Team Portraits for energetic businesses in New England
Professional Business Portrait of a smiling team member by Cynthia August Images Photography. Cynthia August specializes in team portraits and professional headshots photographed on location in natural light for advertising and marketing.
Photographing on location, working to make each individual headshot outstanding on its own but also strong and powerful within the larger picture of a company, and often in the natural available light of a workplace, she creates team portraits with visual continuity and special attention paid to company style sheets and branding briefs. Calm and capable, with a strong art direction background and a sense of what makes a perfect professional portrait, Cynthia's photography style is fresh, bright, energized and extroverted.
From Cynthia August Images Photography's Blog: Ways to Make Your Headshot Great from Cynthia August Images
So…you’re having your picture taken! Congratulations! Most of the time it is for a wonderful reason, and is exciting, but with the anticipation comes the inevitable questions: What should I wear? Should I have my hair cut? What about this blemish? What about this color? Makeup? Really? But I’m a guy! And so on.
Fear not. My mission to create a perfect photo that captures the real you begins long before the session. This little FAQ sheet can help answer some of those burning questions, and just might give you real inspiration for the shoot. So here we go!
1. WHAT SHOULD I WEAR? Excellent question. In general, solid pastel colors and deep tones are best, ones that compliment your skin and are attractive, but not too loud. They should not draw too much focus, since we’d rather see you first, and what you are wearing after. Avoid black. Even though it is classic, and thought of as slimming, it often is too harsh for digital photography – think dark grey, navy, or even a deep brown or green instead. Same goes for white, which can be so bright it competes with everything else in the picture and washes complexions out. Avoid prints in general, but if you want to try one make sure it is a big print without too much contrast. Small prints with big contrast will make your images moiré on the web, and it is less than attractive. What is a moiré? I’m glad you asked. Sing with me:
"When new lines hit your eye from two screens when they ply, that's a-moire!'
Yikes. I don’t want this for you. So skip checks, polka dots, pinstriped shirts, tight herringbones, plaids, and the like.
As far as what type of clothing to wear, if you are a business client, you are best wearing a suit jacket and a neat shirt or blouse. Iron your stuff, I beg you! Wrinkles are miserable for everyone and much harder to remove with Photoshop than with an iron. If you are an actor, choose clothing that is a more neutral version of the type of character you might be cast for. Are you a teenager? Dress like a teen! But if you have more of a clean cut image and you are hoping to be cast for commercials as an All-American son or daughter, leave the Goth look at home. Or budget for multiple looks. Bottom line: Dress for your audience.
1. SHOULD I HAVE MY HAIR CUT/COLORED AND MAKEUP DONE?
Yes…but. Now is not the time for big changes unless you know you intend to keep them.
Don’t try a new style, color, or makeup regimen the night before. Stick with the best look you regularly create. If you have booked one of my hair and makeup artists this will be understood – we strive for a look that is natural, a heightened version of your everyday best. If you are using your own artists and stylists, make sure they understand this too. If they have a new creative look they are dying to try with you, awesome – let’s book a creative shoot and go crazy – I love those! But this shot is not for that.
• BUT CYN, I’M A GUY. Awesome. You still need attention to hair and skin, even though we won’t (most likely!) be making you up. Otherwise, same rules apply.
2. OH MY GOSH I HATE MY _______________. I feel you. Believe me I do. One of the reasons I love to be behind the camera is that I don’t have to be in front of it! BUT after taking pictures of people for many years, I have learned a few things about what we see in ourselves vs. what others see in us. Here are five things to remember:
• We are our own worst critic. The rest of the world sees you with far kinder eyes than you see yourself. I can’t tell you how many times I have heard someone say ‘Ugh! My ____ is so _______!’ only to have the staff in the shoot say ‘I never even noticed it until you pointed it out!’ and mean it. Those things you obsess about? Even if someone else does notice them, they give far less focus, time and judgment to them than you do, and spend more time seeing your good stuff. So really. It’s okay. Honest.
• There is a science to making a good photo. Yup, I said making, not taking. Ask anyone who has worked with me and they will tell you that I have ways to help you stand/sit/move that help you get your best shot without feeling awkward or forced. I research and test this stuff ALL THE TIME.
Don’t believe me? Check it out: Proof.
• I can fix a lot of things in a way you’d never notice afterward.
Eyes not open wide enough? Yup, can fix that a bit. Blemish? Gone. Rogue hair? Yes, absolutely, I do it every day. Wrinkles? Softened. Jawline smoother?
Yup. And while that seems like a lot of Photoshop plastic surgery, remember that 1.) I’m an expert and 2.) I am committed to making your image a photo of you, not some plastic version of you. Natural, intuitive retouching. Always.
• Your mindset going in will help create a good photo. This is one of those things you have to do for yourself, and it may be hard if you really hate getting your picture taken, but believe me, it helps tremendously. Give yourself a pep talk, reflect on the good stuff, let it fill you up, and bring that to the shot. Really helps!
• You’re safe with me! I’m here for one thing – to help you create a picture of yourself that reflects all the terrific things you are. And I won’t quit until that happens. Plus I’m nice. So relax. We’ve got this. Really. Let's take some pictures!