It Started With a Selfie
Most people don't think about needing a professional portrait until someone actually asks for one.
A client of mine was recently invited to speak at a conference. The organiser asked for a short bio and a photo. He sent them a selfie taken using his smartphone. It wasn't suitable for publication. Frankly, if someone had asked me for a photo over WhatsApp, I probably would've done exactly the same thing. The problem wasn't the selfie. Big smiles and all, it looks pretty good actually. It was simply not meant to carry such weight.
This is usually how it starts. I receive a message saying, "Hi Sha'an, I need a portrait for this.” There's always a purpose attached to it. A conference. A new job. A press feature. A speaker page.
That's when people realise the photo they've been using, the one that's perfectly fine for their IG stories or a family group chat, isn't meant to introduce them to a room full of strangers.
Different photographs serve different purposes. A holiday photo can be perfect for family and friends. A selfie can be exactly what you need for a quick update. But when a photograph becomes part of your introduction, whether it's on a conference website, in a media feature or on a company profile, it's doing a different job. Just as you wouldn't wear the same outfit to a wedding, a board meeting and a morning run, portraits have their place too.
That's usually the real conversation before I pick up the camera. It isn't, "How many photo do I get?" It's, "Where will this photograph live, and what does it need to communicate?"
~If you're considering commissioning a portrait for your speaking engagement, check out how I approach Portrait Sessions.