Collage of Commercial Photography Photoshoot of Executives In Raleigh NC By DWPPC

If you are with a company looking for an executive portrait photographer, I hope this overview will not bore you nor sound like a sales pitch. The goal is for it provide enough details for you to ask more questions to the photographer(s) that you are considering for your current or future project and to see that DWPPC is efficient in the way a photoshoot of business professionals is approached.

I shot the images on the right in the Raleigh area which included a team group shot and each person photographed individually. It also included the 4 executive partners photographed together which is not included in the collage on the right.

Images like these will make a huge difference on this company’s website compared to poor quality attempts done internally or photography by someone who happens to own a “nice” camera. It’s not the camera that yields the results. It’s the experience level of the individual using the camera.

I showed up on location for this shoot with two assistants and more gear than the three of us could carry  to the second floor in one trip. That’s pretty typical of how a location shoot works. It’s critical to me that I yield great results and work efficiently to make sure the client has a FIVE star experience throughout the complete process.

As you can see there are 14 team members dress professionally in the group photo. The goal was to also do individual shots of each of the 14 team members as well. You can see that in what I consider the 5 executive style portraits pictured below the group shot.

In all of the shots but the one of the executive female pictured in the bottom right, I used LARGE octaboxes with studio strobes for the lighting. The only difference in the executive female portrait is that it was shot in a much smaller area with SMALL octaboxes with studio strobes.

For the group shot, I positioned everyone so that I could see their faces and made sure that the lighting was not casting shadow from the 2nd row to the 3rd row which can be a problem if the photographer is not careful. I also made sure that I had plenty of depth of field to ensure focus from the front row to the back.

The next part may be hard to believe (or maybe not in the digital age). But I shot around 1,000 images in under 4 hours. The client usually has the image proof link within 24 hours of the photoshoot. Then, the client picks the final images to be edited based on an agreement in advance of how many final images are needed. For example, two final images of each of the 14 people plus a few groups shots seems to be about right on this particular project.

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Prominent Raleigh Attorney Photographed At His Raleigh Office

On location executive portraits are just one of the areas that I focus on in the commercial and business photography segment of my business. The image above was taken in a North Raleigh Law Office of a well known Raleigh Attorney that advertises on TV very often in the Raleigh market. I managed to get numerous usable shots of him in 3 different outfits in about 45 minutes. However, I did have help: Two Assistants and A Makeup/Clothing Professional along with the head of marketing for the law firm. But in my world of commercial photography, all of that is not uncommon.

This post is not really about executive portraits though. It’s really about “What Are You Passionate About?” as a photographer. Why are you focusing on the segment(s) of the industry that you a pursuing? Are you truly focused on the right market segment?

Photographers should pursue the core area(s) they are truly passionate about and not go after a market segment because of the potential financial benefit. For example, a friend of mine is passionate about wedding photography, but I a have ZERO desire to shoot weddings. I am passionate about commercial and business photography. Why?

There are several reasons that I am passionate about commercial and business photography.

1) I love working with busy professionals (some well known) and getting results for them quickly.
2) I love the varying dynamics of a commercial assignment compared to a consumer photoshoot.
3) I love how the images will be used which is often in publications, other print media, advertising, on a company website, etc.
4) I love the fast paced environment of corporate events and literally having seconds to get the shot.
5) I love negotiating contracts and closing new business. That’s a non-photography motivator.
6) I love the travel involved. It’s nice to get out of the studio and it’s nice to travel the US. But not all the time.
7) I love working with marketing professionals, creative directors, agencies, etc. that are often involved in commercial assignments.
8) I love doing individual headshots because I a passionate about capturing the personality of one single person.

This list is NOT all inclusive but are things that literally came to me as I started typing. If you are a photographer and cannot list numerous reasons why are you focused on the area(s) of photography that you are focused on and do it without hardly thinking about it, you may want to reconsider your area of focus. Notice that the closest thing to money in my 8 quick points above is #5 not all 8.

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I don’t know what it is with so many people using selfies for their LinkedIn profile and especially images shot inside their car. I just saw someone who updated their LinkedIn headshot a few minutes ago post a headshot taken in the backseat of a car. What’s up with that? That’s not the only inside of a car LinkedIn profile shot that I’ve seen.

LinkedIn’s current search result comes up as follows… “LinkedIn:World’s Larges Professional Network – Manage your professional identity. Build and engage with your professional network. Access knowledge, insights and opportunities.” Nothing about that says, “Please post a poorly done cellphone selfie and be sure you are in your car when you take the shot because that will really help you professionally.”

I am not writing this post begging for headshot business. Those that get it will choose me or another professional to take their headshot. The post is meant to get anyone reading it to think about their PROFESSIONAL IMAGE online especially when it comes to a LinkedIn profile headshot. Does a cellphone selfie really provide the best possible individual brand image? Hmmm… probably not. Will a professional headshot taken by a professional photographer make a difference in the way others perceive someone on professional level? It’s a pretty safe bet that it will.

The young lady pictured to the right above is an attorney. Does the image of her represent her better professionally than a cellphone selfie shot in her car? I’d say yes. Personally, I wouldn’t want to hire an attorney, life coach, business consultant or other professional who had a poorly done (selfie) headshot on their LinkedIn profile. To me, it shows that the person doesn’t really care about their professional image, so why should I care about doing business with them? For a law firm looking to hire an attorney, would the cellphone selfie in a car or the image above on the right give a better impression? That’s a no brainer, obvious answer.

The key point for anyone reading this using a cellphone selfie and especially one inside their car is to seriously consider finding a professional photographer to have a truly professional headshot taken. If that’s me, great. If not, leave it to another professional photographer. There is still a huge benefit to hiring a professional photographer for certain pictures of yourself even with all the cellphone selfies taken these days. Your headshot is YOUR brand.

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Headshot For LinkedIn Profile Picture

A professional headshot is one of the most powerful and affordable pieces of your personal brand. The image on the left is of a lady who came into our North Raleigh Studio for the purpose of updating her LinkedIn profile picture. In her case, she didn’t have a picture on her LinkedIn profile at all. Honestly, as a photographer, I had rather see someone with the default no picture LinkedIn image than a terrible phone shot that is not well lit and grainy looking. Phone shots have their place and some phone shots are better than others, but as a general rule, when it comes to LinkedIn and other professional uses of a headshot, it is really best to get a real professional headshot taken by a photographer with proven results.

Some people get the value of a professional headshot and want to represent themselves in the best manner possible. Other people either have not slowed down long enough to make it happen or they just don’t see the value in today’s digital age in having a true professional take their headshot. “My spouse can use my phone with me standing against the living room wall and it’ll be a nice shot.” With that in mind, think about this concerning the image on the left: It was shot in studio against a pure white background with two studio lights for the background and the side of the subjects face and two additional studio lights from the front and it was shot with a professional camera and professional lens plus post production editing was done on the image for optimal results. I’m sorry, but a phone shot against the living room wall is just not going to cut it for those who really care about their professional image. Your headshot is your brand.

In the Raleigh market, there are lots of great headshot photographers that charge between $100 and $250 to get a nice professional headshot taken and delivered. If someone is shopping for something below $100, they can go with a part-time photographer who has a day job or go to JcPenney Portrait Studio (now that Sears Portrait Studio is gone).  But for $100 to $250 and those that are serious about their professional image, there are lots of full time professionals in Raleigh.

Of course, if you are reading this on my blog, I hope to at least be a photographer that you consider for your professional headshot and ultimately the one you select if you like my work and find my pricing to be a fit for your budget. FYI, I’m not $250 for a headshot. Just click the button below for more details or call me at 919.723.8453.

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Brenda (wife and editor) and I have a photography studio located in North Raleigh just off Six Forks Road. The executive headshot portrait that you see to the left was taken in our studio.

One of the primary focal points of our business is both in studio and on location business headshots. There are numerous lighting scenarios and backgrounds that can be used to create an amazing headshot that any business professional will be proud of.

Professional portrait photography is something that I absolutely love doing. Individual portraits, to be more specific, are my true passion. As a professional portrait photographer, there is just something about the individual human face that appeals to me more than taking pictures of products or nature. And although I do group shots of business people, it’s working with the individual in front of the camera that truly drives me as a headshot photographer.

There are a lot of great photographers in the Raleigh market. I’m friends with several of them. And, of course, there are a lot of wanna be photographers that think because they own a “nice camera” that they are a photographer which I don’t have a problem with as long as they learn how to use their gear and don’t burn everything to a CD unedited for $29. I said all of that to say this: If you are truly looking for someone who specializes in headshot portrait photography, then consider those photographers over those who truly specialize in wedding photography. As a professional photographer, I will admit that I cannot do justice in the wedding photography world and I have intentional chosen to focus on the commercial side of photography not the consumer side with headshots being a core part of what I do.

 As the title of this post states, Brenda and I are generally in Monday-Friday (by appointment only) and primarily focus on just individual headshot portraits in studio. A lot of my larger photography projects are on location with some of them being out of state. The North Raleigh Photography Studio serves as a home base as well as a great place to do individual headshots in two different studio rooms. 

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4 Lighting – Studio Portrait – Shot At 162 Wind Chime Court In Raleigh NC By Portrait Photographer David Williams

The dictionary defines a portrait as a painting, drawing, photograph, or engraving of a person, especially one depicting only the face or head and shoulders. With that said, I do a lot of portraits, but of business professionals and a few models. Although family photography shows a lot of faces, families are not my focus. I truly specialize in individual portraits.

A core part of what I do are head and shoulder shots also referred to as a headshot. However, a headshot can also be a really tight portrait of mostly just the face. I absolutely love doing individual portraits because I enjoy the individual personalities depicted through a portrait like the one you see to the left. Whether it’s more of a lifestyle portrait like the one on the left or a business executive type portrait, I am still absolutely passionate about photographing individuals.

The title of this post “Portrait Photography In Raleigh NC By Photographer David Williams” is appropriate because Brenda (wife) and I have a portrait studio located at 162 Wind Chime Court just off Six Forks Road in Raleigh. The studio is set up perfectly for individual portraits while allowing a home base for the equipment needed for the location portrait work that I do. It’s not uncommon for a company in the Raleigh area to hire me as their photographer to set up at their location to do business and executive portraits of the core team or the whole team for smaller companies.

Before the 1980’s were over, I had photographed thousands of people for individual headshot portraits. In those days, it was all film photography which although I still shoot some film, I must say that I love digital. The only downside to digital photography is that so many people try to jump in the photography industry without the knowledge needed to create a nice portrait. There is far more to getting a great headshot portrait than just point and click. I believe that someone who just picked up a “nice camera” over the weekend could not get the same result as the portrait on the left. Not only is it a 4 lighting in studio set up, but it also involves camera and composition knowledge along with building a rapport with the subject.

Portraits of individuals are something that I am truly passionate about: If you are looking for an experienced portrait photographer in Raleigh that focuses on individuals, please feel free to call me direct at 919.723.8453 or use the online contact form.

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Canon 5D Mark III with 70-200mm f/2.8 Canon Lens and Canon Battery Grip

It’s true that a photographer doesn’t have to own pro gear like you see above to produce a professional headshot. However, it’s not just the gear . It’s the experience using the gear along with the experience of working with someone to get a great shot plus post production editing just to name a few important elements that make up a great headshot.

In the Raleigh Market, you can find numerous professional photographers that are priced between $100 to $200 for a professional headshot that will look great on your LinkedIn profile, company website, etc. That’s a small investment to make if you want to make a great first impression with an image of yourself. A professional headshot represents you and your brand and a picture (good or bad) really is worth a thousand words.

If you, your spouse, your significant other, family member or friend own a camera but do not actually shoot professionally, it is very tempting to have someone other than a professional take your headshot. The world of digital photography has made everything so much easier than the film days of photography. But even a headshot is more than just point and shoot. It’s about capturing the best of you. A great headshot makes a difference and considering the Raleigh market has numerous true professionals who will provide a headshot for $100 to $200, you will save time getting it right the first time.

As a professional, I have had people come to me after trying to do it themselves. I’ve heard things like it’s just a headshot it cannot be that hard but they found out otherwise. I had one person that was going to be featured in a magazine article and the magazine rejected their image but had no issue with my image.

5 Quick Reasons To Hire A Professional Photographer For a Headshot:

1) The Gear: Lighting and Camera
2) The Experience Of A Professional
3) The Ability To Capture YOU
4) The Post Production Editing
5) The Cost Will Not Break The Bank

Bonus Reason: Buy Local – Support Local – It keeps the money in the local community and helps us all support each other.

For an investment of between $100 to $200, why not get it done right the first time? Use the quote button in the upper right to find out more.

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22 Inch Beauty Dish From Front With Side Light On Left And Right

I am very fortunate to be able to work with my wife and business partner, Brenda Williams. Her office is right beside mine and she does the photo editing for our photography business located just off of Six Forks Road in North Raleigh.

The professional headshot that you see above was taken with a Canon 5D Mark III, a Paul C. Buff Einstein strobe with a 22 inch beauty dish attached and two additional strobes placed to the right and left of the subject to provide side light on the face as well as light to the background. As you can see, I did my part from the photography side; however, that is not enough in the digital age to truly get the best image possible. It is necessary to use editing tools to truly achieve a solid professional image that the client will not just like but LOVE!

With this image, Brenda used Portrait Pro 12 to do much of the work, pulled it into Photoshop for some additional touches then finalized it in Lightroom. You’ll find links to all 3 of these further down the page as well as 2 additional programs.

So many people are familiar with Photoshop that they say things like…”Photoshop my wrinkles out.” … “Photoshop it until I look 10 years younger.” … “Photoshop this or that.” However, most professional photo editor’s likely used a combination of both Photoshop and Lightroom or may even use 5 different software programs like Brenda does that you will find links to below:

Portrait Pro 12

Lightroom

Photoshop

Topaz Suite

Photomatix

The final image result is our brand. In the photography business, if we cannot produce an awesome final image, we might as well find something else to do. Many people do not realize what goes into a headshot session both on the front end (shooting) and the back end (editing). Finding the right headshot photographer that takes his and/or her business as serious as Brenda and I do will make a difference. It’s also a really affordable investment to get a truly professional headshot because it’s not only our image on the line but those who use our images to portray themselves.

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Fill Flash Plus 5-in-1 Reflector

The details in this post are not meant for the beginner. A photographer that is familiar with his or her camera and using a flash should understand the details just fine. If you have any questions, please feel free to email me David [@] dwppc [.] com … coded to avoid SPAM.

The image on the right was shot outdoors in the shade, but thanks to fill flash and a 5-in-1 reflector, it has a bright dynamic that it would not have had without the flash and the reflector. If this shot had been taken under the natural conditions that the model was in, it would have been a far different image because she is in solid shade and the background is very bright. Don’t get me wrong, solid shade is nice and can still work well; however, when possible, I choose to use a fill flash outside which I do most of the time. In this case, I had an opportunity to also use a 5-in-1 reflector as well.

I chose to put the subject in front of a bright outdoor background but wanted her in the shade to avoid squinting and harsh sun. I set my f/stop to f/5.6 on my Canon 70-200mm f/2.8 lens so that I could get the shallow depth of field you see (out of focus background). Although my flash has high speed sync which is often good for outdoor shooting with fill flash and will allow the camera sync with the flash beyond 1/200th, I wanted to be below 1/200th. So I made sure my ISO and the f/5.6 helped me achieve a shutter speed of around 1/100th. My Canon 600 EX-RT TTL flash was attached to the camera with a small rogue flash bender. I turned the flash head upward because I shot in a vertical position. The bottom line is that I got my camera reading to where I wanted it and let the TTL (communication of flash and camera) work it’s magic. I do tend to shoot a little overexposed, so my camera was likely set 1/3 higher than the meter and my flash was likely set a little stronger as well. In addition to the fill flash, I had an assistant hold a 5-in-1 silver reflector at waste level to reflect additional light back up on the subject… All Done!

5-in-1 Reflector – Click The Image To Visit Amazon

The 5-in-1 reflector pictured on the right can be purchased for under $30 on Amazon. If you don’t own one it would be a nice addition to your equipment at minimal cost.

The reflectors are called 5-in-1 because there are many ways that it can be used. There is a silver and gold reflective option. When you reverse that, you’ll have black on one side and white on the other which you can find many uses for. The final option which is very nice is to take the cover completely off and have translucent white which can help you create your own shade in bright sun by holding the reflector above the subject and letting the sun shine through the white.

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The model was in a shaded walkway area between two office condo buildings.  I wanted the bright light that you see behind her to help make the image pop.  The daylight reading was f/5.6 which I adjusted the camera via ISO and Shutter Speed to get.  Although I was on manual, you could set your camera for aperture priority at f/5.6 or on manual at f/5.6 and get the meter to even out based on the f/stop by adjusting your shutter speed and potentially ISO if needed.  I purposely slightly over exposed the image, so my meter was NOT exactly even at f/5.6.

I used a C-stand with a boom arm mounted with an Einstein strobe and a 22 inch beauty dish.  I used two sand bags on the C-stand to keep it from tipping over.  I adjusted the strobe manually instead of using a light meter.  With the adjustment on the strobe, I shot a few images until the light looked like it was balanced.  If I had of used a light meter, I could have adjusted it to f/5.6 to match it with the daylight.

***Equipment List…
Canon 5D Mark III
Canon 70-200mm F2.8
Pocket Wizard
Paul C. Buff 640 WS Einstein (Strobe)
Paul C. Buff 22 Inch Beauty Dish (White)
Paul C. Buff Vagabond Mini (Outside Power)
C-Stand with Boom Arm and Sandbag
Visit Paul C. Buff

***As for equipment, depending on where you are with your photography, you may not have most of the items listed and you may not be shooting with professional gear. That’s OK! You have to start where you are and use what you have. If you have a camera, a lens and a flash, you can still try to balance daylight and strobe together to create a similar shot.

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