirational speaker.

Beau Bledsoe

Portrait of Beau Bledsoe by Kansas City photographer Kirk Decker
Fine Art portrait of Beau Bledsoe by Kansas City Photographer Kirk Decker

Beau Bledsoe @beaubledsoe, consummate musician, founder of Ensemble Ibérica and Alaturka. Amazing how the sound of his Martin guitar filled my small studio. Beau’s portrait was made in my Westbottoms studio with a Hasselblad 555ELD, 150mm Sonnar,   Phase One digital back and traditional Hasselblad film backs.