Posts Tagged ‘Mesa’

Business Headshots | Phoenix Executive Portraits

Small business is said to be essential to America’s bustling economy. Here at Lamar Studios we love doing Business headshots. It helps our clients look professional. Instead of putting up an old grainy photo that a friend took on their website, for example, they can post something professionally shot and edited.

What are a few ways a business headshot can be used?

  • Website or blog
  • Business cards
  • Advertising to give a face to your name/business
  • Resumes, when applying for jobs
  • Social networking sites
  • Press releases
  • Company brochures

The components of a good business headshot?

  • Professional makeup/hair
  • A relaxed expression that shows your approachability
  • A flattering pose
  • A well-fitting suit and/or blouse
  • A solid color like gray, blue, green, purple, red, or beige

Overall, just have fun with it! A business headshot will undoubtedly help put a face on your business and draw in new clientele. Here are a few examples of great headshots we have done here at Lamar Studios:

Business Headshots    

 

 

 

 

Wild Horses | Senior Pictures

Recently, I did a senior photo shoot with a wonderful young lady named April. She brought along her horse and I took photos of her in a grove near studio. As you can see, it turned out spectacular! The horse behaved and so did my subject. It was plain to see her and her animal companion had a real connection and I believe it translated on to the pictures quite well. It can be a challenge working with animals but they are such a part of the family that I love when they are included.

Her parents loved this shot so much that they are making a large canvas wall hanging of this one and another. What a great way to preserve the memories of their daughter and her love of horses.

First Communion Portraits | Gilbert Photographer

We recently photographed Abby  for her First Communion portrait.  Her mom has brought her other children in for First Communion pictures in the past and it’s always fun photographing them.  Abby looked so grown up in her white dress and she was a natural in front of the camera.  I could tell she was having fun!  Before we know it, we’ll be taking her senior pictures.

Arizona Mountain Biker | Senior Pictures

I love it when people have a passion for some sport or hobby. It makes it fun to photograph when they are eager to share that passion with me so I can capture some notion of them. Nick is one of the top mountain bikers in Arizona in his class. We shot everything near my Agritopia studio since I didn’t know he was bringing his bike and gear. It would be fun to go on location some day and get some action shots too.

These are a few of the ones I like.

 

 

Bass Playing Senior | Gilbert Photographer

When Cody walked in the door with his bass, I thought, what are we going to do with that huge thing. I had never had a bass in the studio before so I had him get it out of the case and then I had an idea for what to do with that huge thing. I love the beauty of the wood in string instruments and wanted to show it off but this photo was about Cody and how music is part of his life.

Cody and his dad were so easy going and helpful and went along with my ideas even though they had no idea what the end photograph might end like. I think we (the team at Lamar Studios, Cody and his dad) got some great images that they can enjoy and share for years to come.

Here are a few of my favorites.

 

Fun Senior Shoot | Outdoor Photography

It was hot outside but living in the Phoenix area I expected that. What I didn’t expect was how much variety we would get out of just one outfit. Sometimes it’s hard for me to visualize what I want from a shoot but Gabrielle and her mom brought in  some layouts from another shoot that they had seen. The layouts gave me a starting place but I have to make it my own and it’s also hard to duplicate what someone else has done and where is the creativity in that. I also worried that Gabrielle might not be able to pull off the look we were after but she was like a pro. I was impressed how she could get the right look without a lot of direction.

It is so rewarding to see the results of what can happen when it all comes together in a photo shoot. I love shooting the seniors.

Here are a few of my favorites.

 

 

Shoot For The Moon | Arizona Photographer

I went out to photograph the perigee moon. That is when the moon appears it’s largest due to the orbit. It’s pretty rare so I thought it would be fun to see it and get a cool photograph.

I used to say that being there is 90% of getting the shot when photographing landscapes but who knows exactly what percentage it is. The point is that if you aren’t there you get nothing.  If you prepare for a shoot and know what you are doing then you show up and let Mother Nature do her thing.

Of course things don’t always go as planned.  If it’s one you can count on in Arizona, it’s the weather. It’s normally clear blue skies, sunny and warm but not on this day. I knew we were getting some clouds and some kind of weather system so when I went out and could see the moon through the clouds I thought that would be a great shot.  I like photographing the moon with clouds and something on the horizon like mountains or buildings, otherwise it is just a big white ball and doesn’t mean much.

Before I got in the car with my gear to get a good spot I went in my back yard and shot a couple of frames hand held just to see what I might get. Well I got one shot and the moon disappeared so I got in the car and drove to my location and waited like a fisherman for the ‘big one’.

The moon never came out again.  I only had one shot and it wasn’t great. I was a little disappointed but photography isn’t always about getting the perfect shot but also the process. Even though I didn’t get the shot I wanted I enjoyed going out and trying. Photography is just like the rest of life. You make your plans and do everything right and it still doesn’t work out sometimes.

That’s photography, that’s life. Enjoy the process!

The Perigee Moon

Water Babies | Gilbert Arizona Photographer

My girls love to play in the water. My wife caught a few shots of the girls with the camera I got her for Mother’s Day. Those girls love water, dirt, rocks and fancy shoes. I am so blessed by them in so many ways.

Playing With Swords | Senior Pictures Chandler

When Ricky came in for senior pictures he brought a few changes of clothes and seemed like any average seventeen year old boy. In some ways he was a normal teenager, but when I started talking with him and asking about what he likes doing, he said he was into fencing. Yeah, that’s right, with swords.

How cool is that, swords. That was every boy’s dream growing up. We would make a sword out of anything. So here was this guy in my studio who is competes in sword fights and he didn’t want to bring his sword fighting gear because he thought it was weird or something like that.

We kept talking and I told him I thought it was the coolest and I wanted him to come back so I could make some great shots of him in his fencing gear. I told him it was for me and I had some ideas and would he do it for me if not for himself.

He came back and we did a bunch of shots and I’ve posted a few that I like. When he and his family ordered his senior pictures the majority of them were from the fencing shoot.

Rod Stewart sang “Every picture tells a story” which is true but I often find that when I know someone’s story it leads to a picture.  When I take the time to find out even a little bit about someone I am usually blessed and go away richer for it. Thanks to Ricky for sharing a little bit of who he is I had more fun shooting and got some cool images for both of us.

Corey’s Senior Pictures | Gilbert Photography

I love photographing high school seniors and Corey is no exception. I could tell when he came in that this was not what he would choose to do with his free time. He was really nice and very polite but like a lot of high school boys didn’t relish the idea of getting his picture taken.

I came to find out that he likes being behind the camera and is a cinematographer and likes shooting and editing. After I found out that we had something in common, we started talking shop and I was asking him all about his passion. Although I like cinema, I don’t know that much about editing so Corey shared his experience with me.

As we talked, I was able to shoot a more confident Corey and got some great natural shots of him. Once I heard he was into video I knew there was a shot I wanted to get. I’m glad he brought his camera because it helped me tell a story. I envisioned a sort of backlit slightly mysterious photograph leaving a lot the interpretation up to the viewer. Only after we finished shooting and I was prepping the images for viewing did I get the idea for the “cinema verite” poster. It just seemed to fit and had a very sixties look.

I am often inspired by the seniors who come in and are open to sharing a little bit of their lives with me. It always helps me in my photography and I love learning what they are into.