EVOLUTION OF A HEAD SHOT

I'm putting myself out there today. Way out there. With a before and after shot. And not just any before and after shot, but the before and after shot of my head shot.

To give you the short run down, I hate having my picture taken (I'll point out the obvious reasons why in the before shot). There's a reason I stay behind the camera. But despite my own dislike at getting my picture taken, I needed a descent head shot. I had been (like most people) relying on random shots taken that were somewhat okay but quite iffy. The obvious shot was hiding my face behind the camera. Not very professional if you ask me and not something I would recommend. Then I tried the self portrait, but I realized that I have no knack for taking self portraits. Just not my thing. Short of hiring a professional, I engaged my assistant (my husband). I set up the tripod, adjusted the settings, told him how to focus, then handed him the remote trigger and told him where to aim. It wasn't too bad.

Though, I did take a deep breath as the pics loaded into the computer. We took a few series of shots and the worst that could happen was to reshoot. But I had to keep in mind that what showed up in the RAW file wasn't going to be the final image.

So with that, let's go to the before shot and I'll be more than happy to show you why I hate having my picture taken.

Okay, so I think that's all pretty valid for not wanting to have my picture taken.


And those are just the major problems. While I also fixed the minor problems, in my eyes, there were too many to list.

I look at this face in the mirror more than once a day (it's not vanity - but rather brushing teeth, make-up, hair styling). I see all these things in the mirror, but the camera, bless its little sensor, tends to show it more obviously than the mirror.

Now, my friends, if you're looking for a Photoshop lesson, you've come to the wrong place. You can find that elsewhere on the web with no problem. This little scenario has more to do with photo fear and how it's best resolved. The resolution? Those wonderful folks at Adobe who invented Photoshop.

If you look at the after picture, you'll see color adjustment, no dark circles (okay, there's still a hint of it under the right eye), the chin scaring is gone, along with the double chin, the highlights are toned down and the blotchy skin is now matched with the other tones. There's also a necklace chain that I took out of the photo as the necklace wasn't really part of the shot. And, I softened the shot to take away some of the hard edges.

Is it perfect? No. Are there still things I would (probably will at some point) change on this shot? You bet. I'd get rid of the watch on the right wrist and I'd do something about the hair (there are a few blending issues that bug me - but when you have natural curl, you never have the same hair day twice). I'd also tone down the highlights a bit more in the sweater. And really, I'd probably reshoot and do something about the left hand (don't ask - I was trying to relax and wasn't paying attention to the hand). As a photographer, there is always something I'll find on a photo that "needs" changing (whether it really does or not). But all in all, the after picture is acceptable. I can live with it.

So there you have it, the evolution of a head shot (and a simple cure for photo fear).

COOL COW COMEDY

Rahmein Mostafavi

Recently, I had the pleasure of photographing the mastermind behind Cool Cow Comedy, and with a name like Cool Cow Comedy, expect hysteria. Do you have any idea how hard it is to shoot while you’re laughing? Yeah, try holding a camera steady.

Cool Cow Comedy brings hysteria to Fredericksburg every other week at the Courtyard Marriott on Caroline Street (keep up to date on the gut busting shows). The brilliant mind behind this laugh factory is Rahmein Mostafavi. His stand up is hilarious - from his Iranian-American background to fatherhood to his general observations of life’s absurdities

And really, just the name itself - Cool Cow Comedy. Cool Cow Comedy got its name when Rahmein was teaching one of his sons to say Holy Cow. It kept coming out as Cool Cow so everything in the household that deserved a Holy Cow got a Cool Cow. Then we’ve got that whole cow set up going. The black and white curtains (think Holstein) and that funky little cow logo. From the mouths of babes – it works.

Rahmein knows what’s funny, too, and as the host of Cool Cow Comedy, he’s bringing fresh entertainment to town. His first show at the Courtyard Marriott headlined Danny Rouhier and featured Greg Brown; the night of the shoot – headliner Brain Parise, with featured comedian Lafayette Wright. Cool Cow Comedy’s next show will be Saturday, July 2^nd at 8pm with headliner Erin Jackson, featuring Brandon Wardell.

If you're looking for a laugh, here's your chance. Advance tickets can be purchased online.

Rahmein also hosts Cool Cow’s Raw Comedy every Tuesday night at Ragtime up in Arlington.

All in all, it was a joy photographing Rahmein. The great thing about photographing people is the insight behind their business (in this case, a study of a different artistic medium) and just getting to know someone with a devoted passion for their work. For Rahmein and Cool Cow Comedy, that passion is rewarded by a room full of laughter. Thanks Rahmein for the opportunity.

Please note that Cool Cow Comedy shows present adult humor and are rated R. Those 17 years of age and under must be accompanied by an adult.

NAMASTE

I recently spent some time at Studio D Yoga in Richmond, VA working with owner Debbie Segebart to create a business portrait for her marketing campaign. From start to finish, it was a calming experience.

Walking into Studio D Yoga, the moment I crossed over the threshold, a peace settled within. Debbie's studio is filled with warming colors and exotic scents (peppermint that day - I learned it has a calming affect) that relieve any trace of anxiety or frustration clinging from the negative remnants of the outside world. I knew immediately the image I wanted to capture.

Debbie has a beautiful, sly grin, which maybe comes from knowing the world of inner peace, and this was the look we needed. From a marketing angle, Debbie's business portrait needed to relay confidence and calm with a bit of fun tied in. We accomplished this with a variety of angles.

Okay, admittedly, the mug shot style shot was for an ID badge (Debbie provides yoga therapy for Tucker Psychiatric Clinic), but I really liked the look of this image.

Thanks to Debbie of Studio D Yoga for the peaceful day.