Photographing a Professional Headshot Photographer in Atlanta, Georgia

The other day was a great reminder that being an expert at my craft is important, necessary and valued. I am updating some content for my business and needed a new headshot. I am NOT in the physical condition that I wish I was but it had to be done. I need to have a true representation of what I look like for my current and future clients. Taking headshots of middle-aged women is an art form for sure!

I set up my camera and lights and my husband and daughter were willing to be my photographer. Everything was already set up so could it really be that difficult? Well - I guess it could be. I think there were over 100 images taken and I previewed each making adjustments and fixing things that they didn’t even notice. My shirt was bunched up, my hands looked strange, my posture was horrible and they weren’t talking to me - just struggling with my camera. How could something that was so simple to me, be so difficult? My daughter after 3 minutes complained of the weight of my camera and lens and my husband, who has the patience of Job, was ready to quit.

This is when I realized that my years of experience could not be mimicked by the people who have watched me photograph for the past quarter of a century. I can not sing like Cecelia even though I have watched her practice and perform for years. How could I have such expectations of them? Even when all is “set up,” you still needed to be the person behind the camera that evokes emotion and personality, who puts the subject at ease and who notices the tiny details. I am not throwing Jeff and Cecelia under the bus - they tried their very best - but they don’t have the experience I have.

All in all, we made it work and I am happy with the end result. I think the portraits are ME at this very point of my life. A woman who has lived a lot of life and who has a lot of life left to live.

The moral of the story . . . hire a professional. Years of experience DOES make a difference.