Seton Hall University asked me to produce a series of photographs of the university president. The shoot took place outdoors on Seton Hall’s campus in South Orange, Essex County, with the campus softly blurred in the background.
Why they needed so much variety
The president’s photo gets used constantly. It shows up on the website, in press releases, in event programs, in social media posts, and in university publications. A single headshot gets stale fast when it’s running in that many places, so the art director wanted as much variety as we could get in one session.
That meant two kinds of photos. First, traditional executive headshots: tight framing, clean background, the kind of image that works at small sizes and in formal settings. Second, wider environmental portraits that show more of the campus and give a real sense of place. Those work well across a full page or as a feature image.
Planning around a busy schedule
University presidents don’t have much free time, so planning mattered as much as the shoot. I worked with the art director ahead of time to scout the campus and find the right spot.
We settled on an area where I could place him in five different locations, all within a very short walk of each other. Each spot had a different background and a different feel, but nobody had to cross campus between setups. That kept walking to a minimum and gave us as much time as possible to take pictures.
Because everything was mapped out in advance, the shoot moved quickly. We got the full range of headshots and wider portraits the university needed and finished ahead of schedule.
Seeing the photos in print
The best part of any project is seeing the work out in the world. I just picked up the new edition of the Seton Hall alumni magazine, and instead of the usual small headshot next to the president’s column, they ran one of the portraits as a full page. That’s exactly the kind of use the wider shots were designed for.
Executive portraits for your organization
If you’re a college, university, or company in Essex County or anywhere in New Jersey and you need executive portraits that work across print, web, and everything in between, I’d be glad to help. I come to you, scout the location, and build the shoot around your leader’s schedule.
You can read more on my New Jersey corporate headshot photography page, or call me at 908-447-6588 to talk about your project.