Originally from Bogalusa, Louisiana, portrait photographer Mark Elzey will be based in New York by the end of July. Art runs in his family—his grandmother was a painter, and when she moved up north when Elzey was about six years old, she left all of her acrylics and paint brushes to him. He explains that his photographic style draws inspiration from his background in painting and charcoal drawing.

“Photography grants me the ability to connect to the beauty of my past experiences of being an artist to my current reality,” he explains. “I focus on simplicity and raw emotion of each person I photograph. I like to think my perspective is similar to hanging out with great friends that you’ve known for years, but many I’ve had less than an hour with.”

See more from Mark Elzey below!