It was my Rosemary who years ago pointed out to me the importance of hands in my portraits. To this day when I am taking a portrait I always consider those hands. I believe that many of my portraits stand out because of hands.

Sometime before 1990, the Vancouver singer Bif (who became Bif Naked) was introduced to me by a friend and her friend, Nina Gouveia. I photographed both in Gouveia’s home. Then they posed in the best room of the then sleazy hotel The Marble Arch.

In 1990 I had a show that was called As I See Them. Bif posed for me and I asked her to put her hand on her head. She did it in such a graceful way that I asked her if she had ever taken ballet lessons. She said that was the case. After having gone to many ballet and modern dance performances I am now very careful in showing hands in my portraits.