Passport photos are one of those things that look like they'd be a simple process but tend to be a bit more complicated than you'd think, right? Well, yes, they really can be. That's why when Jennifer booked a headshot session for herself to update her LinkedIn profile, she wanted to make the most of her session and get a passport photo she really liked to renew her passport.
With a new haircut and a trip just a short ways away, Jennifer wanted to get her passport portraits done quickly and without looking like she was submitting a mugshot - because, many times, you aren't allowed to smile for your passport picture.
Jennifer and I worked on "smizing" to give her eyes the friendliness of her personality. We did multiple different arrangements with her bangs so that she would have all the options she wanted. Then, when all was said and done, Jennifer came out with a lovely portrait!
(Curious to see what her session looked like? check out the behind the scenes video below!)
“Anxiety does not photograph well, ugh”
Being the librarian for an online international college, it was important to Julie that she have headshots that showed her fun-loving spirit, quirkiness and approachability.
"What I'm needing is not so much a Glamour Shots experience as a professional headshot with assistance," Julie's email read with a bit of stress. She went on to explain that her employer had recently provided headshots for her but she needed assistance "minimizing [her] double chin and reminding [her] to smize." Additionally, Julie wasn't happy because she felt anxious and uncomfortable as the portraits took place in a lobby full of people. "Anxiety does not photograph well, ugh" she concluded with resounding frustration.
Julie's recent shoulder surgery had also become an added obstacle. "I'm needing some assistance with hair and makeup partly because I rarely wear makeup anymore, but also because I recently had rotator cuff surgery and cannot reach my eyes with my right hand at the moment. I can't even put my hair in a ponytail by myself."
Even though she was frustrated with the situation, there was a strength behind Julie's words. Admirably, her previous unflattering photographs had not deflated her confidence and, when we finally met in person, she left me smizing myself.
We provided Julie with hair and makeup services for her headshot session and matched four different outfits, ranging from relaxed and business casual to traditional business attire. After 20 minutes in front of the camera, Julie had a great selection to choose from. Check out the video of her session below to see the two favorites she chose!
“Just because you have a certain diagnosis, doesn’t mean you have to live your life like you’re dying.”
On the day of her session, Jacey washed into the studio like a wave greeting the shoreline. She was grounded, excited and ready to have new portraits with her hair all grown back. From the moment she walked in the door, Jacey had a bounce in her step and a propelling energy in her smile.
As a Face of Komen, Jacey is not only a cancer survivor but has also had a reoccurrence of her cancer, which classifies her as Stage 4. You'd never know she'd been fighting so much because her positivity radiates. Once you get to talk to her, however, you start to realize just how much of a fighter she is - constantly staying positive throughout her treatment.
Come and be a part of her session by viewing our behind the scenes video!
Her face may be familiar to you, as she has graced our blog and social media several times. If you're just now meeting her, she's one of the sweetest, most compassionate women. Jen is gracious and graceful and I always love photographing her. This time around, she wanted to do something different, something that let her branch out, something creative, something that excited her.
She sent me oodles of images for inspiration, mainly featuring a parachute dress. Whilst I don't have a parachute dress in my collection, I knew I could create a dress for her. We sent styles back and forth to each other and then got down to selecting a location. Now, being frank, I was a bit apprehensive about photographing at the Arts Park in downtown Winston-Salem. I'm definitely a bare-feet in the grass, fields of flowers and waterfalls kind of lady! However, if Jennifer was willing to push herself, I was willing to be right there with her.
The final bit of inspiration was a story Jennifer sent me. I asked her to send me a story or a feeling she wanted to have captured with these images. This is her story.
"Once there was a girl who was a dreamer, a lover of life with a big open heart. She believed so much in the good in others and had hope for a fairy tale life for herself. Unfortunately, she tended to let the wrong people into her life and she often got left behind holding the pieces of her heart. These pieces were all that were left for her to start over and she did it again and again, opening her heart and being shattered once more. Yet, she remained strong, and kept building her strength, because she knew God had a beautiful plan for her. Her parachute represents the perseverance that has kept her going all these years and her realization that nothing is going to stop her from believing because she always has always been filled with hope and had her own back."
This is what we created to celebrate her strength and her journey, her love and her resilience. Jen has titled this series "Becoming Fearless" and I couldn't love the name any more than I do because it's perfect for her!
