An accounting firm with personality?  I know, I thought it was a myth, too.  Until I met these guys.  Laughing, joking, having fun with one another – these accountants are a far cry from the stereotype of classic number people.  (No offense intended to accountants out there – you know the stigma of your industry!)  I enjoyed taking their corporate portraits last Friday for their new website.  I hope these images can convey some of the personalities at their office, and make their firm stand out from the more cookie-cutter accountant websites out there.  Happy Monday!

John came out of the office with a crazy joker-esque smile.  He wasn’t being creepy – he’d had three quadrants of his jaw numbed with novocain.  We were visiting his family in Milwaukee this last week, and he took the opportunity to have his sister, Dr. Nancy Larson, fill three cavities.   While he was slowly trying to regain feeling in his face, I had the pleasure of photographing the office and all the partners at the practice for their upcoming website.

If you or a family member live in Milwaukee, I’d highly recommend these three.  They have such a pleasant office, and everyone working there is so friendly and knowledgeable.  It’s a shame they don’t practice in Denver!

I’ll be honest, I laughed.  When I mentioned to a friend that I was going to photograph a couple of plumbers for Garvin’s, the response I got was “don’t get any crack in the photos.”  Kind of a lame joke, but it did make me laugh a bit.  No crack.  Just smiles from two of their friendly guys. :)

It’s Monday – let’s do something corporate to celebrate :) Here are a few of the headshots taken of Larry and Shara of Roundhouse Advisors, Inc this afternoon.

Larry could barely stand up after we took this first shot – he’s knees were not happy with me.  I asked in advance if it would be hard on his legs to squat like that, but Larry took it more as a challenge than a question and just did it.  Regardless, I think it was well worth the effort, but I guess only Larry can be the judge of that one :)

Happy Monday!

Maybe you can’t keep your eyes open for photos.  Or you always have red eye and look washed out.  Perhaps you have a cheesy “camera smile” that comes out of nowhere when you see a camera.  For whatever reason, you’ve decided you are not photogenic.  Terribly, horribly, irreparably un-photogenic.  You should just never have your photo taken again because you’ll always look horrible.  Wrong!

If you think you aren’t photogenic, you simply haven’t worked with the right photographer.  Or maybe you haven’t worked with a photographer at all.  People judge themselves as not photogenic because photos their friends take of them at parties never turn out well.  Of course not!  Direct flash, red eye, poor timing, too many cocktails…it’s a perfect storm of ickiness.

The best photos of people arise from natural moments when they aren’t posing for the camera, aren’t making their characteristic photo face – aren’t over-thinking it.  That’s why documentary photography is the best way to get great photos of everyone.  I’ve had many clients who think they don’t look good in photos, or don’t like having pictures taken.  Once they’ve taken photos with me, they’re usually singing a different tune.

So what’s the secret?  There’s a few.  Professional equipment is one, alongside professional training (it helps to know how that fancy camera works, after all :) )  » Continue reading “Being photogenic is a myth. Really.”