Category Archives: professional portraits
a little winter walk – suzanne blons portraits
it is my pleasure to introduce you to the multi-talented suzanne blons. i look forward to telling you more about her soon. but for now, check out these gorgeous images captured on a recent snowy day.
if you simply can’t wait to find out more, please visit suzanne’s web site.
dr. craig defries
craig defries popped in to pose for me a few weeks ago. he is the doctor to see if you are seeking overall health and wellness and have been frustrated by the traditional health care answers: tests, medications, etc.
he is working on company-wide wellness programs as well as seeing individual clients who are motivated to make healthy changes in a coached and customized setting.
and that’s what we got.
priscilla stuckey at boulder book store
I worked with Priscilla Stuckey in the summer of 2011 to create an author photo that would be appropriate for her new memoir, then still in progress. We drove to the location together and I remember her saying that she occasionally hit a tough spot, but that the heat was on and she was going to stick with it.
Well, aren’t we glad she did?
Here’s how Publisher’s Weekly describes her book:
A tenderly woven collection of essays that blend personal reflections with spirituality, philosophy, animal behaviorism, evolution, geology and ecology. . . . The narratives are well paced, using flashbacks wisely, and the language lyrical, possessing a poet’s cleverness of rhythm. . . . [An] entertaining and emotionally resonant book.
Last evening, she held a for the hometown crowd at Boulder Book Store. The day’s forecast was not good; a rain/snow mix was expected. But weather did not deter the audience – including members of the Boulder Media Women – eager to hear about the book.
I enjoyed the excerpt about eagle spotting, which you can see here. But my favorite story is how she was kissed by the fox. To find out about it, you may buy the book via Boulder Book Store here and also at other major booksellers.
I have photographed several authors and authors-to-be and always enjoy a chance to create images that support the book marketing. If you are an author or author-to-be and are interested in hearing from a publishing expert about photography, check out this post. It is an interview with Kristina Holmes, who ultimately became Priscilla’s agent. I learned a lot from it, and I hope you will too.
Congratulations, Priscilla!
marketing checklist: is your headshot appropriate and authentic?
Okay. Close your eyes. Think of three words you would like clients to use when describing you as a professional. Now open your eyes and look at the photo on your web site or blog. Do the words fit the photograph?
Often, when creating an online presence, professionals take great pains over the wording and the design of the site, but they neglect putting any time or thought into their professional portrait – also called a headshot.
A professional portrait is just that. It’s not the snapshot from your latest vacation. It is not the photo your sister took of you standing out in the backyard last summer. To be appropriate, and more importantly authentic, the portrait must match what people see and hear when they meet you. Unless you are serving beers, the photo of you with a mug in each hand at the last Octoberfest is probably not the best choice.
Think of it this way. People usually choose to do business with people they know, like and trust. If you present one image on your web site, and a completely different image in person, chances are you will be creating a disconnect for you clients. This disconnect is not a long way from distrust.
Return to those three words again. How you would create a photo to fit that description? What would you wear? What expression would your face carry? What body language would you use? These answers will help you prepare for the photo.
Now ask yourself another question. Are you able to discern the difference between a professional portrait and a snapshot by Uncle George? Because most of us are such savvy media consumers, it easy for us to tell the difference between a properly lit and exposed photo and a homemade one. C’mon, Admit it. You can always tell the difference. Your clients can tell the difference, too
Why shortchange the most important element of your brand – that’s YOU – by skimping on photography? You are worth it! Engage a professional photogr
apher to create an authentic portrait. The photo will last at least a few years and will help reinforce the qualities that help you attract your best clients.
priscilla stuckey’s book has a new cover
Congratulations to Priscilla Stuckey, an author I photographed last summer. She was getting ready to submit her book proposal and needed a new portrait. We wanted to photograph her in nature to match the book’s content.
Here are the portraits in case you missed them!
Now she has a book deal and a new book cover.
Isn’t it gorgeous? You may read the story about the cover on Priscilla’s blog, This Lively Earth.
If you are a professional in need of a new headshot, please contact me here .