Sometimes I liken the craft of Photography to that of a crafty hunter.

In the case of this very recent portrait I did of renown writer Robert Anton Wilson- I stalked him as I would any big game, if I hunted, which I don't. Not that there's anything wrong with hunting... if you're real  hungry. Which I'm not.

Now our Mr. Wilson can be as curmudgenly as the Sunday Funnies' Mr. Wilson is with Dennis the Menace, (Robert also possesses the tenderness of a saint, don't be mistaken.) But... he suffers fools... not.

He does as he likes when he likes. Knowing this and wanting to do his portrait for the longest time, I decided that either I had to petition for a formal sitting, definitely a possibility, or strike while the iron was hot.

Well, on this particular day we were both guests celebrating Rosemary Leary's birthday and found ourselves seated very publicly in her comfortable living room. I knew it would have made my quarry err, potential subject, very uncomfortable. Just like the first dance.

"Would you sit this way? No, um turn your head that way. Ok now Bob...."

Uh uh. No way. In public? The man would have turned me down flat in a New York minute.

So I craftily began pointing my camera every which way but his, shooting everything in sight. The room. The cat. The dog. Your cuff-link. Then I swiveled toward this guest and onto that couple, coaxing their permission of course and merrily snapped away.

Finally, after exhausting all other possibilities in the room I lay my sights upon my real target.

Well- it would have been just down right rude not  to ask the man to sit for me.

Not a bad likeness either, eh?

Be sure to visit

• "The 'Official' Robert Anton Wilson Website"
• The Timothy Leary and Robert Anton Wilson Show