* What is the purpose of the photos? If they're for professional use, obviously the type of work is a key consideration. But also tell your photographer if the image(s) will be used on an existing website or added to a gallery of consistent staff photos, so the photographer can shoot with those constraints in mind. (For instance, if all of the other staff photos are head + shoulders portraits shot in vertical/portrait orientation with a neutral backdrop, you don't want yours to be the only full-length portrait shot in horizontal/landscape orientation outdoors.)
* What tone or vibe does the client want to convey? (Some possibilities might include: confident, trustworthy, outdoorsy, stylish/hip/artsy, approachable, fun, etc.) Have they seen headshots they love, and if so, what did they love about them?
* Indoors or outdoors? If indoors, do they want a neutral, studio look or do they have another particular space in mind, such as their home or workplace? If they work in a visually appealing space - with nice natural light, colors, and/or architectural features - environmental portraits might be a great option. Or, if outdoors, do they want buildings and murals and architecture (an urban setting) or grass, trees, and a bit of wilderness (a more natural setting)?
* What type of lighting? Some client education may be required here - amazingly, not all non-photographers know the difference between (or understand the implications of) flat frontal light vs. sidelight or backlight. :) (Not to mention even finer distinctions such as Rembrandt or chiaroscuro lighting.) Looking at images with different types of light (or having the client collaborate on a Pinterest inspo board of images they love) can be the best way to communicate about lighting preferences.
* What to wear? I generally advise clients to wear what makes them look and feel fabulous - and fit is SO important here! Please don't think you can "get away" with wearing something too snug or too baggy - believe me, IT WILL SHOW. As will wrinkles on a cotton shirt and dog hairs and bra straps and pilling on sweaters. Please, please be kind to your photographer, who truly doesn't want to spend hours in Photoshop removing such things. :) And please try on the complete outfit, including accessories and shoes, before the actual shoot - and then consider the look in a full-length mirror. If you have doubts or would like some feedback, send selfies to your photographer - if they're anything like me, they LOVE these and are more than happy to discuss wardrobe and styling in advance. It's also not a bad idea to bring backup or secondary options to a shoot, just in case your look isn't photographing as well as you thought it would. Generally, it's best to avoid wearing all black, an all-white top, pinstripes, tiny prints, or anything with writing or brand names on it. Keep it simple! Finding a flattering fit, style, and color is really the most important thing.
Some final thoughts: Pinterest can be your friend or your enemy here! Just as with kitchen renovations, using Pinterest to communicate about visuals and find general ideas and inspiration can be very useful, but maybe don't ask your photographer to copy something EXACTLY - every headshot is unique, and yours should be too! And before you begin working with a photographer, be sure to check out the headshots in his/her/their portfolio (you'll see a small selection of mine below). Is there a range of looks, or do they tend to shoot the same basic set-up (lighting, backdrop, expressions) with each client? That's okay if you love the look they're consistently delivering, but don't expect to get a different result from them.
And last but not least: WHEN should you get headshots done? If it's been more than five years, it's almost certainly time. Your appearance has probably changed more than you realize and your photos should reflect your current reality. If you've made a big life shift - such as a new job or geographic move - it's definitely time. And finally, if you're celebrating a major milestone like a significant birthday or meeting a weight-loss or other goal, new headshots would be a great way to reward yourself - new you, new headshots! :)
Please feel free to reach out if you have questions or feedback or would like to discuss a headshot session! And thanks for reading!
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A client doesn't need to know EXACTLY how they want the image to look, of course - and, indeed, part of the magic and fun of photography is being open to seeing what happens during the shoot - but there are several important points to consider (and discuss with your photographer) in advance of the actual photo shoot:
* What is the purpose of the photos? If they're for professional use, obviously the type of work is a key consideration. But also tell your photographer if the image(s) will be used on an existing website or added to a gallery of consistent staff photos, so the photographer can shoot with those constraints in mind. (For instance, if all of the other staff photos are head + shoulders portraits shot in vertical/portrait orientation, you don't want yours to be the only full-length portrait shot in horizontal/landscape orientation.)
* What tone or vibe does the client want to convey? (Some possibilities might include: confident, trustworthy, outdoorsy, stylish/hip/artsy, approachable, fun, etc.) Have they seen headshots they love, and if so, what did they love about them?
* Indoors or outdoors? If indoors, do they have a particular space in mind or do they just want a neutral, studio look? If outdoors, do they want buildings and murals and architecture or grass, trees, and a bit of wilderness?
* What type of lighting? Some client education may be required here - amazingly, not all non-photographers know the difference between (or understand the implications of) flat frontal light vs. sidelight or backlight. :) (Not to mention even finer distinctions such as Rembrandt or chiaroscuro lighting.)
* What to wear? I generally advise clients to wear what makes them look and feel fabulous - and fit is SO important here! Please don't think you can "get away" with wearing something too snug or too baggy - believe me, it will show. As will wrinkles on a cotton shirt and dog hairs and pilling on sweaters. Please, please be kind to your photographer, who truly doesn't want to spend hours in Photoshop removing such things. :) Also, it's generally best to avoid wearing all black, an all-white top, pinstripes, tiny prints, or anything with writing or brand names on it. Keep it simple! Finding a flattering fit, style, and color is really the most important thing.
Some final thoughts: Pinterest can be your friend or your enemy here! Just as with kitchen renovations, using Pinterest to communicate about visuals and find general ideas and inspiration can be very useful, but maybe don't ask your photographer to copy something EXACTLY - every headshot is unique, and yours should be too! And before you begin working with a photographer, be sure to check out the headshots in his/her/their portfolio (you'll see a small selection of mine below). Is there a range of looks, or do they tend to shoot the same basic set-up (lighting, backdrop, expressions) with each client? That's okay if you love the look they're consistently delivering, but don't expect to get a different result from them.
Please feel free to reach out if you have questions or feedback or would like to schedule a headshot session! And thanks for reading!
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And a very Happy Mother's Day to everyone who is (or has) a mom!
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For my last Shanghai post, I wanted to share some favorite shots I've taken of my own family here. Shanghai will always be such a magical place for us: my boy was born here, and the four of us have had the greatest time ever exploring this (enchanting, exasperating, altogether amazing) city together. We're moving on, but we'll definitely be back someday.
And I will continue doing photography in the States, so please watch for updates to this blog and do keep in touch!
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And Michael Crain is the guy who started Chi Fan for Charity in Beijing back in 2009. So when he and his fun-loving family came down to celebrate and enjoy Shanghai’s Chi Fan for Charity event late last year, we did photos! (And as this is one family that likes to plan ahead, we even took a few horse-themed shots for their annual Chinese New Year card :)).
I wish you a very Happy Chinese New Year, and much success in the Year of the Horse! 马到成功!
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In addition to all the usual stuff -- family, friends, good health (you know, all those things that are actually INCREDIBLY PRECIOUS but often taken for granted) -- I am really, really thankful that I get to do creative work I love. Running around Shanghai's temples and parks and neighborhoods with families from all over the world; obsessing over light and angles and backgrounds; and taking pictures that -- if I've done my job well -- will hang on their walls, grace their Facebook pages, and sit smiling out of frames on their desks for years to come. I mean, how cool is that? The thing is, I really believe that beautiful family photos just make life better: they keep happy memories from this time of life vivid and present, and they show people just how beautiful their families are, how much they have to be thankful for . . . .
And of course I couldn't do this work if it weren't for my fabulous clients. Like this family -- clients-turned-friends (I met them for burgers earlier tonight, in fact :)). To date we've done five photo sessions together (you can check out our first session here) and every single time we have so much fun and get so many great shots . . . scroll on down to see a few of my favorites.
So: a huge, heartfelt thank you to all of my clients. And Happy Thanksgiving!
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Speaking of which, can you believe the adorableness of this family? You can tell from the photos that they're totally fun, and the little guy is just as sweet as can be. (His dad told me that the day after our session, he woke up in the morning and the first thing he said was, "I want to go take pictures with Kristy again!" Love that kid!) And his Mama, who was 8 months pregnant at the time of the session, was utterly radiant, full of energy, and already completely in love with the "rainbow in her belly" (a little girl, by the way. :)) Check em out:
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Check out the photos of Annie and her adorable little snake baby, below, and contact me for more details or to book your sessions!
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So without further ado, I present some of my favorite shots from our summer holiday. Enjoy!
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These two in particular were an absolute delight. The bride-to-be is not only impossibly lovely, she is also smart, sensible, and has the patience of a saint (trust me on this one: she’s my daughter’s piano teacher. Oh, yes, she’s also a talented musician!).
The groom-to-be is French, and so they are heading there—to an extremely old castle in France (sigh)—for their June wedding. Nice that they wore white in their engagement session photos because I’m already envisioning the stunning photo wall we’ll put together once they get their wedding photos: a combo engagement-in-China/wedding-in-France composition, with the white clothing tying it all together!
I am simply honored that they chose me to capture this amazing time in their lives, and I wish them a lifetime of making beautiful music together!
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And a very Happy Mother's Day to everyone who is (or has) a mom!
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I've been saving up these photos for a while, waiting for a special occasion . . . . I first met (and photographed) The Twins back in July 2012. We've done several photo sessions since then. Being out on the Bund with these two, you get a sense of how it feels to be a celebrity -- they attract a lot of attention. And for good reason: they're crazy-cute. Double Happiness indeed! It takes a lot of energy to keep up with them, but it is so worth it. I'm very sad to say they're leaving China at the end of the month. I'm going to miss them (and their Mama) so much! But I feel really lucky that I had the opportunity to meet them and document their last months in Shanghai. I think that years from now, The Twins are going to be so grateful to their Mama, who set up all these photos sessions, coordinated all these little outfits and hair bows and props, and always stayed just close enough to make sure they didn't fall off of anything or get into any real trouble. They'll always have these memories of when Shanghai was their playground.
So now, in honor of 2013, I present thirteen of my favorites. Enjoy!
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And we had such fun on our shoot! It was a cold, sunny morning. The family -- including Pumpkin the stuffed puppy, who is absolutely a member of the family -- picked me up in a cab and we headed to the Bund. We played there for a while and then headed to Jing’an Park, where the dancing ladies know this little guy and, boy, do they love him! After a couple of hours of running around we were all pretty tired, but this family was photogenic to the very end. The last shot I took turned out to be one of my very favorites: can’t you just feel the love in that fabulous family hug?!
So back to that title . . . “When Irish Eyes Are Smiling”? Overdone. How about “Merry Crimbo!” (apparently “crimbo” is Irish slang for Christmas . . . but whoops, Christmas is over! Hope you had yourself a merry little one!) Oh well, I’m so eager to share these photos that I’m just going to give up on clever and call it like I see it: Straight Up Adorable Irish Family. Can’t argue with that.
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But last month, Angela took a little break from her marathon training so we could meet up for a family photo session on the Bund. Check it out! (And Angela, if you're reading this: best of luck on Sunday! We'll be cheering for you!)
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Fast forward to this week: the November issue is now available and the photos of Tzu-i and her family look great -- see for yourself! (And why not pick up a copy at your local newsstand -- even if you can't read Chinese, you can always enjoy the photography!)
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The family has lived in Shanghai for years and wanted to revisit several of their favorite spots while the light was still good, so they were up, dressed, and ready to go before 7 am. And we hit the town running!
As you can tell from the photos, this mama is obviously crazy about her little girl (who is not only lovely and photogenic, but also very, very sweet). She's also really fun-loving and had all kinds of great ideas for creative shots. So it was a very happy birthday shoot indeed. See for yourself:
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Now meet Tzu-i Chuang, the chef and freelance writer behind the very popular Chinese blog “Anthropologist in the Kitchen (厨房里的人类学家)” She’s already the mother of one super sweet little guy and now has another on the way – a bona-fide dragon baby! So of course we headed to the Bund to photograph her in all her pregnant glory.
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