Professional Headshots for the People Helping Lead the Pacific Grove Chamber
I have always joined the local chamber of commerce in all three states I have had my photography business. So naturally I joined the Pacific Grove Chamber of Commerce right at the launch of my photo business in California, and became an ambassador right away too. I have valued my relationship with the PG Chamber from the start, getting a referral the very next day! The chamber itself has directly supported my local photography business as well. The latest example was hiring me to make team headshots for the board of directors for the chamber itself. To maximize convenience for every one, board members had the option to come to my photo studio on their schedule, or, at the January board meeting, get their headshot made at the mobile studio setup I had right outside the boardroom. And since that time, through my team headshot system, new board members have come to my studio for the same consistent, professional headshot as everyone else got months earlier. Thank you to the team at the PG Chamber for choosing me as the photographer for photographing the board!
Dr. Gentry reached out to me about the new psychiatric practice he is opening in Carmel, California, and how he wanted a series of personal branding photos for his upcoming website. As his office space was still coming together, we decided to start in my studio here in Pacific Grove for the first shoot, focusing on branding photos that would prominently show his logo on his white coat. We worked carefully together on both expression and posing to get the look Dr. Gentry wanted for representing himself to patients on his website and other branding materials. That process also involved getting the background color right, choosing the best shirt to wear under his white coat, and then focusing on the most important part of all, his eyes, so they conveyed the right tone. Thank you, Dr. Gentry, for your patience as we worked through all of those details together, and thank you for choosing me as your photographer.
When a Team Grows, the Branding Should Still Match
Eight months after I first brought my mobile studio setup to Monterey Natural Wellness to photograph Dr. Allison and her team, and two months after she first sent new team members to my headshot photo studio here in Pacific Grove, she reached out again because a new team member needed a headshot that would match the same established look. Melissa does not live nearby, so I was glad to schedule a shoot time for her specifically that worked best for her to maximize convenience.
A Remote Cabin, Access Challenges, and a Second Trip That Made the Difference
This was one of those real estate shoots where the challenges started as soon as I got to the front door, in particular that the entrance codes provided did not work! As the cabin is tucked deep into Palo Colorado Canyon in the Big Sur area, there was no cell signal, so I had to drive out to get other codes, but those did not work either! Rather than walk away empty-handed, I focused on capturing the exterior images so the client had at least something to work with. Weeks later, after reconnecting with the San Diego-based real estate agents, I returned to the property to complete the interior photography.
A Professional Headshot That Fits Exactly How You Need to Show Up
Whether you need a clean corporate headshot, something more creative, or a quick update for LinkedIn, you can get a professional headshot right here in Pacific Grove—without traveling to San Francisco or Los Angeles.
A Collaborative Branding Session Built Around Personality
I love when clients bring props into the studio, and Mark brought a whole table full! Looking to establish his brand as a dietitian, Mark brought a bag full of fresh vegetables, his favorite cutting board, and a lot of personality to our personal branding photo session. The shoot was a collaboration of shots he had in mind, then he was open to my ideas like tossing the pepper up in the air for a shot! Below you can see the wide variety of shots we made during our session, from some clean white background 3/4 headshot type images, to personality focused photos, to bringing the veggies into the shots! I also got to take some of the veggies home with me after the shoot. Thank you Mark for choosing me as your branding photographer and for the broccoli!
Every headshot session is different, even when you have done hundreds like I have. You never know what is most important to a client until they are in the studio. My experience of making hundreds of headshots allows me to, in real time, provide what each particular client needs. At the start of Allison’s session to make a new headshot for her company’s website, I had no idea I would end up converting her edited headshots to black & white, but I just thought they really worked in black & white, in addition to color. Once we found the pose that Allison liked, we stuck with that and focused on hair position, and background color. We shot on two different gray backgrounds to provide the variety of headshot here, along with two different sweeping hairstyles. I did not know at the start this shoot would go this direction, but I listen to my clients and then make the best headshots I can based on that real time collaboration with clients. Shooting tethered to a 42” screen helps them see, again in real time, which direction they want to go for their headshot style. Thank you Allison for a creative shoot with some of my favorite black & white headshots I have made to date!
