Shooting headshots or portraits can hold some surprises. I recently was hired by theater director, educator, UCSB Department of Theater and Dance 2017-18 Chair and all around super nice person Risa Brainin to shoot a more current headshot. Since I don’t have a studio as such, we agreed to do the deed at her residence to the west of campus. After looking around for a suitable spot, we agreed to first try outside near the entrance to the house. A good and not very distracting background with enough diffused natural light that I wouldn’t need to add any of the electronic variety. Took two or three snaps and we both decided to go forward with some interior shots. Found a spot with a good background and I set about getting the lights in the best places. Moving things about to eliminate reflections from the light, I snapped away until we had some Risa liked. Next day I processed the files and sent the results to Risa to choose one (or more) and we ended up deciding that the first location was the winner. Surprising how many times that’s how it goes. During the shoot, I had a great time conversing with the always engaging and thoughtful Ms. Brainin on a variety of topics, and the photos turned out pretty well too.
The runner-up:
