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Working With Izale Financial Group

Initial Contact

Recently I had the opportunity to work with IZALE Financial Group to do their corporate portraits and headshots. IZALE mainly works with another photographer (Mark Weeks) who is based in England, but it was decided to find a photographer in Chicago so as to be more cost effective than flying him in from England.  Mark was in charge of choosing a local Chicago photographer. He contacted me and said he really liked my website and photography.  He described the job to me and asked me if I was interested, which, of course I was!

Hired By A Photographer

I actually find it to be kind of an honor to be chosen by another photographer! This differs from most jobs where I’m contacted directly by the client.  Since IZALE primarily works with Mark, the style, background and lighting of the images were all determined in advance.  Mark forwarded his style and lighting notes to me. And I set about matching them as closely as possible.  It was an unusual way of working for me, but I was reminded of back when I was in art school taking drawing classes.  One of our assignments was to copy another artist’s style.  Sometimes we get “stuck in a rut” shooting things in a style we are used to, which we know works, so, it was a great exercise to work with another photographer, match their style and see what I could learn from him.  Mark and his production team were great to work with and communicated clearly.

Day of Headshot Session

On the day of the shoot, I arrived at the location (The Hotel Wit) and set up my equipment in one of their ballrooms.  I met the President and CEO of IZALE and I photographed him first.  In total, I photographed 8 people.  We achieved a beautiful result and everyone looked great and full of personality.

Overall, it was a great experience working and collaborating with Mark and his team and meeting and photographing the team at IZALE.  Much thanks and gratitude to everyone involved!  Check out the results of our corporate headshot session below.

 

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Tips for a Perfect Professional Business Portrait

Chicago corporate, event, portrait and editorial photographer

For most people, having their portraits taken is synonymous to going to the dentist. The idea of posing in front of the camera makes people feel anxious and self-conscious. In reality, though, having a quality portrait on your website and other marketing materials is a must-have these days. Hiring a professional photographer to accurately capture the essence of you and your team is paramount.

If you’re like most people, you don’t normally have your photograph taken by a professional. That’s okay! A quality professional photographer will take the time to help you feel comfortable and at ease during your photo shoot.

Here are some tips for a cringe-free business portrait photo.

Location, Location, Location!

Location plays an important role in the outcome of your photos. Doing a shoot in indoors with a solid backdrop color is common and can provide great results. If you’re looking for something a bit out of the ordinary, though, consider having the photo session in an outdoor location you love. Another option is to do the session in your office or a location that best represents your business. Being some place where you are comfortable and at ease will improve the resulting photos.

Cool and Confident

Wardrobe choice and location are important aspects of your photos, but if you’re not feeling confident when your photos are being taken, your clothes and the location can’t save you. So, put on your happy face and let’s see your true smile!

Nothing looks better than a genuine smile. Even complete strangers visiting your website will know whether or not your smile is “real.” Your personality shines through when you pose with a genuine smile for your portraits. A happy portrait also exudes confidence in your business. Ideally, your portrait photo will be uploaded on your website, on your social media profiles, and will also be used for speaking engagements. Be confident and give it your best.

Wear the right clothes

Business portraits are typically taken from the waist up. Choosing the right wardrobe to fit the theme of your photoshoot is very important.

The type of clothes you wear have a significant impact not only on the resulting images but on your confidence level as well. Every client’s goal is to look great in their photos, so make sure that you choose clothes that you feel comfortable wearing and that look good on you! Your outfit should be appropriate for your position and your business, and it should be something you like to wear. If you wear an outfit you love, that is one less thing you’ll have to worry about when it comes time to take the photos.

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Putting Your Best Foot Forward With Your Corporate Headshot

business headshot chicago by g thomas ward

First impressions matter, especially in the business world. People make snap judgments about you. In fact, studies suggest that it only takes one tenth of a second to form an impression about a person. When someone looks at your corporate headshot, they’ll make judgments about your personality based on how you look. As it turns out, it isn’t easy to get past a bad impression.

In the digital world, the internet is your first chance to make a good impression, and impression matters. Knowing this, we highly recommend that you invest in an appealing, professional headshot. Sure, you can save money by asking a friend or a family member to take a picture of you using their camera. But, if you want to create a solid first impression to potential clients and customers, hiring a professional photographer is the way to go.

Whether you like it or not, your corporate headshots define you, your brand, and your business. As the business owner, it is important to remember that you are the face of your business. Keep in mind that this photo will be used on your website, social media accounts, and other company materials. Using poor quality, amateurish, or dated photos can have a real negative effect on your business.

Since most of our business transactions and communications usually take place online, it is important now more than ever to invest on a good corporate headshot. Unfortunately, some business professionals overlook it.

Today’s customers are savvy. They are going to do their homework before doing business with you. They want to make sure that they are dealing with trustworthy and reliable professionals. If they visit your website and find unappealing photos, chances are that you can come across as unprofessional. They may also think that your products and services are cheap, too. No one wants that.

Having a professional headshot is definitely an investment but one that is necessary and is worth it. If you are looking for a photographer who can deliver the fresh, professional images you need, contact G. Thomas Ward Photography today.

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Preparing for Your Professional Photoshoot

G Thomas Photo professional photoshoot

Business portraits, head shots, profile pictures, avatars, proposal images, speaking engagement photos. You can call them whatever you like, but these photos are the first thing your clients and potential customers see when they search for information about you and your company.

Having a great headshot is very important as it speak volumes about you and your business. Most people have their portraits taken for business purposes – typically for industry publications, event print advertising, networking outlets or social media. Whatever your purpose is, it is important to look as as professional as possible.

Preparing for your corporate portrait can mean the difference between an average photo and a breath-taking image. Follow these tips to get the most out of your shoot.

G Thomas Photo professional photoshoot

Clothes

Just because it’s a headshot, it does not mean that you shouldn’t bother dressing up well.  Wear clothes that are neatly pressed and look new. If your clothes wrinkle easily, it is best to just bring it with you and change at the location.

The clothes you choose should make you look great, but do not overdress. Start with a simple blouse or shirt and then slowly add layers. Solid colors look great in headshot, but please avoid tops in flesh tones as they will blend your face into your clothes. Choose mid-tone colors in green, blue and wine and purple.  You may wish to consider bringing a few wardrobe options.  We suggest something that is “strictly business” along with something “business casual”.  Don’t be afraid to bring a few outfits.  We can help you choose which will make you look your best in photographs.

Face and Makeup

Be sure that your teeth are clean, eyebrows are groomed and lips are not dry. For men, all facial hair should be groomed. Trim your mustache, beard and sideburns.

Light, natural makeup is encouraged for a professional headshot. It can help accentuate your facial features, cover blemishes and help even out your skin tone. It should be simple, yet well done. You want your photo to be as close to how you generally look in person.

Do not wear heavy makeup. Save the smoky eyes, shiny eye shadows and dark lipstick for your date nights.

Both men and women benefit from using our professional hair and makeup artists.  Sometimes your own personal makeup doesn’t appear on camera the way it appears in life.  Our professionals will work with you to achieve the look you want for camera.  Men are often concerned about appearing “made-up”, but our artists are experts at removing shine, covering under-eye darkness and blemishes while maintaining a completely natural look.

Glasses

If you normally wear glasses, bring them to your session.  We can photograph you with or without them, or a bit of both.

Hair

If it has been a while since you had a trim, you may want to visit your hairstylist a week before the shoot just in case things go wrong. For men, it is fine to get a haircut a couple of days before the shoot.

While dyeing your hair can freshen up your look, now is not the time to experiment with hair colors. You wouldn’t look your best if your hair color doesn’t come out as planned.

 

Nails

Your photoshoot is a great excuse to head to the salon and get your nails done. A fresh coat of nail polish can make a big difference in your corporate headshot.  But if you don’t have time for that, make sure that your nails are clean and short.

Sleep

Get plenty of rest and avoid alcohol the night before your photoshoot. Not only will you feel better, you will also look better. Eye bags and dark circles won’t look good in photos. You wouldn’t want to look tired on the day of the shoot, right?

 

Practice make perfect

Confidence matters when it comes to facial expressions. A few days or a week prior to the shoot, we suggest that you practice your facial expressions in front of the mirror. You can choose to smile or not, just make sure that you do not appear too serious.  We’ll work with you to capture a variety of expressions.

 

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