CEO Portrait

[tedBalog]

Work has asked me to do some portraits of our new CEO. I've never done "business" style posing, any hints, tips or ideas?

[Nackattack]

Gotta give us a little more to go on. All I can say with this is leverage your strengths and try to play to them rather than re-invent yourself. If you have some new ideas, try them out on someone else before you try them during a paid gig. Keep it simple!

[Monito]

1) Visit the site.

2) Conceive a lighting setup, bearing in mind the background. Ideally conceive it this way: light the set and then light the person.

3) Practice the light setup if you are unsure.

4) On the day, go there, setup as quickly as you can and do your test shots with a standin.

5) When the CEO comes in, establish rapport, make 3-5 photos ASAP, and thank the CEO.

6) Tear down.

7) Process.

I did something like that for a federal candidate. I had to make both vertical and horizontal photos. I put him on one side and on the other for each, so that makes 4. I made two photos of each in case of blinks, so that's 8. Plus three test shots. Outdoors. In bright sun with a diffuser and flash fill.

From first test shot to last photo was four minutes 20 seconds.

And off he went. Didn't waste his time.

[neil_r]

If he wears glasses look out for reflections.

[ni$mo350]

^ +1 keep it simple for the most part, same with editing styles. No need to over do it. Do you have any lighting equipment? I don't see any in your sig. You dont' need it but it's definitely nice to have. It's also usually shot in a business type of setting so if you are using some sort of aritifical light, make sure to balance the color and amount with the ambient available. Any of your lense should do just fine.

[ni$mo350]

I shot the co-owners of a packaging company in Portland in December. Here's some quick shots where they requested they wanted the shots taken. 5dii+24-70L for both and a single Profoto 7b with stock reflector. The finished shots were cropped a bit tighter but it gives you an idea.

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5203/5280633218_a0f1626c6b_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chrisg_photography/5280633218/)
Dan-6 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chrisg_photography/5280633218/) by ChrisG Photography (http://www.flickr.com/people/chrisg_photography/), on Flickr

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5010/5277714154_d8c955f6d3_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chrisg_photography/5277714154/)
Jim1 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chrisg_photography/5277714154/) by ChrisG Photography (http://www.flickr.com/people/chrisg_photography/), on Flickr

[ni$mo350]

With that said, make sure the tie is set properly and not hanging out (my fault), posture, chin up and out.

[NicolasRubio]

I did it once... with the CEO of Aerolíneas Argentinas (our flagship airline). I have a good relationship with him, so it was very easy to deal with. Nevertheless, they didn't care much about the photo as a whole (background, lighting, etc)... they just cared about how HE looked like and what did he transmit to people with the photograph.

They wanted him to look young (he is 36) and transmit confidence to people as he had just been hired to resuscitate the company which was almost dead at the time.

Believe me that I did my best in terms of photography, but I could change nothing in the background and I could only use the camera-mounted 580EX II with a bounce card (45 degrees up).

Here is what I came up with (SOOC):

http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm263/NicolasRubio/FotoInstitucionalMarianoRecalde007.jpg

http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm263/NicolasRubio/FotoInstitucionalMarianoRecalde006.jpg

http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm263/NicolasRubio/FotoInstitucionalMarianoRecalde005.jpg

http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm263/NicolasRubio/FotoInstitucionalMarianoRecalde004.jpg

http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm263/NicolasRubio/FotoInstitucionalMarianoRecalde003.jpg

Unfortunately I can't find the monthly magazine right now to check which one they chose to use...