Making people feel comfortable in front of the camera is the most important aspect of a shoot. I used to photograph people in my kitchen, which I loved, because the environment distracted subjects from the tough job of being the target of my huge camera. Sitting in a warm kitchen makes the whole process less scary. But shoots there got complicated. I was always building then tearing down the sets and I needed a dedicated room for my lighting and equipment. I have been redesigning my new space, focusing a lot on the backdrops, layering gold and silver sparkly paper under textured white gauzy curtains with a thick canvas as the base. Creating depth adds new dimensions to the portraits, and gives me the versatility to photograph each person both formally and informally. Today, people need different head shots for different social media — a Facebook picture reflects a more casual presence than one for Linked-In or a marketing brochure. Here is an example of two different poses.
Judy Licht Photography 