Headshots - or commercial portraits to you!

Taking someone's portrait is the absolute basis of my photography career.  Whether I'm shooting a wedding or doing commercial photography, somewhere along the line I'll be photographing a person.  And each time, no matter who it is, no matter where we are, I have to make them look their best.  End of story.

If it's a wedding, then it's called a portrait.  I guess it sounds better.

If it's a commercial portrait, then the technical term is a headshot.  Doesn't sound quite as good I guess.  In fact, it's actually a bit sinister isn't it?  After all, the only other people who spring to mind that take headshots are assassins.  So perhaps we ought to stick to commercial portraits.

The secret of a good headshot  ahem commercial portrait has very little to do with the technicalities of photography.  Sure, I have to know how to use a camera correctly.  I have to have chosen the right lens for the situation.  I may have had to rig some studio lights, or set some flash up in order to light the photo the way I want it to look.  But all this is secondary.  The real secret is to build up a rapport with the subject.  That's when the technical stuff kicks in.  Because I build up the rapport, then I get the shot.  It may only last for a few seconds, but the subject will look how I want them to, and I'll seize that moment, capture it on the sensor.

My oldest friend Iain has just set up a new business and wanted some commercial portraits doing for his new website.  He came along to my studio at Arley Hall for these.

Iain works in Digital Media, so we could show him a little more relaxed, and not so formal.  He'll use these for flyers, on his website, to send to conferences he'll be speaking at, and so on.

These days the commercial portrait is ever-important.  Even if you just want something to use for your LinkedIn profile, or even your Twitter avatar, it's worth showing the world you at your best.   Give me a call at the studio and I'd be happy to talk commercial portraits, or even headshots, with you.