headshot

Updated Studio Portrait for Spring

I’m being featured in a magazine and needed to turn in a headshot, and realized the latest image I had of myself was a year old. Now a year is not that long when you’re an adult. Still, I believe we should all have updated portraits to fill both our business and personal needs.

I’ve talked before about how nobody really likes getting their portraits taken, including me. But that’s also exactly why I focus on creating great portraits of people. And if I want my clients to update their images, I should lead by example and make sure my portrait is always current.

I think it’s important to have current and professional portraits of yourself for business needs and for personal needs too. It wasn’t too long ago when our ancestors would get one or two professional portraits in a lifetime, and they’d save up to do it. Now we can easily come to the studio to get professional portraits regularly, be we often don’t. Instead I see some professionals using the same photograph for what seems like 10 years. Instead of looking “younger” by using old photos, it appears as if they’re sad about their age, or yearn for a distant youthful version of themselves. Rather I think it’s better to be happy and confident about our current stage of life and who we’ve become by having a current and updated studio portrait that reflects that.

And because no one likes being in front of the camera, my biggest job as a photographer is to read people and connect with them, helping them feel comfortable to bring out their real emotion in a portrait while also deciding the best angles and ways to light them. I make it painless and easy. And because business portrait sessions are short, we often have time to look at the images right then. You can see how it went, how good you look, and if you’re concerned about your hair or something, we can shoot more while you’re here. I’ll make sure you get something you love and are proud to use.

So with all that in mind and being the first day of spring, I took some time to photograph myself. I try to change up the ways I light myself. I don’t want to use the same angles and lighting that I know have worked in the past. I want the entire look to be current and new. Here are my three favorites. I’ll live with these for a while and see which ones I use more, but now I’m ready with three current options to send to magazines and speaking events: a color image, one with my toned color nouveau, and a high-contrast black and white, .

 

If you’re a professional and need a great new portrait, give me a call, 801-728-3317.

And if your entire office needs new portraits, I can come to your office and set up a mini studio. That way each person only has to give me 3 minutes of their time, and they’re done. I’ll even pick and retouch the best ones and send the finished images over. No hassle for anyone.

Give me a call. If you’re in the Ogden, Salt Lake City, or Provo areas of Utah, spring is a great time to get some updated portraits.

And until next time, America.

Early Favs of KUTV News Teams

I spent a jam packed last two days at KUTV 2 News photographing all of their news teams and staff. They’ve all become friends from not only the years of doing their professional photographs, but also from shooting many of their individual personal events like family, children and weddings. So this commercial shoot becomes a great time so see everyone.

As you’d guess, they are a great group to work with. And when I’m there we photograph everything we can: various combinations of groups, individuals, and in multiple locations. I bring in a couple loads full of lighting equipment, and we shoot away. This way they’re set for all their photographic needs for billboards, promos, and prints. Next time you’re driving through Salt Lake City, keep your eyes out for their beautiful billboards.

We needed two images turned around quickly, so I thought I’d share these early favorites of the morning and evening news teams. I love the clean, beautiful lighting, the great smiles, and the overall impact of these images.

As I was finishing up yesterday, I was looking through their Instagram feed and saw these fun behind the scenes photos. This collage below is linked directly to their Instagram so you can click it and go through their slideshow from our shoot. Click their group photo and then swipe left and right to see all the others. There’s even some fun boomerang videos in there too.

 

Once the project is all finished, I might share a few more favorites. But I thought it’d be neat for everyone to see these today.

If you’re a business and need some photographic work like headshots, product images, or even commercial architecture photos of your building or entryway, give me a call. 801-728-3317. I’d love to create something amazing for you.

And until next time, America.