I met Joanne at yoga class in one of our local parks near the beach. She was setting up her mat next to mine. I didn’t know her, however, I thoroughly enjoyed her presence. Once she sat down I said “hello,” and our friendship fruition from there. At the end of our class, I handed her my photography business card without any expectations. I remember I said: “in case you need professional head shots, I am a photographer.” From then on, she followed me on Instagram, where I learned she was a local real-estate agent.
There were many sweaty downward dogs and pigeon poses before we would work together. Regardless, every Saturday we would greet each other and breathed heavily during chair pose. It wasn’t until recently that Joanne stopped me briefly and said, “we need to talk, because I would like some new real estate head shots.” I smiled and said, “let’s talk next class and you can tell me all about your vision.”
Well, we did talk! Although she was quite satisfied with her current photographs, Joanne wanted a lifestyle vibe. A vision that was more natural and organic. Something that visually said, “I am a hardworking professional, but I am also kind and caring.” I knew I could do that for her! I was very confident I could extend her entire personality on to a still image. All we needed was the right setting, clothing, and amazing lighting.
During the days before the photo-shoot, I took the time to get to know Joanne on a more personal level. You know, what kind of music or activities she enjoyed. Did she have a pet? I wanted the real nitty gritty stuff. For me, I understood that being aware of all these details would help me to truly project her essence once she got in front of the camera.
On the day of the gig, I had a Billy Joel playlist playing in the background. While I shot, we had conversations about her dogs, children, dream house sale, and the beach. The idea was to make her feel as normal and organic as possible. I wanted it to be less about taking a professional head shot and more about who she is and wants her clients to see. My ultimate goal was that she could say: “that is 100% me.”
Connect with Joanne through Instagram: @joanneloudrealtor
Sit with her, drink some coffee, and let her find you your dream home!
