3 Head Shot Tips for Killer Images
3 Tips for Killer Head Shots
First is your catch light. This is when the light from your main (key) light hits your subject’s eyes. This brings dept and life to your image.
Second is your key light. This is your main light and you will get a different feeling in your image depending where you place your light. I like to place my strobe at 45 degrees (10 or 2 o’clock) and a few feet over the subject’s head with my softbox angled down.
Last is the back light. Also know as rim, shoulder, or hair light; it lights the back of your subject. This illuminates the back edge of your subject and separates them from the background.
With this lighting and enough practicing with posing and you should be able to go after those corporate head shot gigs in no time.
Fun Fact: 99% of people getting head shots are not models. They won’t be comfortable in front of a camera. Hell, I”M not comfortable in front of a camera. Be relaxed, be charismatic, and make it fun. The picture will show what they feel. Laughing and relaxed will show. Nervous and uncofortable will also show.
INVEST IN YOURSELF
Graffiti Session
Whenever I’m photographing an older child, 12-17, I offer different locations for different moods. Clients usually chose something woodsy or something on the Hudson River. I’ve always mentioned urban or graffiti but clients usually had shorter sessions and opted with the “prettier” settings. I finally found a client who chose an extended session and wanted one of the settings be a graffiti backdrop.
Anyone who knew me during college knows my thesis was a book on graffiti so I obviously had a ball. Do you want to be my next subject to photograph underneath the Holand Tunnel entry bridge?
Cherry Blossoms
2022’s Cherry Blossoms will be in full bloom April 2-10th. If you would like to have an amazing session like the ones below, book now! Click on the booking info button to schedule a session or ask questions. This year’s locations are Branchbrook Park in Newark or Verona Park in Verona.
Your Ideal Client
I want someone who knows my worth, appreciates my work, and won’t make an issue out of. … insert photographer problem here.
You do realize you found that already right?? Past clients. You have their info… email them
What to look for when hiring a maternity &/or newborn photographer.
Experience
You will be pregnant with this child only once. You might be spending a lot of money on one or both of these sessions. Make sure your photographer can consistently produce what they are showing on their site or social media. An experienced photographer should be answering most of your questions before you even ask them.
Vibe
You should be vibing with your photographer. If you aren’t comfortable with your photographer, there is a good chance that will come through in your photos. Photographers who know what they are doing are comfortable with their sessions and their confidence 9/10 will be passed onto you.
Can They Bundle?
Maternity photographers might not be newborn photographers but newborn photographers are almost always maternity photographers as well. See if they have bundle packaging. My “The Glow” package is a maternity session and newborn session and images from both sessions end up in your album and, at times, the birth announcement cards.
Ps: you should be printing this beautiful journey out. Don’t just post it on your social media, print it out and hang images in your nursery. Make an album and put it on your coffee table for all to see.
Winter Wonderland
Tips for your next winter session
If you are brave enough to take pictures in the dead of winter, here are some tips you should know.
Wear Layers
The session below was 17 degrees when we started photographing. The best thing to do is wear layers. Thermals for your legs, thick socks or 2 pair, snow boots, and long sleeves with a thick sweater looks great and you might not even need a coat.
Extras
Bring extras. Extra hats and extra gloves will give your session different looks. It will also keep you warm if you take pictures playing with the snow. Sneak some hand warmers in there too.
Move
Shivering is your body’s way of keeping you warm. The more you move , the warmer you will be. This can serve two purposes: keep you warm and make your images more fun. Running, jumping, and dancing puts a smile on anyone’s face.
2022 Seasonal Schedule
The 2022 Photography Schedule by season.
If you know you want a photo session but are not sure when to book a session, here are the types of sessions to look out for by season:
Christmas 2021
A quick rundown…
There are two new setup for the 2021 Christmas season. I have a Hot Cocoa session and a Christmas PJs session. Hot Cocoa comes with a 20 min session, 5 digitals, and 25 Christmas cards. Christmas PJs is a 15 min session, 2 digitals, and 25 Christmas cards. You also have the option of doing both.
I’ve had a few people say they would like an outdoor setting but their kids were a little old for the Hot Cocoa session. I still have my props from 2020s setup.
Gen Zer's and online presence
Gen Zer's and Online Presence
Generation Z and Millenials don’t really know a world outside of their phones. If you are an entrepreneur and want to get their attention then it’s time to spruce up your online presents. Headshots and branding sessions are the best way to start. It’s also something I can help with.
3 tips for a smooth family session
Calm the beast and slay your session.
I only say beast because that’s my daughter. Here are three tips to help your family session go smoothly.
PATIENCE- patience is paramount when photographing children. Those under 4 won’t always cooperate. If you book multiple sessions in a day, have down time in between session so your session doesn’t spill into your next booking.
BRIBERY- Photoshoots are a big deal for little children. Reward them handsomely! “Do a good job and we get ice cream!” has worked wonders. If the child needs immediate gratification, stay away from messy treats. If worse come to worse, strap a phone to your head while playing Cocomelon.
KINDNESS IS KING- Parenting styles vary from parent to parent. Inform them they will not be yelling at their child during there session. Nothing is worse than a sad, scared child in all of your pictures.
Let me know if any of these tips worked for you. What did I miss that works for you?
Smile!
P.S. She calmed down.
Autumn Session Season
Sorry to say the summer is nearly over. On the plus side, that means it’s almost autumn. Let make memories with an autumn photo session.
30 minute session
5 digitals picked from a gallery of the entire session
Images edited to perfection
Photography & Editing
How well can your photographer edit?
If your photographer shoots, dumps the images on a card, and makes you download your images from a rinky dink google email, you got robbed. There are so many reasons your photographer needs to be able to edit images. I wont bore you with all of them. I will just stick with my top 3 reasons.
Control what you can’t control
You can’t control the weather or how busy your location will be in real life. You can in Photoshop though. The right photographer can remove people and make it a bright, beautiful day.
Head swaps and out with the ugly
Let’s keep it real. Kids are goofballs and when you want a family picture they never want to cooperate. Photoshop and a tripod are your photographer’s best friend in this situation. Also, no one wants garbage cans, people, or ugly looking trees in their background.
Safety!
If your newborn photographer lets your baby sit in a froggy position and doesn’t piece together this shot, scream at them. Don’t let your baby be put in danger.
Beautiful things happen at the beach
Beach Portrait Sessions
When was the last time you had a family portrait session? I am pleased to inform you that JUNE 13th I will be setting up shop down the shore in Asbury Park Beach. It’s a regular 20 minute session just with a beautiful beach backdrop.
I will have 5 time slots available on June 13th:
9:00am - 9:20am
9:30am - 9:50am
10:00am - 10:20am
10:30am - 10:50am
11:00am -11:20am
Click on the make memories button to book your session or to ask any questions.
Word of Mouth
The Maternity Referral Program
I figured that everyone loves easy money and I love photographing so lets help eachother out. This referral program is for all things maternity: Pregnancy Announcement (Guess What), Maternity (The Glow), and Newborn (The Binkie).
It is very simple:
Rave about me to an expecting couple.
They contact me and say you sent them my way
You receive $50 when they sign a contract and make a payment on a Guess What, The Glow, or The Binkie photo sessions.
REPEAT
Headshot Happy Hour! Cheers!
I am happy to announce that I will be hosting a headshot happy hour on Friday April 9th. Lets put 2020 behind us and show potential clients the best version of yourself. Below are examples of the session and the location in Saddle Brook.
The session is 15 minutes with black, white, and grey textured backgrounds. You will receive 2 images that will be formatted for high resolution, low resolution, and black & white. There is an option for hair and makeup. If you are interested or have any questions, click the button below or leave a comment in the comment section.
2021 Seasonal Schedule
The 2021 Photography Schedule by season.
If you know you want a photo session but are not sure when to book a session, here are the types of sessions to look out for by season:
First Day of Fall!
It’s the most colorful time of the year again. Lets book your fall session soon. A google search states that the leaves are due to change Oct 19-29th. That should be enough time to get your fall outfits together for an amazing photo session.
Recent Google Reviews
Gift Certificates
You might feel like you don’t need a session but know someone who does, gift certificates are a great gift for the upcoming Autumn and Christmas seasons.
Fall sessions
What should you know before you go.
Know what you want: There’s nothing wrong with taking a peek at Pintrest and having an idea of what you want. Every photographer has their style and letting them know what ideas you have in your head assures that everyone is on the same page.
Know what to wear. I recommend solid colors for most of my sessions but for fall sessions, it’s ok to go plaid as long as the family matches. Try not to camouflage with the background by wearing a very saturated orange or red top.
Trust your photographer. If they are experienced, they should know how to prep you for your session. They should let you know what to expect, what to wear, how much time is needed, and exactly where you are meeting for your session. This is how I run my sessions.
What to expect in a photo session.
Yes i know a lot of you reading this already had an amazing session with me. This blog is for that new client you’ve sent my way. I love word of mouth referrals btw. Photoshoots can be extremely daunting. What do you wear? Should you shoot indoor vs outdoor? Do you even know what you don’t know? This is where a good photographer (like me) comes in.
First off… RELAX. Even if our session is a total disaster in your eyes, I usually get a few salvageable images. There was pregnancy announcement session where the big brother wouldn’t stop crying. I had him hold a sign and made it seem he was upset about possibly getting a sister. Even if it is a total disaster, there’s always a reshoot.
What do I wear? Dress up! Look your best. If it’s a group, wear matching colors. For example the whole family wears a white top and blue jeans. Make sure it’s neat. My goal is you love the images so much you buy a huge print and hang it in your living room to enjoy forever.
Bottom line is if you arrive knowing what to expect and how to prepare for a photo session, you will be comfortable not to worry out the things you can’t control. Be in the moment. Have fun. It’ll show in your images
My two most frequently ask sessions are maternity and headshots. I hope these links calm your worries.
I HATE HEADSHOTS!
Why you should be on BOTH sides of the camera.
Don’t get me wrong. I love shooting headshots. I hate taking them. It’s a necessary evil especially since I am constantly stating that all professionals NEED them.
Here’s what I’ve learned on the other side of the lens.
It’s awkward as hell!
Unless you’re a model, it’s really hard to pose yourself.
I’m not it control, the photographer is.
Comment below if I’m wrong but these are pretty universal feelings for anyone who isn’t a model. This is why it’s important to hire a photographer that knows what they are doing (me). Someone who knows how to pose despite your weight, height, or skin tone (ME). Most importantly, someone who is charismatic to loosen you up (MEEE!!).