Executive Headshot Portraiture - 2023

In today's digitally driven professional landscape, the significance of maintaining a curated collection of high-quality, publication-ready headshot photographs cannot be overstated for the modern Corporate Executive.

Professional Headshot Portraiture serves as the visual representation of an individual's personal brand, and plays a pivotal role in making a positive first impression across various platforms, including professional publications, websites, and social media platforms like LinkedIn. A selection of well-crafted headshots not only conveys competence and approachability, but also enhances one's professional credibility.

Investing in the skill and experience of a professional photographer is essential to ensure that these portraits effectively capture the individual's unique personality and convey a polished, authentic image. Professionals who leverage the quality of a professional photographer’s work are more likely to present themselves with confidence and professionalism, ultimately contributing to their success in networking, career advancement, and overall professional image.

When planning a headshot portrait session, it’s important to remember one single photo can’t cover all your bases, even as an individual first joining the workplace. While scheduling your portrait session, I consult with you to learn your branding needs, prospective uses, existing portraits and how new ones will compliment or replace them, and discuss with you ways to get the most out of your portrait session.  Based on your needs, I capture and deliver portraits that fit your current requirements, as well as additional crops and variations to fit additional uses, graphic design flexibility, and future-proofing for unforeseen display scenarios.

A comprehensive photoshoot with me will create, or add to your existing, catalogue of variations to select from for different use-case scenarios. A well-rounded portrait library includes multiple options of formal & informal poses, wardrobes, and expressions, and studio-backdropped & environmental locations; consulting with me can cover all of these bases in a single booking.

In 2023 I saw a great uptick in people getting their headshots updated, their portraiture libraries expanded, as well as first-timers capturing their first professional headshots - everyone can tell when you have an iPhone photo, even in “Portrait Mode;” you need the real thing to be taken seriously.

I’m looking forward to capturing and seeing more of you in 2024; click here to start planning and scheduling today.

Kaiser Permanente’s Caton Hill Medical Center: September, 2022

On September 19th, 2022, the Kaiser Permanente Caton Hill Medical Center opened, replacing the Woodbridge Medical Center with a new 245,000-square foot medical center in Prince William County.  Four days before the first day of service, Kaiser Permanente held a ribbon cutting ceremony with addresses from Kaiser Permanente directors and Prince William County leadership.

The new Kaiser Permanente hub includes 24/7 advanced urgent care, an outpatient surgical facility, a full featured radioimagery center, and 30 specialties including family medicine, pediatrics, obstetrics & gynecology, neurology, oncology, behavioral health, cardiology, pain management, ophthalmology, and optometry.  The complex is LEED Silver certified, and is expected to serve ~40,000 patients and ~320,000 visits each year.

I’m sharing some highlights from covering the event and new facility here.

After the ribbon cutting events, groups of guests were taken on guided tours and allowed the opportunity to explore the new medical campus.

Madonna and Rubin - Fall Portraits

You might remember Madonna and Rubin from their spectacular travel themed engagement at the Dulles Airport gate where they met, or more recently Donna’s graduation portraits from George Mason University (Go Patriots!).  This Fall they took a stroll with me through Huntley Meadows Park in Alexandria, Virginia to take in the Autumn colors at their peak and occasionally cuddle up (or get in a leaf fight after carrying one another).  The sun made for an unseasonably warm day, but it fit the feeling, because it’s clear just spending a few moments with Rubin and Donna that they both married their best friend.

As the sun set, and we were just a few short days from Halloween, Rubin got spoopy on the return hike.

It had been a relaxing day, and I’d once again lived up to Rubin’s famous quote about me: “I’m pretty sure David’s face just looks like a camera.”

Ilana and Chris: Married April 28th, 2022

In my blog post about Ilana and Chris’ engagement session, I explained my history with film; how I have never shot on it professionally, and only reached for it for fun, finding novelty in its charming imperfection, and how this appreciation of film for fun and interesting cars is what ultimately brought us all together.

For Chris and Ilana’s wedding, however, like their engagement session, I changed this history, if ever so slightly.  Just like Chris and Ilana love the artistry classic, quirky, and quick cars, they also appreciate share my appreciation of analog’s allure.  So while their big day wouldn’t be the first time I snapped Polaroids at a wedding, it would be the most film I’ve ever shot at any professional session, even if it was a few handfuls.

After getting prepped, and strategically keeping the wedding parties separate, Ilana had a first look with her family on the Anchor Inn’s dock immediately before the ceremony began.  In the refreshing breeze on the Patapsco River, Chris and Ilana took their turns going down the aisle, finally letting Chris choke up seeing Ilana in her dress; a tradition Chris was adamant to keep.

After the breaking the glass (mozal tov!), Ilana and Chris danced on a cloud to kick off their reception.  After dinner and toasts, they cut the cake to the tune of some zany TV theme songs that perfectly fit their silly personalities; King of the Hill, South Park, The Simpsons, and more.  Now it’s officially party time!

Winding down the evening, Chris and Ilana slow danced solo, just them and the music on the dance floor… and maybe a few excited guests who peeked inside through the portal window.  Under an arch of fiber optic sparklers, Ilana and Chris departed, but not before dipping for a kiss one more time, and one more Polaroid.

Madonna: George Mason University, Class of 2022

2022 marks George Mason University’s 50th Anniversary, and what a perfect year to revisit my alma mater.

This May, Madonna is part of George Mason University’s Class of 2022, graduating with a BS in Civil Engineering.  To celebrate, Donna, Rubin, and I spent some time touring some of GMU’s most iconic and scenic spots; you might remember Rubin and Donna from their surprise airport proposal in 2020.

This was both fun and relaxing for me, revisiting some of my favorite spots around campus, and seeing how much of it has changed or stayed the same since I graduated in 2012.  We started in the Engineering Building, which was a new building when I attended, and I got to see some of the completed construction that was just starting when I left - I’ve only been back on campus a few times since graduating.  The most notable change is the introduction of the food delivery robots, which operate like mini-Teslas; they even tried to interfere / attack us during the shoot a few times.  I, for one, welcome our new delivery robot overlords.

After the portrait session, I explored a bit more at dusk to see a bit more - walking around campus in shorts and a polo with a backpack and camera - that part hasn’t changed; the difference is my backpack in college wasn’t leather from Tumi, and I didn’t walk around with TWO cameras and a set of remote strobes on me between classes.