Rachel, Ben, Aaron, and Brooke | FAT Village Family Photo Session

A picture is a thousand words.

Theatrical Headshot Photographer | Fat Village Ft Lauderdale

HEADSHOTS. Why is that word so scary?! I know I am a talented portrait photographer. I specialize in mitzvahs and families, and often will do a mitzvah pre-shoot, with mostly solo shots of the teen and a few with his/her family for a whole hour. I know how to capture a personality. But say 'headshot', and all of a sudden I feel like I'm out of my wheelhouse, and feel like there's some external expectation I may not live up to, whereas I'm an otherwise confident photographer. What is it about a headshot that is so off-putting, where really, it's just a great portrait?! 

And what makes a great portrait, you may wonder? Well, in addition to lighting, composition, and focus, a great portrait captures the personality of the subject. A great portrait is real. It makes you feel something when you look at it. You feel a connection to the subject.

When scheduling this session, Mom asked if I could do that. I said, well, sure, I'm capable. People don't typically hire me for that, but yes, I can do it. Mom sent me some blog posts she’d found about theatrical headshots which really helped me focus. They spoke about different types of headshots for different character types.

So when Ellie got in front of my camera, I tried asking her to think of different things, with different character types in mind, like serious, spunky, mischevious, or bubbly. And it was amazing how her expression would change from one frame to the next. After the first few shots, she got the hang of it and started varying her expressions all on her own! It was an amazing exchange of energy, and I couldn’t be more thrilled with these portraits… headshots… I don’t care what you call them. All I know is I’m in love!

We even got to capture a few shots with her siblings and mom. We finished with brother Josh entertaining himself by taking a ride on the car door as it automatically opened and closed. This totally entertained me too!

Lori, Jake, Eli, and Lily

This family is super fun, full of life and love and laughter, and I really like to photograph my most energetic and fun families in a fun urban location.  The colorful backdrops and their colorful personalities are a perfect fit.  This session was originally scheduled for an area of downtown Ft Lauderdale that I've photographed several times recently, and I just couldn't do it again!  I needed something more creatively inspirational.  

The gym where I workout is also in downtown Ft Lauderdale, and I've admired these new murals being painted nearby.  I also admire the gorgeous light as the sun sets when I'm there in the evening. I asked mom if she was up for it, and she was, and we created and captured this magic.  Readers of my blog know that when you relax and have fun with your session, that is what I will capture, and it is So You, and it really is magical.  

Alexis and Manny’s Engagement Session

This lovely couple is headed to wedded bliss this November, so we met up this weekend to capture an Engagement session.  Engagement sessions are a great way to get to know your photographer, get comfortable in front of the camera, and have some great casual photos with your fiance.  We started off our session in a fun urban area.  It had rained earlier that day and I took full advantage of the super fun puddle reflections.  We continued our session downtown after the sun set for some interesting and equally fun night portraits, and concluded with a sparkler light painting.  This couple really knows how to make each other laugh.  There was some gentle posing guidance from me, followed by lots of laughter, which allowed me to capture some really genuine expressions.  Thanks to Alexis and Manny and Alexis’ mom for braving the heat for these great moments, and I look forward to capturing many more on your wedding day!

K Family Urban Holiday Session

This is a fun family to work with.  Mom takes the time to think about and plan out the boys’ outfits and finds a clever and simple way to incorporate some holiday spirit into their session.  She wanted to schedule her session in an area with more nature, but urban was all I had available, and I’m so glad! I think it was the perfect backdrop to capture the energy of these boys, as there was so much for them to explore!  They have really matured since last year, and I was able to capture both more candids and posed shots that are ‘So You’ for them.  I can’t wait to see what fun holiday spirit this family brings next year!