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Springtime is a great time of year to freshen up your business with up to date professional headshots. Whether you are creating a new brochure, have written a book; or started a new business and want to make your website look as professional as possible, a well-lit photograph of you and your team can give you the edge on your competitors.

Recently I had a client who needed a professional headshot for an online resource site. She presented me with her current photograph and specific requests about her smile, teeth and hair. Thirty minutes later her new professional headshot looked like this:

Some business headshots are made in a client’s office. When working with a team from a company it’s important to have consistency in an image so when presented on a website the photographs have a similar look to them.

Headshot photography can vary.

Some clients are interested in a “lifestyle” presentation. Generally the photographs include more than just their head. The environment may be a keep to what the person feels close to, or the type of work they do.

Besides having a well-lit photograph indoors or out, I look for a pleasing welcoming warm expression that will invite people to buy your product, read your book or hire you. Look for new upcoming blogs in the next few months that will cover  other aspects of professional headshots such as, “What to wear” and “How to prepare for your headshot”.

In the meantime, view more of my work with professional portraits and professional headshots here.
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In this day and age of digital photography, instant photographs, iPhone and iPad cameras, Instagram and the like, I wonder what will happen to the traditional classic family portrait photograph. In twenty years, where will your children find images of you and themselves? I think what is lasting will be what photographs are on your wall, in a photo album or on your desk. As a family portrait photographer my greatest gift to my clients is creating heirloom family photographs that will last beyond their children’s lifetime.

My ninety-three year old mother lives quite a distance from me and I visit her several times a year. Many years ago I had given her a copy of the photograph below, a special memory for our family. It was my birthday and she was making a carrot cake to celebrate! My youngest son Kristofer was in her arms tasting. My older son Jan had his own spatula to lick.

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On my most recent visit my son Kristofer, her grandson came along. At first she wasn’t sure who he was. She looked perplexed at the handsome twenty-three year old six foot tall young man in her room.  We showed her the photograph from many years ago and said this is your grandson all grown up!

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The light in her eyes was amazing!! The joy she had in realizing who Kristofer was was priceless. Thank heavens for heirloom family photographs.

 
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When choosing what to wear for a family portrait session, I suggest to my clients to think about making a “Bouquet of Flowers.” Since color harmony represents a pleasing balance of two or more colors, not everyone has to wear the exact same colored clothing. Once you choose your basic color, either use a monochromatic relationship varying the hues of that color, or a complimentary relationship of colors that balance each other out as in a flower arrangement. Below are three samples of color choices for family portraits.

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Complimentary: The pink, green and white colors all complement each other. Even though different colors are used, the tonality is the same and the colors blend well.

Clothing Choices For Family Portraits

Monochromatic: A lot of portraits I make are at the beach. Blues of any shade usually look great in the finished portrait. In this photograph, the people are wearing blue and white. The blue water and white foam adds to the harmony of the finished photograph.

Clothing Choices For Family Portraits

Complimentary: The orange and green clothing complement each other. The dune grass in the background adds to the harmonious look with the chosen colored clothing.

Don’t forget that simple and plain work best so the focus is on the person’s face. Avoid stripes, patterns and bold logos. Lighter tones are better than darker for outdoor location portraits. Most of all, remember to relax and enjoy your time together as a family.