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Headshots

On-Location Corporate Headshots @ Stanly Ranch in Napa, California

On-Location Corporate Headshots @ Stanly Ranch in Napa, California

During the recent annual corporate retreat held at the luxurious Stanly Ranch in the verdant landscapes of Napa, California, I had the privilege of capturing on-location headshots that encapsulated both the professional aura and the refreshing ambiance of the locale. Nestled amidst rows of lush vineyards and resplendent gardens, the retreat offered a vibrant yet serene backdrop for each portrait, where the natural light kissed each face with a warm, golden hue. This experience was not only an opportunity to encapsulate the individual personalities of each corporate member but also to infuse the spirit of unity and rejuvenation that the retreat embodied. Clients have often remarked on the tangible sense of comfort and authenticity that these natural, on-location shoots bring to the corporate image, standing as a testament to the unique blend of professionalism and personal touch that my photography services bring to the table.

Elevating Corporate Portraits: On-Location Session with Lane Partners in Menlo Park

Elevating Corporate Portraits: On-Location Session with Lane Partners in Menlo Park

The corporate world is an evolving tapestry of personalities, ambitions, and narratives, and it is my privilege to bring these stories to life through my lens. Recently, I had the pleasure of orchestrating a lifestyle portrait session for a new team member at Lane Partners, a renowned commercial real estate firm based in the vibrant hub of Menlo Park, California.

Right in the heart of their sophisticated office space, we set up a temporary studio that mirrored the finesse and quality of a dedicated photography studio. Utilizing advanced off-camera lighting, we managed to create a series of portraits that seamlessly blended the natural ambiance of the workspace with a polished, studio-esque finish. The objective was simple: to encapsulate the essence of the professional yet approachable ethos that Lane Partners embodies.

My on-location photography services have become a favored choice for companies in and around Menlo Park, providing them with a convenient solution without compromising on quality. Clients appreciate the savings in time and resources, as I bring the studio experience directly to them, eliminating the need for them to travel off-site. It is through this commitment to excellence and convenience that I have earned a reputation as one of the top corporate photographers for Menlo Park companies.

Soquel Headshot Photography @ Private Residence

Soquel Headshot Photography @ Private Residence

My client needed some updated headshots for LinkedIn, so I met her at her home in Soquel. After scoping our options both indoor and out, I grabbed my lighting equipment and set up. We took a couple minutes in one spot I’d identified in the house, making sure the background was blurred enough to not be distracting. Then, we headed outside to a spot where the sun would provide nice rim lighting on her red hair. That’s my preferred option of the two final picks.

Monterey Headshot Session @ Colton Hall Museum

Monterey Headshot Session @ Colton Hall Museum

My corporate client wanted to match existing headshots for their employees – basically a natural, out of focus background (hint: outside photos), but with controlled lighting on the subject’s face (i.e. softbox studio lighting). Lucky for my client, this type of headshot photography is my specialty! I met Tyler at Colton Hall Museum in Monterey as the grounds around the building have a lot of greenery for us to work with. We only needed one great shot, but I like to give my clients a few settings to choose from for these types of shoots.

Headshot Session at Home in Santa Cruz, CA

Headshot Session at Home in Santa Cruz, CA

It’s pretty rare I can’t find a spot inside or outside a client’s home to take headshots. Not only is it convenient for my clients that I come to them, but they can easily change into different shirts/jackets all in the comfort of their own space. We took these photos in the living room of his home in Santa Cruz. Portable lighting equipment FTW!

Indoor Headshot at Client Residence in Santa Cruz, CA

Indoor Headshot at Client Residence in Santa Cruz, CA

This client appreciate the convenience of me coming directly to his home to set up a studio and get some new headshots for LinkedIn. We set up in his kitchen area where the ceilings were highest, and used one of the white walls for our background. He picked his favorite single photo from the session, and I included a black and white version, because options are good, right?

Traditional Indoor Headshots @ Silver Creek Country Club in San Jose, CA

Traditional Indoor Headshots @ Silver Creek Country Club in San Jose, CA

This was an indoor headshot session of the newest leadership team members for a country club in San Jose, CA. We used nice off-camera lighting and made sure the background was a neutral gray, to match previous photos.

Indoor and Outdoor LinkedIn Headshot in Aptos, CA

Indoor and Outdoor LinkedIn Headshot in Aptos, CA

One advantage of coming to my clients’ homes for their headshot sessions is there’s usually an opportunity to shoot both indoors and out, and with multiple convenient outfit changes as well. It’s pretty rare that I can’t find a wall for that classic LinkedIn clean headshot (ok, sometimes we need to remove a picture or move some furniture around). Outdoors, it’s similarly pretty easy to find a spot that gives a nice out of focus natural background while allowing me full control of lighting my subject. All this happens in under an hour. Fun!

Capitola Headshot Photography at Sunset Under the Pier

Capitola Headshot Photography at Sunset Under the Pier

A mix of natural and artificially lit headshots of Ellie at the Capitola Wharf around sunset. The two types of lighting can offer dramatically different “looks” even though they’re shot in the same session. I like giving my clients options!

Staff Portraits, Action Shots, Details and Interiors/Exteriors @ Santa Cruz Business (Current eBikes)

Staff Portraits, Action Shots, Details and Interiors/Exteriors @ Santa Cruz Business (Current eBikes)

Santa Cruz local business Current eBikes needed a refresh on their image library for their new website and marketing efforts. I’m an expert in creating diverse, high quality media libraries for my clients – typically in one or two sessions. This typically includes interior and exterior “architecture” style photography, to show the space/location of the business. Next are owner headshots / environmental portraits to highlight them in their natural habitat in a pleasing way. Staff headshots are an easy add-on while we’re at it. Also, if the business has services involved (like working on bikes), it’s great to include candid (or directed) photos showing that service. Lastly are detail / product photos – in this case all inventory comes with great product photography from the manufacturers, so I captured detail shots that could be used in any number of ways for design, advertising or marketing purposes.

Santa Cruz Corporate Lifestyle Headshots

Santa Cruz Corporate Lifestyle Headshots

Something medium to large corporate organizations struggle with in regards to executive portraits is inconsistency. If you try to exactly match certain background with different photographers in different locations over different time periods, even if the photographers do a good job there’s going to be variation in that media collection that will be obvious to everyone. One of the things I like to do is give each person a variety of settings to shoot in so that we’re baking variety into the photographic cake, and those subtle variations in lighting, etc will be much less of a factor. This shoot had 5 or 6 spots I’d picked out for each person with wildly different lighting requirements – ranging from 1/125 to 1/2000 shutter speed to keep a consistent 1.8 to 2.2 aperture setting for a shallow depth-of-field look for all the waist-up shots. All these were shot on a Nikon Z7 with the native 85mm 1.8 S lens with one Profoto B1 flash off-camera shooting through a 30” Profoto Octa. I love keeping my lighting setup simple and mobile, which cuts down on how much time I need with each executive while also delivering a diverse library of images for each person to choose from.

Santa Cruz Lawyer Headshots

Santa Cruz Lawyer Headshots

All my headshots are on-location, meaning I come to my clients’ homes, offices, or we meet outside. I bring lighting equipment to get that professional studio look, pretty much wherever we are. In the case of these two Santa Cruz lawyers, we went across the street from their downtown office and I picked a spot that would have the sun to their backs and have a nice, natural, out-of-focus background. It’s important that the headshot background not distract from your subject, and if possible – enhance it! Here’s the money shots…

Burlingame Corporate Headshots

Burlingame Corporate Headshots

Look, I know you don’t like having your picture taken. Literally everyone says this, so you’re in good company. I promise to make it quick, painless, and with the full intention of maximizing your inner-awesomeness with some ninja-level retouching skills. Each portrait guaranteed to work for 10 years before expiring. Yay!

Santa Cruz Real Estate Headshots – Team and Individual

Santa Cruz Real Estate Headshots – Team and Individual

Look, I know headshots are not everyone’s favorite – it’s often thought of as a “necessary evil” – kinda like going to the dentist. Except I can promise you one thing, it won’t be painful, and instead of coming back to me every 6 months, what I do for business professionals will serve them for a decade. And the best thing? Every year you have this new headshot, you’ll like it more. Heck, by the time that decade comes around, you’ll be so fond of that photo you’ll seriously consider never replacing it. But you will. And you will call me.

Enjoy my favorite business headshots from this amazing Santa Cruz real estate team, including their mascot. Go Team!

Lifestyle Business Portraits at Wilder Ranch in Santa Cruz

Lifestyle Business Portraits at Wilder Ranch in Santa Cruz

Brenda needed some portraits for her new real estate venture, but she wanted more of a natural lifestyle feel to the photos than your typical executive headshot. She sent me a few sample images for the look and feel she was going for, so I suggested a natural light shoot at Wilder Ranch in Santa Cruz. It's very rustic, with lots of old buildings, barns, distressed wood textures, rickety fences – the perfect backdrop for Brenda's vision. Luckily it was overcast, so the natural light was going to look great. Plus, with all the rain we've had this January (thanks El Niño!), we got some great green fields in the background of many of the photos, giving them a lush feel. Brenda has a great natural smile and a youthful, dare I say Santa Cruzian, look to her. Beautiful outside and in, I had a wonderful time getting to know Brenda and getting some great shots of her true personality. Enjoy a few of my favorites below: