The Executive Portrait Session

They make money the old fashioned way… they earn it! I have been working with The Ladera Group creating executive portraits for several years. These Smith-Barney investors are like most other busy executives. Time is money! So, portrait sessions have to be quick, but good.

Our session yesterday was done in maybe fifteen minutes max. Executive schedules are crazy, but this was the first session on a day that would take me from Torrance to Cerritos to Pasadena in unpredictable Los Angeles traffic.

I created this blog as a place to share photographic insight with photographers of every level. Plus, many of my clients sometimes need a pro but can't afford one. With a little planning, the shot with horrible shadows can become a keeper. So this is the first posting.

The most important tip, for any photographer is to take control. The photo location is really a huge factor in creating great images. Stop… breath… and then look around. Why take the shot in a place with bad to horrible light, or less than ideal background when you could move to a better spot?

The Smith Barney office in Torrance is like so many other offices… space is expensive, so the conference room is normally the only place to shoot. There was a spot on the second floor of the building that presented a much better location than the conference room. Perfect! White ceilings that I could bounce light from and a look that really said business; now, could we use it? Since September 11, security teams in most business towers will quickly stop you from taking photos. Get permission or move fast!

Once permission was granted, I set up two lights, bounced them from the ceiling, took a meter reading with my trusty light meter and was shooting in ten minutes.

I want to thank René Nourse, CFP®, Carl Davis, CIMA®, and his son Kyle Davis for giving me the opportunity to create the image and to share it here on my blog. Hopefully this posting will come to mind the next time that you are about to snap the shutter.