Headshots
Have you ever had to do "headshots"? They get you in one of small boardroom. It's never the big and nice boardroom and you need to shoot 20 people in 15 minutes with only 30 seconds per "head". The lighting is set, 2 lights, sometimes 3 lights, and a grey background. The camera is on the tripod. You are not even next to the camera to press on the shutter, just a remote control in your hand.
There's a line up outside the door, one of the secretary makes sure that their hair is combed, the ties are done and the shirts buttoned up. It's a production line, the pay is decent, and the results are so so. Nothing to be proud of. Done!
I have a subscription to Fortune magazine. In the 4-May-2009 issue of Fortune 500, there is an article called: 500 The Directors, and it shows photos of the board of directors of:
- McDonald's
- RED
- FedEx
- The Federal Reserve Board
- Costco
- Environmental Defense Fund.
Go and buy this issue of Fortune magazine. It's worth it, just for the 6 double page spread. Now these are great photos by Ben Baker. Andrew Hetherington did a great interview of Ben Baker at: Chairman of the boards: Ben Baker.
I sometimes have been able to get the lawyers... to spend more than 3 minutes to make their portraits. How do I convince them to have these "important" people spend their precious time with me? But many don't care, for them getting their photos done is a chore.
My job is to make you look good, so please work with me.
— Syv Ritch