Professional Headshots- Self Portraits

• April 24th, 2020 •

Recently someone told me I need to update my headshots and make sure I was holding a camera! They were right, it’s been awhile since I had my own headshots taken. I’ve been so busy taking everyone else pictures, I forgot to make sure my own were on point!

Then… corona hit and we got locked down! No headshots for ANYONE! I thought the lockdown would be over by now and I’m impatient! So, I decided that I needed to do them myself. It’s not easy being the photographer AND the subject but I persevered and came out with a few I love.

It you are in need of new headshots, please be patient. I am working with Amplitude Karaoke for a “Headshots and Happy Hour” event when this is all over! We will set up a backdrop for some beautiful professional portraits and then drink, sing, eat and unwind TOGETHER!!! I cannot wait to hug you, photograph you and sing with you!! If interested in more information on this event, let me know and I will add you to my email list.

Cultural Celebration with Cynthia

• August 27th, 2018 •

Cynthia was the first client to have a Cultural celebration portrait session. She chose to not only embrace her own African culture but also showcased her love for Hawaiian culture. Cynthia is a local actress and a wonderful friend that has helped me decorate my new studio and office space with wonderful plants and trees. I just hope I get a green thumb really soon! I had so much fun photographing Cynthia and I know the future holds great things ahead for her.

Thank you Cynthia for being a wonderful friend and a beautiful person inside and out.

Here are a few of the portraits from Cynthia’s unique session. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do.

Yes, you DO need a Professional Headshot | Photographer Hampton Roads

• March 14th, 2018 •

I am just like you. I have a job, a husband, kids, grocery shopping, a home to clean, bills to pay and a life to live! I budget and cut coupons and love groupon and discount sites! I hate spending more for something that I can get cheaper somewhere else. I only have so much money coming and and I really do need to make it stretch as far as possible. I get it! That said… you REALLY DO NEED A PROFESSIONAL HEADSHOT done by a professional photographer! A “picture of you” is not just a picture of you when you are trying to sell yourself. And we all need to sell ourselves at times!

I was just searching online for a therapist for someone I love. I found an incredibly helpful site that narrowed down therapists in my area to those that specialized in the the disorder I was looking for help in, where they were located, a short bio about them and their practice and a picture. I was completely turned off by MOST of the pictures! Only a handful had professional portraits and most were snapshots with distracting things in the background and were unflattering. A few looked to have been taken 30 years ago with outdated clothing or hair. They might be AMAZING therapists but I didn’t even click on their profile for more information.

We all love selfies but a selfie is NOT a professional portrait!!!! Yes, I am a photographer and of course I have a professional headshot… but be honest, if you were coming to do business with me about ANYTHING and I had this as my profile picture or on my website, does it look like I invest in my business? It’s a SELFIE with clutter all behind me!

Or this one? A nice picture of me, but there is an unmade bed behind me and an open door. I’m sitting in a hotel bedroom!

These are the kinds of things I saw when looking for a therapist this morning. There was one where he was standing beside a horse and you could only see a portion of his face but ALL of the horse!

We shouldn’t make judgments on people by the way they look…. but we do have first impressions that are hard to get past. We often have a TON of options in front of us and we navigate ourselves to the ones that relate to us. Often, unless we are buying something and there will have NO interaction (like online), we want to feel connected to the people we will be working with, buying from, spending time with, etc. Some of the pictures I saw today, the therapists were almost scowling… and you want me to come and lay on your couch and tell you my problems??? No thanks, Mr. Grumpy. The outdated ones… um no thanks Mrs. Seventies show. The selfies… is this a legitimate business Ms. Smartphone?

The take-away from this is you NEED to have a professional portrait. It doesn’t need to be BORING but it does need to focus on you and how you are trying to sell yourself. Do you want to be inviting and warm? Powerful and important? Confident and trustworthy? Self controlled and competent? Amusing and charming? Selfless and calm? Different jobs call for different portraits!!

Here are a few of MY portraits. I usually try to go for inviting, warm, and friendly. Sometimes I include my camera, sometimes I don”t. I love to be outdoors and since many of my sessions are on location- I usually choose outdoor locations too.

In response to my frustration today in viewing terrible headshots of therapists, I am going to offer a special discount for the rest of this week only.

Contact me for a professional portrait of

yourself for only $110.

This will include the session plus one digital image.

Please invest in yourself and in your business. Put your best foot (er… face) forward and see the difference it makes!

Actress Headshots: Megan | Hampton Roads Headshot Photographer

• August 24th, 2016 •

Megan is an up and coming actress in Hampton Roads- already doing amazing things in the area… and she’s still in high school!!! Next year she’ll be heading off to college and has some very big dreams. So very proud of her and can’t wait to say “I photographed her when she was just a teen!”

Megan- you were a joy to photograph and can’t wait to see all your dreams come true. Make sure I get an invite to your upcoming shows this year!

“Quirky” Author Headshots | Virginia Beach Photographer

• February 3rd, 2016 •

I LOVE when I get calls asking for something a bit different than what I normally do! Erin called and asked me for professional portraits to use as she promotes the new teen novel she wrote. Not so different, right? She mentioned “quirky” and “fun” and then she mentioned “Dinosaur park” and I got excited!!!

We headed out to Pungo and braved the cold to capture these fun portraits! She mothered the baby dinos and climbed through fields (okay, bushes) trying to stay out of the way of the T-Rex. He found her though and she had no choice but to take him out with her bow and arrows! She blew kisses to a Brontosaurus and ran with Veloso Raptures!

If Erin’s book as as fun as she is, I can’t wait to buy it for myself and my daughter! As soon as I find out where you can buy it, I’ll let you know. As for now, enjoy these portraits and remember, your professional portraits need to reflect YOU! If you are quirky, fun and a little silly… your portraits should be too!

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Eli Acting Headshots | Virgina Beach Professional Headshot Photographer

• June 5th, 2015 •

Eli is a very talented young lady! For many years she has been acting and dancing all over Hampton Roads and I have been blessed to photograph her many times over! As kids do, she has done some growing and we needed to update her headshots so all the talent agents can see how much more beautiful and mature she has become!

I adore working with such talented clients and I see a very big future for Eli. She’s kindhearted, full of energy and love and I know she is going to shine… whether it be in local productions, the big screen or the bright lights of broadway!

I can’t wait to continue our photography relationship and to see Eli continue to grow, blossom and accomplish all her dreams!