Love Light Blog

December 2, 2021

Here’s my advice on what to wear for actor headshots.*

Color matters:

Don't wear white. There are several reasons here. 1) If the backdrop is white, your clothing will blend right into it. 2) The brightest part of the subject gets the most attention, so you probably want the brightest part to be your face. 3) In my opinion, a bright white top can leave everything else looking dull.

Jewel tones and deeply saturated colors almost always work.

Black may work, unless it’s a black backdrop, in which case you should avoid black. And that reminds me - be sure you know in advance what color the backdrop will be.

Choose a color to contrast your skin tone. For example, pale people should avoid pale colors or pastels.

Busy Patterns are Distracting. You’re always safest to avoid patterns and choose solid colors instead. If you have a patterned top that you love, bring it only as a backup option.

Necklines and style:

Avoid button-down tops that can gape.

Crew neck or v-neck? Whatever you prefer, but consider how much skin you want to expose for your professional headshot.

Turtle neck? I have mixed feelings on this. A black turtleneck will probably call a celebrity to mind, but which one? Also, sometimes a tight turtleneck makes you look a bit like a lollipop. But maybe you’ll convince me otherwise.

Wrinkles Can Ruin a Photo (IMPORTANT): Even if we CAN remove wrinkles in photoshop, it won’t be easy or free. Don’t come in all wrinkled.

No words or logos:

Don’t even wear the shirt for the show you’re currently doing. To begin with, words and images will get cut off. And furthermore, it’s just too informal. Even a plain tshirt is better than a concert or show tshirt.

You never want a brand logo to get more attention than your face in the photo.

Hair:

Your hairstyle is entirely up to you. Just know that your hair is your most important accessory. You decide how much attention you want it to have in your photo.

Unkempt hair won’t serve you well. Be sure to bring a brush/comb or whatever you need to make last minute touchups before your photo.

Occasionally, a casting director will prefer that you have your hair pulled back.

Makeup:

For headshots, a natural look is usually best.

Don’t try to darken or lighten your skin with makeup. Use a foundation that matches your skin color, and make sure it is evenly applied to face, neck and chest.

For blemishes, a neutralizing concealer can cover them if they’re minor.

Your eyes will show best with mascara, so don’t skip it. While we recommend false lashes for corporate or beauty portraits, you shouldn’t wear false lashes for an actor’s headshot.

Make sure your brows are defined but look natural. Darken them a bit if needed.

Lipstick can be a tad darker than you would ordinarily wear. Gloss is also good.

If not wearing lip color (including guys), be sure to apply lip balm.

Facial hair:

You decide if you want to be clean cut or scruffy.

Tame a beard or mustache with beard oil, which will keep it in line but also bring out some shine.

Teeth:

If they need brightening, you know what to do.

*Adapted and expanded from the article found here:  https://www.smartheadshots.com/blog/articles/how-to-dress-for-actor-headshots.html?fbclid=IwAR3RLVpum8xfywPIzUc0BcPD9ISX322Fd5JXPWosQNZJ8ChRESP8Bt-pNQI

December 15, 2020

More on #SaveCTRestaurants with LJR Images

Message to shoreline CT restaurants:

Hello from Cindy at LJR Images! I’m a small business owner, like you. As a portrait photographer, I’m entering what is likely to be a slow time in my business through January 2021. I want to donate this available time to shoreline restaurants with a mission to #SaveCTRestaurants. My goal is to visit MANY shoreline restaurants for very quick photo shoots to create images you can use in your marketing. If you’re with me, we’ll schedule a 10 minute photo shoot that captures some key people in your restaurant, both inside and outside. I’ll cull and edit these images before delivering them to you. You can use them as often and wherever you’d like, preferably with a simple photo credit when you do. I’ll also work with a volunteer to post the images on my website and my Facebook and Instagram pages, tagging you and your restaurant. We’re working on ways to monetize this for the restaurants as well, by encouraging gift certificate purchases, online ordering, and gifting to frontline workers.

It’s possible the logistics, workflow and benefits will evolve as this gets started, but the outline above captures the essence, so let’s just go with it! I hope to start the photo shoots as soon as Wednesday and to keep going through the month of January. I’ll organize them by town, and I’ll attempt to get to four restaurants per day, starting at 11am. I’ll be preparing a scheduling link shortly.

Please reach out with questions and inquiries:

Cindy Ringer

cindy@ljrimages.com

781-375-8813

@ljrimages on FB and IG

www.ljrimages.com

Feel free to connect with me on Facebook to make tagging easier - https://www.facebook.com/cindy.ringer.3

December 11, 2020

LJR Images - Best Photographer - Best of the Shoreline 2020

Well, this is exciting. Thank you so very much for voting me best photographer on the shoreline! First Place!!! I can hardly believe it. I'm so grateful. I'm also determined to enjoy some of the many good moments from 2020. We've all gone through so much this year, and I can't thank you enough for helping me to end the year on a high note.

Thank you Zip06 and thank you, Stephanie Tashman of Love Pet Sitting for first nominating me and getting me on the board. Thank you to the beautiful people I photographed this year (over 200 families, dozens of individuals and businesses, high school graduates, even some pets) and also the kind and generous people who have referred me or voted for me, even when I've never met them personally. (If this were an award show, they would be getting the hook ready now. 😅 ) And thank you to my beautiful wife and daughters and even my puppies. 😁

December 9, 2020

#SaveCTRestaurants with LJR Images

What restaurant do you MOST want to survive 2020? Nominate your favorite (maybe two) for a business branding photo shoot. I’ll give one restaurant a full day of my time shooting images in and around the restaurant, of their signature dishes, and of their critical staff both in front of the house and in the kitchen. They’ll receive dozens of images to use on their website and social media. Please show your support and love by tagging them on Facebook and Instagram, and tell us why you want them to keep going strong in 2021.

I have another surprise in store for Shoreline Connecticut Restaurants, so stay tuned. Think Front Steps Project with a foody spin.

Use this form or just post your nomination on the LJR Images pages.

BTW, have you ever worked in a restaurant? I have awesome memories from waitressing at Alex’s Washington Gardens in Highwood, IL just before starting law school. I’ll always remember their chicken parm as the best in the world, and I’m grateful to the clientele who allowed me to wait on them even when I had no idea what I was doing. But, most of all, I loved the cooks and the other servers. I always say, everyone should take a turn waiting tables and living in NYC (not necessarily at the same time).

October 29, 2020

LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION

Not sure where we should do your photo shoot?  These galleries are designed to help you see what your photos might look like at some of the popular destinations along the Connecticut Shoreline.  Take a look and watch for these galleries to grow.  They're a work in progress.

September 23, 2020

Best of the Shoreline?  I hope so!

Guess who is nominated for Best Photographer on the Shoreline?  Yep, yours truly!  I'm so grateful for the recognition, especially being so new to the area.  I guess 2020 may have a few more silver linings up its sleeve.

Can you help me win?  I need your vote, every day through October 7th.  You'll go to www.zip06.com/bestof, go to the BUSINESSES section, find PHOTOGRAPHER, and cast your vote for LJR IMAGES.  Thank you!!

Remember:

zip06.com/bestof >

BUSINESSES >

PHOTOGRAPHER >

LJR IMAGES !

June 5, 2020

Black Lives Matter

If you follow LJR Images, you’ve probably noticed that my posts are pretty darn white. No surprise, considering the social and business circles I run in. Of course I have photographed people of color, but not enough, and it would be unfair for me to elevate those posts right now just to show my “diversity.”

Like many small businesses, I am just getting back on my feet after the shut down, but my white skin opens privileged doors. My white skin makes everyone think the best of me, whether they realize it or not. My privilege made it easy for me to get unemployment assistance and to feel financially secure despite the quarantine. My children’s white skin lets me parent without fear of police brutality.

How do I reconcile this privilege with my conviction that Black Lives Matter? I have no answer. I don’t know how to extend my privilege. I do, however, have two gifts to share. (1) I can vote with my wallet and spend my money with minority-owned and progressive businesses. (2) I can use my camera to connect with people of color, to truly see them, and to give them images that will outlive all of us.

I invite you, my friends and neighbors and future friends, if you are a person of color, to allow me to photograph you now. Allow me to capture memories for you in your business, with your family, or just on your own. Please allow me to connect with you through my camera, because you matter to me.

June 3, 2020

After photographing 159 Madison families, we wrapped up #thefrontstepsproject on May 31st. 

May 10, 2020

Photography in the Time of Quarantine

I can’t be the only one still feeling a little shell-shocked from the sudden implosion of the world as we knew it. Right? It’s been hard to focus on anything but educating my elementary school kids or navigating our new food industry (sanitizing grocery carts and finding the best take out restaurants that are still open or have reopened). We’re spending 80% of our day in the kitchen, mostly working together at the kitchen table.

Clearly not “essential,” photography has slipped down on the priority list. Thanks to the genius of a Needham photographer, however, I’m using photography to give me a little purpose during the pandemic. Cara Soulia launched The Front Steps Project during the first week that Massachusetts schools were cancelled, and it spread faster than the virus. I launched my own version of the project here in Madison, Connecticut on March 22nd. Participating families (over 110 already) have donated more than $4,500 to a local charity, the Neighbor to Neighbor Fund at The Madison Foundation.

How does it work? Families in Madison can request a portrait, and I head out a few afternoons per week to capture them. I text on my way, and they pop out onto the front porch for a 5-minute photo shoot. I keep my distance (at least 10 feet), and we all get to celebrate the fun of photography for a few minutes. I tell awkward jokes, they laugh with me or at me, and then I head on my way to the next house. As I hop back into my car, I’ve heard families say (at least 4 times), “that was so much fun!”

I’m not charging anything for the photo shoots or the photos, and no money comes through me. I leave it to the families to make a donation to the Neighbor to Neighbor Fund. Many families have told me what they’ve donated, and we’re tracking the donations as best we can. The suggested donation amount is $50 per family, but the range of actual donations has been $30-$300.

I’ve been working on this post for a few weeks, and for some reason I’m choosing Mother’s Day to finally post it. So many mothers have hopped into these photos, despite worrying that they’re not perfect enough to be photographed. I’m grateful every time a mom chooses to exist in photos. I should do the same, and eventually I will.

Happy Mother’s Day. See the gallery of Madison Front Step Portraits and request a portrait here.

March 21, 2020

Let’s bring some real life into this surreal moment

As families, we are busy looking for silver linings in this surreal time of quarantines and shutdowns. A photographer peer originated this opportunity to connect even while social distancing. It’s the Front Steps Project, and we’re bringing it to Madison.

Starting tomorrow, I am offering to take five minute Front Steps Portraits of Madison residents. After your quick session, I will email you the digital file of your portrait. In exchange, I am asking you to make a good faith donation to the Madison Foundation’s Neighbor to Neighbor Fund.

I will be posting these images on Facebook and Instagram using the hashtag #thefrontstepsproject. Please share these posts. Let’s spread the word!

The purpose of this project is to bring us together when we might feel isolated. I aim to highlight the faces of our community during a time when we might not see them in passing at the grocery store, coffee shop, on the train or at the gym. Participating in this project is also an opportunity to step up to help those who need it most right now in Madison.

I will be taking images outside ONLY and from at least 10 feet away. Our session will be brief, likely just 5 minutes. This is not a typical get-dressed-up-and-pose-for-the-photographer session. Want to stand outside in your pajamas and slippers? Sounds good to me. Kids in mismatched clothes but you’re thrilled they got dressed? Fantastic. Wearing your bike gear because you’re headed off to ride a trail in the nice weather? Love it! Be you.

Credit for the concept and many of the words above must go to Cara Soulia in Needham, MA, a photographer whom I have followed and admired for many years. You can follow her, too: https://carasoulia.com.

Click below to request a Front Steps Portrait.  We will do our best to accommodate families that can pledge a donation.  If the demand becomes too great, or if local health guidelines change, we may not get to everyone, but we'll try.

February 6, 2020

Meet Steven Jacob, Doctor of Oriental Medicine

Locals to the Connecticut Shoreline know Health Options in Guilford as a destination for healing and wellness. Owned by Dr. Steven Jacob and Joey Jacob, the building is home to therapists of all kinds, including psychotherapy, health coaching, massage and acupuncture, probably more.

Steven’s practice includes acupuncture, but it is far broader than that one modality. In his practice, he considers the entire person as he heals the body. Through herbs, manual therapy, acupuncture and meditation, Steven makes his education in ancient practices accessible to patients in the modern age.

Steven recently decided to modernize his business through a sleek new website and rebranding by Weblight Media. Steven called upon LJR Images to capture the photos that would help the website shine. For Steven’s photo shoot, we started with headshots in the studio. Next, we went to his office for detail, business portraits, and action shots showing him at work with a client. Finally, we returned at several different times of day to photograph the exterior of the building in the perfect light.

Want to see the photos in action? Visit Steven’s new site at drstevenjacob.com.

January 31, 2020

HELLO DAYCARE CENTER! READY FOR SCHOOL PICTURE DAY WITH LOVE LIGHT PORTRAITS?

One month gone already!  It happens so fast.  But January is a favorite for me, so it was a good month of resetting.

On to February, and it's time to start scheduling Spring Photo Day.  We are booking now for April and May, and don't delay on the Fall scheduling, because it will start booking any moment. 

I love creating portraits for all your little ones at daycare centers.  It's hard to meet new centers, because it just doesn't feel right to pop in unannounced.  That's why I made this quick little intro video.  What do you think?  I hope it allows people to meet me, even if only for 60 seconds, so that I can help them to feel comfortable with me even before I walk in the door. 

If you know of a daycare center that is ready for beautiful school portraits, please connect us.  I guarantee it will be a great experience for the kids, the teachers, the parents and the administrators.  Email cindy@ljrimages.com or call 781-375-8813.

December 21, 2019 - Happy Holidays!!

2019 Set the Bar High

Truly, it was a great year for me and LJR Images.  It wasn't perfect, but it was perfect for me. 

After moving to Connecticut in the fall of 2018, my business took its sweet time to rebound.  By the summer of 2019, I was nervous.  Should I have been nervous?  No, because it's normal for a RELOCATED, service-based, word-of-mouth business to need some time to bounce back.  Yet, since I'm a nervous nellie by nature, I fretted and worried.  Still, I never forgot to be grateful for every moment I spent doing my photography dream job.  I never lost site of my calling -- to create the best portrait you've ever seen of yourself when you step in front of my camera.

Things turned a corner in September and I made up for a slow year with a whirlwind fall of headshots, personal branding photo shoots, boutique fashion photos, a Bat Mitzvah at the Boston Museum of Science, school photography for Bright Horizons on Park Avenue in NYC, more headshots, a few boudoir sessions, and more headshots.  

I'm grateful to every single client.  I'm grateful to those who sent me multiple referrals and bought gift certificates for loved ones after they rocked their own photo shoots.  I'm grateful to my networking groups and the wonderful business people in my BNI (Hammonasett Chapter).  I'm forever indebted to my teachers and mentors, like Sue Bryce and Kara Marie.  And I'm grateful to my family for sticking with me on this journey.  It's a bumpy ride to run a small business, but they ride the bumps with me like moguls and throw their arms up with whoops and cheers.  I'm the luckiest and I know it. 

2020 has big shoes to fill.  But momentum is a beautiful thing, so here we go --- hold on!

November 20, 2019 (updated 11/24/2019)

Holiday Photos, Check

Technically, these photos won't make the holiday card, but that's why I can share them on the blog and SOOC (that's "straight out of the camera," which means unedited).  The kids helped create this little evergreen structure as the backdrop with scraps from the woods behind our house, so it was FREEEEEEEE.  Do you have a holiday set for your photos?  Want to pop in and let me snap some portraits of your kiddos here?  Let's talk.  If I can squeeze it into an open spot in my schedule, I won't charge for a mini photo shoot with one image per kid.  You can just make a donation to your favorite charity instead.  Message me so we can compare calendars.  Cindy@ljrimages.com

Is there a catch here?  Yes, yes there is.  Actually, there are at least 2 catches.  (1) You have to agree to let me post the amount and charity that you chose for your donation.  (2) Because I don't offer mini sessions in general, but definitely not for family portraits, these little micro photo shoots are super limited -- only if I can squeeze you in, only for one or two kids at a time, not for family portraits.  Send me your questions, but know that this offer won't last forever and may end as soon as our makeshift set falls apart, if not before. 

Need ideas for a local charitable cause?  I love to support the Scranton Memorial Library in Madison, and I recently discovered two great organizations, Cystic Fibrosis Foundation (Connecticut Chapter) and one that is very close to my friend, Karen Morales, Cure Rare Disease.  You can't go wrong supporting any of these causes.

November 16, 2019

DAY. MADE.

I'm just hopping on to say wow, someone is reading my blog.  My friend at Ring's End asked me why it's been so long since I posted, and I was floored.  Who knew anybody reads this stuff?  I'm reminded of the power of our words and the community we build, sometimes without even knowing it. 

Lesley, thank you for making my day.  I'll post again soon.  But for now, back to hacking together a holiday backdrop to take my kids' holiday pictures.  I hope it's not a pinterest fail!  Stay tuned to find out.

October 16, 2019

My Beautycounter team is at it again. Here’s how you can help.

As a safe beauty advocate with Beautycounter, I’m passionate about educating people regarding their personal care products and how small changes make a difference.

What if we could lock arms together to do more and give back? Once again, this October, we can do just that.

Most of us have been touched by cancer - a friend, a colleague, a family member, or even ourselves. My mom had breast cancer, among many other health issues. She had a mastectomy that led to a slow decline, ultimately resulting in her passing away in 2012.

This year, in honor and memory of people like my mom, my Beautycounter team will be donating our Safe Beauty Boxes to women personally fighting breast cancer and other cancers at the BID Hospital in Needham, MA.  This October, you can lift the spirits of cancer patients undergoing cancer treatment by sponsoring a Safe Holiday Set (or Sets) filled with products for them to use during this extremely sensitive time for their bodies and their spirits. Our team will distribute these sets to patients undergoing treatment in early November. We hope these gift sets will help lift their spirits & nourish their skin safely. Our intent is to provide a way for us all to personally touch someone else’s life, AND, you know exactly where your donation is going.

Here's how it works:

1. For $30- you sponsor a gift set containing safer body products. The box includes: shampoo, conditioner, body wash & lotion. (Incidentally, these are products I LOVE and use every day, so I can assure you it's a great set.)

2. Donations can be made via Venmo or a check.

3. The products will ship directly to our local team so we can prepare & deliver them together.

4. We will include a message of support from you or from your business, so the recipient will know who was responsible for this kind gesture.  Of course, you may opt out and remain anonymous if you prefer.  To keep spirits high for the hospital patients, we will not be including messages in memoriam, but I will gladly honor your lost family member in some other way if you would like to donate in their honor.

Thank you for helping us share these Holiday Sets with a purpose to get safer products into the hands of those who need them. Each kit costs you $30 (retail $35 + tax + shipping). Participating Beautycounter consultants will not profit from the sale of these kits.

To donate now:

Send a check payable to Lucinda Ringer to [ask me for the address!! Cindy@ljrimages.com]

Or

Venmo me @Lucinda-Ringer

Or

If you prefer to pay by credit card or PayPal, I can invoice you. There will be a small processing fee added for these transactions.

Last year, my clients and I sent 19 totes to moms with children in the hospital.  This year, we're going to TRIPLE that, and we're sending the gifts to women who are undergoing treatment themselves. THANK YOU for joining us to make a small difference, because every little thing helps.

July 24, 2019

When is the best time for family portraits?

The best time for family portraits is when you’re all together, of course.

Do the kids come home for the summer? Perfect -- plan ahead for a photo shoot. Are you getting together with grandparents? Don’t miss the chance to have a multigenerational photo shoot.

Are you going away on vacation together? It’s awesome to get professional portraits in a beautiful location. You’ll enjoy those photos forever, long after the vacation snapshots have been lost on an old device.

If you don’t hire a photographer during the vacation, it’s also a great time for portraits right after you return from vacation, when you still have that warm, relaxed glow.

Fall photos for your holiday card are classic and, for many families, an annual tradition.

Just don’t feel constrained by the pressure of fall photography. Many a gorgeous photo has been taken in the beautiful winter light of a home or in the summer sand at your favorite beach (ahem, Hammonasset in Madison, CT and Wingaersheek in Gloucester, MA). The convenient thing about both your home and beach is that they’re versatile -- they provide a beautiful backdrop any time of year.

Book your family portraits with Cindy at www.ljrimages.com. And, hey, if you want to take her on vacation with you, she’ll probably say yes. ;)

June 11, 2019

TO OUTSOURCE OR NOT TO OUTSOURCE?

Got a great camera? Then why outsource headshot photography?

Oh, where do I begin? First, can you name a marketing department that hasn’t tried this? I bet you can’t. While marketers understand the value online images hold, they can overestimate their ability to create powerful portraits. Let’s break it down to see if it’s worth it to hire a great photographer.

I’ll tell you my bias. I’m a photographer, so you probably know that I think you’re giving that fancy camera way too much credit. If you’ve mastered some settings and know enough to be dangerous, that may be helpful in a pinch for a temporary photo. When it’s time to create professional images that will represent your company’s brand, however, don’t be ashamed to call in the professionals. You’re adding value to the company when you realize your limitations.

Hate that extra chin? Think your subjects look stiff and uncomfortable? Do they look too heavy or too feminine or too masculine? Posing is a critical ingredient in successful headshots. Just because you’re shooting from the shoulders up, that doesn’t make posing irrelevant. Portrait photographers are trained to bring out the best in all different body types and faces.

Without a professional, your lighting will be limited to natural light, pop-up flash or, at worst, fluorescent overheads. (Actually, pop-up flash and fluorescent overheads are tied for worst.) While many professionals do beautiful work with natural light, finding and using that light to flatter people is a skill they’ve developed over years of practice.

The point of taking headshots for work may be to serve the company’s bottom line, but let’s not forget the employees. If you’ve never loved your headshot, you probably didn’t even realize that it’s possible to love one. Really. A strong photographer can work with the subject, even the most camera shy person, to help them enjoy both the process and the result. Getting headshots should build confidence and motivation. Use them to empower your people to shine.

Great photographers get great images “straight out of the camera,” meaning they may not need much editing. But, the beauty is, they have editing skills that a hobbyist is unlikely to possess. Need to reduce shine, soften some lines, smooth out the skin, reduce the shadows? No problem, so long as the image was created professionally. Need to remove stray hairs? You got it. Slim the face a little bit? Whiten the teeth? Remove blemishes? Fix the glare on glasses? Most of these are outside the skill set of your average “guy with an expensive camera.”

The logistics of photographing a large team can be daunting as well. While a marketing assistant could easily handle the scheduling, your photographer probably has a system to automate the scheduling, along with reminders. They can also facilitate image selection, so that you won’t have to go back and forth asking for edits or managing indecision.

Final thoughts -- Spend a little bit more to have a hair stylist and makeup artist provide quick touchups before the photos. The makeup artist can help reduce redness, reduce shine, darken the eyebrows, enhance the eyes. The hair stylist can add volume or tame frizz. Having these stylists available sets everyone up for success. The gentleman of the group will benefit just as much as the women. This extra bit of pampering also lets your team know that you’re happy to invest in them. Trust me, it will lift their spirits while it brightens their image.

When you outsource headshots to a great photographer, it will be an employee perk, rather than a necessary evil. Of course, the photos will be better than any hobbyist could take, and the marketing team can stick to what they do best, but the biggest payoff will come in the form of very happy employees.

Book your team headshots in your office anywhere in New England with Cindy Ringer of LJR Images.

www.ljrimages.com/corporate

June 3, 2019

WHY CHANGE AN OLD HEADSHOT? 

If you LOVE your headshot from 10 years ago, why should you change? Maybe you shouldn’t, but here are 6 considerations to help you decide.

1.  You just don’t look like your photo anymore. If you show up to meetings and people are having trouble putting the name with the face, could it be that you your profile photo didn’t show them who you are today? For business meetings, LinkedIn is the first prep step. Your photo sets an expectation, and people are downright CONFUSED if you look nothing like your photo. You know that “a confused mind says no,” so don’t start your meeting with confusion.

2.  Your hair is really different now.  If that old style looked fabulous in photos, but you abandoned it long ago, it’s time to refresh your pictures to match your current look. Went from long hair to short? Changed your color? Decided to let your “silver highlights” shine? Update your headshots.

3.  Your weight has changed. As someone who never stays the same weight for long, I understand how frustrating this can be. If you love your last photo because it’s the thinnest your remember being, it’s REALLY hard to let it go. But you are beautiful today, so show some self-love and get in front of the camera. A professional portrait photographer knows how to pose you in flattering ways, so trust her. (Hint -- this is one of the reasons you DON’T want to leave the task to your “friend with a really good camera.” This is a job for a trained professional.)

4.  Your weight has changed. I probably don’t have to tell you that, if you’re thinner now than in your headshot, you might as well flaunt it with a new photo. Aren’t we all chasing the lean dream?

5.  That “great shot” isn’t a headshot at all. I know you love how hot you looked at that wedding, but cropping a headshot out of another photo is obvious and it leaves you looking like an amateur. Or, worse, it’s an iphone pic. The ultimate no-no? Using a snapshot of you doing something that looks unprofessional and too personal. LinkedIn is not Instagram, so you’ll want to step up your game.

6.  Your stunning headshot was taken 3 jobs ago. Maybe one of your employers hired a fantastic photographer to take headshots for all the VIPs, and that included you. It may be the best photo you’ve ever seen of yourself. But if it’s been there on your profile through job changes and transformations, it is stuck in the old while you are working the new you. The connections who have stuck with you know this, and they’re wondering why in the world you’re still bilking that old pic when you’ve moved so far ahead and beyond. Treat them to a fresh, current version of you.

I’m trying to come up with a reason to keep a 10-year-old headshot so that this post will be balanced, but I just can’t do it. You deserve new headshots every couple of years, even if Lucinda Ringer of LJR Images took that amazing shot you’re using now! Consider it a treat to yourself and book new business portraits.

Book corporate headshots in studio (Madison, Connecticut) or for your team in your office anywhere in New England with Cindy: www.ljrimages.com/corporate and cindy@ljrimages.com.

Enjoy these examples of my own headshots:

If you can find my headshot from Kirkland & Ellis, circa 2004-2007, please send it my way!!  I loved that one.  But if you find the awful shot from Kroll Ontrack, circa 2008-2013, throw that one away.  Same with the Sugarman Rogers image from 2007.  Those were awful.  

May 30, 2019

Headshots Outdoors? 

Can you use an outdoor setting for a professional photo?  It Depends - 5 Considerations When You Choose Your Setting

1. Lighting - A beautiful day does not always make a beautiful portrait. You’ll want an even light on your face for your headshot, so be sure to avoid high noon and uber-bright days. Clouds are your best friend for outdoor portraits.

2. Backgrounds - Your headshot needs to be close up, so an elaborate background will probably be lost. If you’re doing it outside, look for something clean and simple, like the wall of a building or a wall of greenery. Avoid distracting elements in the background.

3. Your Eyes - Nothing is more important in your photo than your eyes. The challenge with outdoor photography is that MOST people find it almost impossible to keep their eyes open, even on cloudy days. If you tend to be super squinty outdoors, then move your portrait inside and you’ll get a much better result.

4. Wind - If you have hair (I know that doesn’t apply to everyone!) and if it’s at all windy, you may end up with the windblown look. 

5. If your profession is outdoors, all of these obstacles can be overcome. Just plan accordingly, and be flexible with the timing and the weather.

Book your business portraits, inside or outside, with Cindy Ringer of LJR Images - available throughout New England. Based in Madison, Connecticut.

www.ljrimages.com

March 13, 2019

Chin Magic - Tip of the Day 

What's this about chins?  Get Cindy's tips for minimizing your chin in your portraits or headshots, because we all need just one chin!  

Catch the one minute video and then message Cindy with your feedback - cindy@ljrimages.com.

Meet Karen of Marketing Magnet.  Some of her best advice?  Telling business owners to post photos of themselves every day.  Why?  So that customers and potential clients can connect them to their business in meaningful and personal ways.  She will tell you just how successful that practice has been for her.  She mixes personal snapshots with professional portraits by yours truly.  And she updates her headshots regularly, so there's always something fresh to work with or to repurpose.  Don't procrastinate getting your photos.  As Karen would say, "It’s time to stop messing around. We’ll help magnetize your marketing!"  

Connect with Karen - contact@marketing-magnet.com - www.marketing-magnet.com - www.facebook.com/beamarketingmagnet

Christina Pendleton

An educator and child development expert, Christina's zone of genius centers around caring for children, the homeless, and women in addiction recovery.  With her sons, Christina generously gathers and presents care packages directly to people in need.  An essential part of lifelong education is world travel, and Christina travels with passion and curiosity.

Christina channels her passion for education into her Beautycounter business, where she promotes safe products for the whole family.  

Christina is a friend, Beautycounter mentor and great referral source for LJR Images:  "I have worked with Cindy for years on a wide variety of projects, from charity shoots, to family portraits of my own family, head shots, corporate events, etc. Cindy is a pleasure to work with. She is patient and clear about all of the options available to you. She hires only the best hair and make up professionals and you will feel pampered and beautiful when they are done with you! Beautiful photos to last a lifetime. Worth every penny!"

You'll find Christina here:  beautycounter.com/christinapendleton and on Facebook.