Ignatius Friend
Recently, I was commissioned to take headshots for a client. I’ve known the client for a while, but we only recently started working together. The client specified that the images be taken in a studio. I don’t do much studio photography, so I had to brush up on my lighting knowledge to get the results they wanted. The light in studio situations differs significantly from the concert photography I’ve previously done. Concert photography is thrilling and requires flexibility. Studio photography is controlled, well-planned, and thought-out, and I normally fly by the seat of my pants, so this would be an opportunity for me to sit down and plan beyond simply “taking pictures.” I needed to carry my lights, check batteries, and put up the lighting in a studio that I hired. I had only 15 minutes until my client arrived, so I had to move quickly. The client was amazing, and she was extremely professional and punctual. She arrived early and had her cosmetics professionally done shortly before coming. That is always beneficial and reduces the amount of effort required in post-production while editing. However, she was so adept at posing that I ran out of ideas and poses after about 20 minutes. This surprised me, given that she was not a professional model. There were still around 40 minutes left in the shoot, and I wanted the client to make the most of the time they had scheduled, so I made a decision that I would not have made otherwise. We pivoted and took images in the waiting room, and while the shots were basic, I used props to give them more character and shot from several perspectives to provide variation. Fortunately, the photographs came out beautifully. The client was satisfied, and I went on to photograph the remaining employees at the non-profit. I hadn’t taken photos in a studio in years, but simply being confident allowed me to retain my composure, as well as and perform a fantastic job.
VSU ART + DESIGN 