Headshots for Business
Executive Headshots
SILVERMAN is a commercial photographer in Minneapolis who shoots a wide range of professional headshots for business. He creates professional business portraits in his studio. In addition, more than half of his work taking executive headshots is performed on location. He frequently sets up a portrait studio at client offices. Steve Silverman also shoots environmental headshots and corporate lifestyle photography also known as In Your Space™ captured moments of people at work.
His clients include professional services firms such as architects, engineers, banks, law firms, accounting firms, manufacturers, and real estate developers. He photographs a lot of men but specializes in women's professional headshots.
People who want a professional business headshot are look for a portrait that is authentic and natural. The challenge: they’re often uncertain about what “authentic” or “natural” means. They wonder if they should look concerned, studious, confident, happy, or friendly. Perhaps they should consider looking warm, empathetic and deeply understanding.
This makes it more challenging and interesting for SILVERMAN to make the kind of professional business headshot that he believes is the most effective: a visual narrative. Simply put, he wants to create executive headshots that express the real, authentic character of the individual so that potential clients, customers, or employers get a clear feeling that who that person is.
Process.
Rather than a snapshot in time, as a photographer for headshots Steve Silverman approaches the creation of a portrait as discovery into the heart of his subject. For example, if you approach someone as a lawyer, then you get a typical “lawyer” portrait—staid and unfeeling. SILVERMAN goes deeper by taking the time before he even picks up the camera to find out more about that person. People are more than their job: they may be a foodie, craftsman, actor, hiker, hunter, mother, or even a Sunday school teacher. All of these are more dynamic than just, “lawyer” or "CPA" because they represent the whole person, not just a job title.
Setting the stage.
When people book a photo shoot, SILVERMAN sends them a guide to help them prepare. It includes information about what to wear for a professional headshot. See it here: click.
People come to a portrait shoot with some common feelings of dread. My favorite quote: “I’d rather have a root canal.” Many have well-constructed protective walls built around their persona. Steve Silverman is an experienced Minneapolis portrait photographer. He makes it a point to be ready for his clients: camera and studio strobes ready to go, background set up, and music playing in the background. With overhead lights turned off, he creates an almost theatrical scene with a lit stage surrounded by darkness. The idea is to let the subject know they are entering a special space, one different from where they just came from, and where the potential exists for a new expression.
Prelude.
Before the subject gets in front of the camera, Steve talks about simple things like the weather or traffic. He stays away from talking about their work, since that can be distracting. Eventually, he will ask something like: “What matters to you most in your life?” Or, “What do you most enjoy out of the office?” That’s when everything changes. The conversation becomes all about being a foodie, as an example, and the business persona starts to peel away.
The Photo Shoot.
During pauses in the shooting, he shows the subject some of the shots which are automatically downloaded to an iPad. They have the chance to see the direction the shoot is going, which increases their buy in and enjoyment of the business portrait experience.
After the Photo Shoot.
Integral to corporate photography is the creation of a web gallery of proofs from the photo shoot. A professional photo editor culls the images (usually 50-60 shutter clicks) down to a select number of images by eliminating blinks and redundant photos. Through that link, the client can review the images from the shoot and share them with others.
Once final selections are made, the photo editor fully retouches the images and they are sent to the client.
More about SILVERMAN'S services, click here
Return to the home page, click here