Safety Standards for The Booth

 
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Your favorite New York Corporate Headshot Photographers are reopening, and many of you are starting to pick up on postponed business photography projects. You can rest assured that The Booth will be ready to carefully and safely serve your needs.

Here is our Coronavirus safety plan:

  1. Small Crew – Reduce exposure by reducing the number of staff we bring on-site. At times this will mean just the corporate headshot photographer. Other times we might need to add an assistant. You will have names and contact information on who to expect.

  2. Masks/Gloves – Our staff will wear masks and gloves.

  3. Social Distancing – The studio will be set up so that the photographer can maintain a 6'+ distance from the subject at all times.

  4. Rules of engagement – Instructions for the shoot will be sent to your team prior to the shoot, explaining what the subject needs to know about how the shoot will run. This will minimize the amount of time the subject will spend in the room with the headshot photographer.

  5. Zero contact – Subjects will not be in physical contact with the portrait photographer or any photography gear. Should there be accidental contact, the photographer will clean the affected item between subjects.

  6. Individualized Scheduling – To eliminate subjects from coming in contact with each other, individual sessions will be scheduled ahead of time via an online scheduling tool to allow for arrival time, shooting time and departure time.

  7. Digital File Delivery – We will deliver files digitally in individualized galleries for image selection. Once subject is done with their shoot, they can leave the room.

  8. Cleaning – Equipment will be disinfected at the end of each day and, at any point throughout the day that it is deemed necessary.

New York corporate headshot photographer

Retouching - A Touchy Subject

What is retouching?

Retouching is when you enhance a photograph making small alterations and additions. It used to be done physically by hand, but now we have computers and computers have Photoshop.

Adobe Photoshop was an incredible gift to the photography industry. It's one of those universally understood terms that has turned into verbs, like Google (to search for something on the internet). If you say you want to Photoshop something, you are saying you want to retouch it. This says something about how important photography and more specifically, retouched corporate photography, is to the headshot process.

Some people associate retouching with being a bad practice. It almost feels like a dirty word. It can be used to create something that doesn't truly represent the subject. It can be overdone. It can be used with or without permission to make someone look like someone they are not. But when used properly and with standards, it is a wonderful tool to make the best photographs even better.

As New York executive headshot photographers, we mostly do headshot photography, so for this blog post, we will focus on how retouching can help our human subjects.

We love good retouching not for it’s transformative powers, but how it can help our subjects look their personal best in their business headshots. We believe in using the least amount of retouching that can add polish and elevate our subject's outward presentation. People come to us wanting to look their personal best, not like someone else, and we happily use retouching as a final step towards getting this. This aligns well with why people hire us in the first place. They want to elevate their professional business portraits presentation and retouching is the best final step to achieving this. It’s the cherry on top of the perfect sundae.

Because retouching is a powerful tool we have a list of do's and don'ts that we try to stand by.

  1. Our goal is to make you look your personal best

  2. This is a clean up, not an overhaul.

  3. We don't change anything significant about the subject's features.

  4. We only change things that would naturally be gone within 2 months (i.e. blemishes, dark circles from a particularly bad night's sleep, glare on glasses).

Here are some of our typical focus areas:

Color correction – we will always correct skin tone or overall color balance. Color balance is everything so we have no problem correcting skin tone that is too much in one direction. If our light exacerbates a red-leaning skin tone, we are going to bring it back into balance.

In the original photo, left, the color temperature felt too warm/yellow. We balanced the color to a more true and flattering look.

Eyes – this is a big one and, done right, can add a brightness that will really elevate a corporate portrait. We will almost always lighten dark circles and soften lines around eyes. We never erase or remove these details. Erasure of specific details can make the photo look unreal and retouched. Subtlety is a must.

Above is an example of a portrait where we de-accentuated under-eye circles. The lines were not completely removed, but they were softened a bit.

Glasses – Glare on glasses can be a big problem and it is hard element to retouch, for which reason, we try our best to notice a glare during the photographic process. Should the best shot have glare, we will remove it in the retouching process.

There is some major glare happening for this gal and it is very distracting from what is otherwise a great looking and stylish headshot. Our retoucher magically removed that glare and turned what could have been a completely unusable image into an overall stellar photo.

Flyaway Hair – Flyaway hairs happen to even the best-coiffed subjects, especially in dry, wintery, or rainy locations. We add significant polish by removing these unruly strands of hair.

This subject is looking sharp in every way but in the executive portrait on the left, we noticed a halo of flyaways ready to be tamed. In the photo of the right, you can see where we removed those wisps, creating a smoother and more finished look in keeping with a professional business portrait.

Blemishes – We remove blemishes since they fall in the 'gone within 2 months' time period. It's a real bummer to do all the preparation for your headshot and then wake up that morning with a big blemish. With the click of a mouse we can fix it.

The above left is an example of a subject who had a combination of blemishes, freckles and other markings. We carefully removed the blemishes and left all other skin markings. The goal was to remove unwanted temporary markings and leave all of those gorgeous identifying elements that made her, her.

Clothing – We often take out distracting details on clothing, such as lint, spots and stains. Wrinkles or other fabric issues, is one of the more difficult things to retouch, so fabric and draping is something we pay very close attention to during the shoot.

We love the subject’s pose in this photo, but it caused his suit to pull around his upper arm. Take a look at the puckering of the fabric on both sides. We smoothed the area to give the overall look polish turning a pretty good photo into a great photo!

Mistakes Are Made

We love what retouching can do for our subjects, but, in our option, there are so many no-no's when it comes to retouching.

The number one mistake we see after New York business headshot photographers complete the photo, is that they or their retoucher overdoes it. They remove EVERYTHING, leaving the subject without any markings, lines, pores, etc. It looks otherworldly (not in a good way) and makes the portrait feel unconvincing. If a peer sees your photo on LinkedIn, they should recognize you when they see you in person. In our opinion, if the changes are too drastic, it can cause a lapse in trust. It’s also a good rule of thumb in understanding the experience of your retoucher. An untrained eye will do more harm.

Retouching – A Touchy Subject

Retouching is a sensitive topic. The goal is to make people look great, without pointing out or correcting issues that the subject never saw as problematic. Tricky, right?

It helps to know that your New York corporate headshot photographer has established guidelines that he/she will always address for his or her subjects. This way, people know we address those issues in everyone, not just them.

One particular rule has been very helpful for us in our retouching practice: If it will be gone in 2 months, we will fix it. If it is something more permanent, we will leave it. The easiest, most practical example: will remove a blemish, but we will leave a mole.

Because we are so very very careful about how far we will go with retouching, we are sometimes asked by subjects to take care of elements we saw as just fine. They might request a heavier hand at those bags under their eyes. Or perhaps want to de-accentuate a laugh line or two. We get it. We all see ourselves differently and if we can help someone improve the photo in a way that maintains integrity, we are happy to make those changes.

Retouching software is a wonderful tool that can make improving a photo quite simple. Like the best lights, the best lenses and the best photographers, it can be a part of the mix that is used to make the best photos even better.

New York corporate headshot photographer

Crisis Time Corporate Video - Post 3 of 3

Video Blog 3 of 3: Fine Tune for your Clients Needs

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Our goal in this series of 3 posts on video is to share how we are not just New York executive portrait photographers. We are content creators. We are New York corporate headshot photographers whose goal it is to help our clients tell their story visually through corporate photography and video even when they cannot be together.

In the last few blog posts we have addressed how video can be used in times of separation as a complement to corporate headshot photography. As we have shared, it is such a wonderful tool to personally share the full scope of your message and help them to get to know you or your organization. Corporate headshot photography has been our M.O. for personalization, but we see this as an add-on that is particularly useful right now since there is no-in person follow up.

In our first blog post on this, we talked about how the coronavirus crisis has created a crisis in fundraising. Spring is gala season and it is no surprise that fundraising that would have otherwise happened at those galas is expected to fall short. In our post, we recommended creating a remote video by capturing interviews or messages of people connected to the organization.

Our next blog post on using corporate video focused on establishing you/your company as a leader and authority. Lead your audience through this crisis with good advice and ongoing connection. Do this through crafting a video or series of videos that show what you are doing now and how you will be looking towards future ways to support your clients.

You likely have many channels and modes of communication to reach your audience. You create an impression and share information with them through multiple media. Adding well-thought out video messaging can add to your arsenal.

Video can be more work, but it is worth the effort. 54% of consumers want to see more video from their brands (HubSpot 2018). They want to get to know their brands better and video, done well, presents this opportunity. And let's not forget about the benefits to your business. According to Optinmonster, video marketers get 66% more qualified leads per year and report and increase in brand awareness of 54%. There is so much more excellent information about this topic. Follow this link to read more.

Video for New and Existing Clients

We always recommend starting with a corporate headshot or executive portrait from your New York headshot photographers at The Booth (!!!), but video can be the next phase.

It is important to maintain awareness among your clients, even when they have no pressing need for your services. Maintaining awareness among your clients can help them understand that, yes(!) you are still in business, that you have a strong foundation and that you can use your expertise to help them find a path through the pandemic and out the other side.

A simple message delivered via video, can do this with impact and help maintain continuity in your relationship with them. Tell them about the status of your work and a few ways you have been helping clients or working through the pandemic.

You can choose the kind of video to make based on your goals and who you want to reach. Here are a few ideas that will give you a framework:

Interviews – a great way for your audience to get to know you or your team. You can establish yourself as an expert in your area.

Presentations – show your audience what you do or how your product has helped other clients or something interesting you saw in your market that could help.

Tutorials – show your audience how to use a piece of technology or provide guidance on a topic

While you are deciding on the framework you would like to use, consider what the content will be. This will help guide your decision on what framework you use.

Brainstorm on content. Think like a salesperson and ask yourself what is your audience's biggest pain point? What issues are most prevalent in your industry right now. What are your areas of expertise and how can you contribute? What resources do you have internally or externally that you can tap and share with clients?

Think about what’s their specific interest, what is their pain point and how can your services and expertise help solve that. Chances are, if you have been in business for some time, you know what this is.

Make your content innovative. If your business peers are all putting content on the same topics, think about what else could be useful. For example, right now many small businesses are looking for funding. Webinars are everywhere with generalized information about the two major loans circulating – EIDL and PPP. Be available to consult on that if it is within your area of expertise, but if you want attention, think of another angle. Think about the niche you inhabit, then offer advice that applies to that.

Maybe you don't have any skills or resources that will help you get your clients through this crisis. In that case, tell the world who you are, but do so through the lens of the current crisis. If you are a party planner, let the world know the wonderful work you do, but frame it with language or content that shows you understand how you will be ready when the world is ready to start gathering at events again.

Stay Current and Highlight Timely Innovation at Your Company

Every day we are blown away by how companies are pivoting to accommodate what the world needs. If you are doing this, tell the world. When the virus came around, Joanne Fabrics shared that they would start offering supplies and instruction on how to create masks plus a collection point for dropoff.

Allbirds, the innovative shoe company is donating $500,000 of their supremely comfortable shoes to healthcare workers.

Videos and SEO

Everything starts and ends with SEO. Your clients need to find you, so you should consider how your video will perform to meet your end goal.

Since we are talking about maintaining and growing awareness, your best and most highly trafficked platforms are YouTube and Vimeo. If you want an audience that is directed back to your website, Wistia is a great option. Other ways to boost online video SEO are to include a video transcript. This bolsters the video content for search engines. Just like you would with any other content, and make sure your accompanying title and description are well crafted using the same rules you would with any other content. (Wordstream)

New York corporate headshot photographer

Crisis Time Corporate Video - Post 2 of 3

Video Blog 2 of 3: Show What You Know

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Our goal in this series of three posts on video is to share how we are not just executive portrait photographers. We are content creators. We are proud to be a leading New York corporate headshot photographer whose goal it is to help our clients tell their story visually through corporate photography and video even when they cannot be together.

Recap – Using Video to Fundraise

In our last post, we spoke about non-profit organizations that we typically would collaborate with to do corporate event photography and professional headshots. They are now adapting their Spring fundraising gala season to distance fundraising. The New York Times has written about this twice already. In their Articles, “The Spring Gala Season Has Been Canceled” and “When Black Tie is Replaced by Plaid Pajamas”. Not being together is really taking a bite out of their fundraising goals.

Everything is cancelled, but people still want to help. So now the goal is to go to them and share your message digitally. They are checking their email, paying attention to their social media feeds and visiting websites.  Now that you know where they are, go to them. Create and share a video and remind them why what you do still needs support, now more than ever.

UP NEXT - Serving People In Professional Services - Beyond Business Headshots

The next group of clients, who we already serve with professional headshots and business photography, are businesses, especially in the field of professional services. This includes lawyers, accountants and investment advisors, among others.

In these fields, it is so important to create and maintain a trusting relationship with your clients. Clients want to hear from you, especially during difficult times. A newsletter with corporate photography is one way. A short series of videos is another. You can address a new or ongoing issue. Help them understand what you are doing to help them mitigate current or upcoming challenges.

It is a special set of circumstances, doing this kind of communication during a crisis like this. A company always should stay on brand. Think, for example what kind of creative decisions were made when working with your executive headshot photographers for business photography. But now there is a unique opportunity to go off script a little, message-wise and creatively.  Share more about why you went into your industry and how that makes you and your team qualified to support their business through the crisis. Talk about the people that are part of your team and have them share what they are doing to support the company and it's clients.

These are not normal times, so be real.  Acknowledge the challenges in a way that feels true for your company.

Next, paint a picture of where you are going once the crisis is over. Maybe it is unclear. Your message can be as simple as, “we can see things will be different when we are on the other side of this. We will be here to serve clients then, as now, in the way their world demands.” Fall back on your mission statements and tell people why you exist in the world. If you don't have a mission statement yet, write one. (Here is an oldie-but-goodie article from Entrepreneur magazine about how to write a mission statement https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/240085.)

The Tools To Do This:

Video is one way.

We think corporate video can be a great way to share your message with maximum impact. We like that it can be conversational or tightly edited, that it can be done as a series and that it can give your audience a rounder view of the message you are sharing. Also, Google loves video. If you are simultaneously looking to increase your SEO ranking, using video on your website and blog can be a positive side effect.

Now, how can The Booth as corporate headshot photographers serving New York, Philadelphia and Washington DC, but grounded and working from home help you create a video of you and/or your team during a mandatory work from home mandate?

So many ways!

And we are ready to get creative with you. We showed you a video we created for SoulRyeders in our last blog post about videos. That is a more traditional video. It is a little difficult to do right now, but know that it is an option.

Another option is to use still corporate headshot photography with voiceover to share your story. The New York Times did a wonderful series called One In 8 Million back in 2007. It profiled New Yorkers in a visually interesting and very impactful way.

Here's a link.

This was done with two main components:

  1. Still photographs were used to tell the story visually

  2. Interviews where they learned more about that person.

We could help you put a plan in place on how to produce one master video and/or a series of videos that can be rolled out using email, video, social media and blog posts. We will schedule production , editing and retouching using newly captured images or by digging up already existing photos. We would help you create appropriate sound content remotely and put the entire project together.

Finally, we would put together a content calendar, showing you how and when to release the content for maximum exposure.

New York corporate headshot photographer

Crisis Time Corporate Video - Post 1 of 3

Ways that Video Can Help you during the time of Coronavirus

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Our goal in this series of three posts on video is to share how we are not just executive portrait photographers. We are content creators. We are proud to be a leading New York corporate headshot photographer whose goal it is to help our clients tell their story visually through corporate photography and video even when they cannot be together.

Our first Coronavirus cancellation was two weeks ago, Monday. It was a big one. Since then one corporate headshot event after the other have evaporated.

We get it. A conference hosting 500 people in a giant conference center makes NO sense right now. Add hair and makeup for those professional headshots and the risk grows. And how can you take company headshots of your team when most companies are working from home?

Our clients are making good decisions. Social distancing is a must and it needs to happen quickly. We need to flatten the curve.

But we’re still The Booth and we are still image makers. How do we adapt our headshot photography skills to what the world needs right now?

How can we still serve our clients?

We listened and this is what you all told us: Coronavirus cancellations are driving a huge wedge between your organization and the people you are trying to reach. This means lost business or fewer donations or weakening relationships.

Video is a great tool to minimize the physical distance, and we have ideas on how it can help you, whether you are a business, a non-profit, or a person that is just trying to get a message out!

For our non-profit and fundraising friends...

Client Problem 1: Our non-profit fundraiser was cancelled. We will not meet our fundraising goals for 2020.

Client Solution 1: If you can't get together, reach supporters where they are with an update in professional video form, including a message of why their sustained help is essential. Create a video that can be sent to their inbox. Then post that video onto social media channels. You can even run it as an opener on your website. Don't forget to include a 'donate here' button.

Use this video to stay connected and take steps towards meeting your 2020 fundraising goals.

We can create videos in a few different ways:

  1. We shoot a video from scratch. We will come to you or you can come to us. We will develop a plan where there are no more than 2 people in the room at the same time.

  2. Do it remotely. We develop a plan for how to create a message for your audience. We share our plan with you plus tips on how to capture nice video using iPhones, etc. Your subjects can record and submit their videos. We will edit it into a cohesive message that you can use for the final video.

  3. Use existing video content. We will guide you through how to share existing content that we can shape into a new, cohesive message for your audience.

  4. Use still photography with voiceover. We will guide you through how to share still images with us and how to capture voiceover content. We will take that content and craft a video that is appropriate for your audience.

Our goal is to keep you connected to your audience using photography and video.

  1. Stay connected to your supporters and keep them updated without the in-person celebration.

  2. Overcome the out of sight, out of mind problem. Stay in sight.

  3. Tell them why your audience's sustained help and contributions are essential, especially now.

Here is a video we did for Soul Ryeders, an organization committed to helping people the community affected by cancer.

New York corporate headshot photographer

 7 Famous Photographers That Revolutionized Photography

Who are the world's most famous photographers? 

Alfred Ansel once said, “You don’t take a photograph, you make it.” A photograph can be much more than just an image, it can tell a story deeper about whatever message the photographer wishes to convey. 

While most days, we focus on being New York Corporate Headshot Photographers, we also like to look at the very creative side to photography. There are different reasons why some images have been able to make an impact on the world. The images invoke emotion and tell an important story about a place in time.

We’ve created a list of some of the world’s most renowned photographers. There are so many inspiring messages that can be translated through their creative visual images, and many lessons to be perceived from their work.

Let’s take a look at 7 influential artists who have greatly impacted the photography world through their contemporary perception and prodigious artistic talent. 

Shells 1927, printed later © reserved

Shells 1927, printed later © reserved

7. Edward Henry Weston (March 24, 1886- January 1, 1958) 

He was a famous American still life photographer of the 20th-century. Throughout his 40-year photography career, Weston photographed an ever-expanding collection of subjects. Amongst these were still lifes, portraits, nudes, and landscapes.

Weston began focusing his talent on portraits after working on nature photography (trees and rocks) in California during 1937. He was innovative in his approach and style, making a huge impact on modern photography. 


John Lennon and Yoko Ono, The Dakota, New York, December 8, 1980

John Lennon and Yoko Ono, The Dakota, New York, December 8, 1980

6. Annie Leibovitz (October 2, 1949 - Present)

She is a famous American portrait photographer as well, known for her style that set her apart. One of her most famous images was of John Lennon and Yoko, on the day of his assassination. On January 22, 1981, Rolling Stone published Leibovitz’s photograph leaving a huge impact on the world.

Her photography has been recognized in several media outlets, as well as in an exhibition in Washington’s National Gallery during 1991. She was a famous photographer because of her unique ability to capture images of people that told a more personal story about them.


Serra Pelada Gold Mine, Brazil, 1986

Serra Pelada Gold Mine, Brazil, 1986

5. Sebastião Salgado (February 8, 1944 - Present)

Far from the world of corporate headshot photography is Sebastiao Selgado. He is journalist, famous for his ability to depict tragedy through his photographs. Salgado traveled the world taking photos, visiting over 120 different countries. 

During the 1990’s, Salgado had a new project in Rwanda, Africa. His new photography project turned out to be very impactful, as there were horrible acts being committed in these countries that were unknown to much of the world outside that country. In Rwanda, there was genocide and devastation caused by the killing and pillaging of these innocent people. 

This dark period inspired Salgado and his wife Lelia to focus on rebuilding the forests in Brazil. Currently, nearly two decades later, the forest has two million planted trees and an increase in nearly extinct populations of native animals. Photographers can get inspired from their own work to do something greater, in this case making a difference on the planet too. 


Albert Camus, 1947

Albert Camus, 1947

4. Henri Cartier Bresson (August 22, 1908 – August 3, 2004)

He was a French photographer, famous for his candid photography. In 1932 he started to use the Leica camera, and it was history from there on out.  While he was no headshot photographer, he was very interested in capturing people living their lives and doing their work.

Renowned as one of the first photographers using mostly 35mm film, he founded a new genre within his field - street photography.

He published his first book, The Decisive Moment and in it, he states, “For me the camera is a sketch book, an instrument of intuition and spontaneity, the master of the instant which, in visual terms, questions and decides simultaneously. In order to give a “meaning” to the world, one has to feel involved in what one frame through the viewfinder.”

He had a different perspective about photography for which he received a large number of awards and prizes. 


Baigneurs sur la Marne 1944

Baigneurs sur la Marne 1944

3. Robert Doisneau (1912-1994)

He was a French photographer and photojournalist, whose photos have become beloved and idolized by many aspiring photographers today. He captured images of a variety of subjects, mostly French people caught in a surreal moment of everyday acts.

He was a photographer for an advertising agency called Renault until 1939 and didn’t return to photojournalism until 1951. In between this time, he worked during the war with the resistance in France and for French Vogue for a few years. 

Doisneau has been a featured photographer around the world from the Bibliotheque National in Paris, to the Art Institute of Chicago and the George Eastman House (NY). He has become widely recognized and highly esteemed within the photography community. 


The Robert Capa and Cornell Capa Archive, Gift of Cornell and Edith Capa, 2010

The Robert Capa and Cornell Capa Archive, Gift of Cornell and Edith Capa, 2010

2. Robert Capa (Oct 22, 1913 - May 25, 1954)

Robert Capa was known as ‘The Greatest War Photographer in the World’. He was born in Budapest, Hungary in 1913 and was originally named Andre Friedmann by his Jewish parents. Capa attended the Deutsche Hochschule  für Politik in Berlin and studied political science. In 1933 he settled in Paris after he was threatened by Nazis and driven to flee the country. It was there that he met photographer and journalist Gerda Taro, and he was represented by Alliance Photo. Together they created the influential American photographer, Robert Capa. He began to sell his printed photography under that name. 

Capa met Earnest Hemingway, and befriended famous photographers Henri Cartier-Bresson, and David ‘Chim’ Seymour. From 1936 forward, Capa’s photography of the Spanish Civil War began to frequently appear. His international reputation as ‘The Greatest War Photographer in the World’ was earned by his photograph of a fatally wounded Loyalist soldier. This photograph became a powerful and influential symbol of war.


Mount Williamson- Clearing Storm - Adam Ansel, 1944

1. Ansel Easton Adams (February 20, 1902 – April 22, 1984) 

He was an American photographer well known for his black-and-white landscape photographs. Ansel Easton Adams was a passionate environmentalist and enjoyed photographing Western America, most famous for those of Yosemite National Park. 

Adams generally shot with a large-format camera to optimize the sharpness of his photographs with their high resolution. The zone system was developed by Ansel and his colleague Fred Archer to determine the proper exposure and to adjust the contrast of the final printed image. This resulted in-depth and clarification which represented his photographs and influenced the work of those he taught the system to. Ansel Easton Adams’s photographs can be enjoyed by its viewers in a variety of formats, as they are reproduced in books, on posters, and calendars.

View our blog including content about Ansel’s Zone system here

These Photographers Are Unique, Yet They Have Each Contributed to Modern Photography

Photography is not a new concept in the 21st Century, the thing that changes are styles and technology. Sometimes a certain style becomes trendy as certain images become influential. The bottom line is, famous photographers have changed the future of imagery and made an impact larger than words can describe - so the pictures will do just fine.

Which Famous Photographers Did We Miss?

A whole bunch! It's impossible to pick just one photographer as the greatest in the world, there are hundreds of other incredible photographers not included in this list. Everyone has different opinions, we just wanted to share a few of the top photographers in history that made an impact on the world.