The four frames and where each one goes
Each frame has a job. Plan the set around the places you will use it.
| Frame | What it shows | Where it is used |
|---|---|---|
| Headshot | Head and shoulders, eyes toward the lens | Profile photos, email, speaker bios |
| Half-body | Head to waist, with room for text | Website header, About page, press |
| Environmental | You at work or in a place that fits your field | Home page, articles, social posts |
| Detail | Hands, tools or the workspace, with no face | Backgrounds, banners, cutaways |
The Personal Brand lists a headshot plus an environmental frame. If you also want half-body or detail frames, say so before the day and I plan the looks around them.
Plan two or three looks
Treat the looks as a set. A good set has one formal look, one relaxed look and one that fits your work. Bring each outfit on its own hanger. A change of jacket or a different backdrop counts as a new look.
Solid colors in mid and deep tones read well on camera. Skip tiny stripes and large logos. If you are unsure, the headshot wardrobe guide lists colors by background. Extra outfit changes beyond the package are $25 each.
Choose places in Cary, Apex and Raleigh
Pick one place that looks like your work and one neutral backdrop. An office, a shop or a studio you rent fits many fields. For outdoor frames, a shaded park gives soft light.
- Cary: Downtown Cary Park is open 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. and sits beside a free public parking deck.
- Apex: the historic downtown on Salem Street gives brick and storefront frames, and the Apex page lists the public lots.
- Raleigh: the Raleigh page lists Dix Park, the WRAL Azalea Gardens and the permit rule for each.
Office sessions need no park permit. Parks and venues may require one, and the permits guide lists what each town says.
What you receive and when
Portraits are delivered in 48 hours in a private online gallery. A print release is included, so you can use the files on your site, in print and on social profiles. The Personal Brand includes 5 retouched images. Extra edited images are $15 each, and a full gallery of extra edits is $150.
Deciding between The Professional and The Personal Brand
The Professional is $250: about 20 minutes, 1 to 2 looks and 2 retouched images. Choose it if you need one strong profile photo. Choose The Personal Brand if you need images for a website, an About page and social posts. The branding page explains the package in full, and the session quiz compares both in a minute.
Prepare in the week before
Decide where each frame will go before the day: the website header, the About page, a press kit or a speaker bio. Write the answers in a short note and send it to me. Bring your logo or brand colors if they matter, and plan a second look. Get a haircut one to two weeks early, so it settles. The headshot prep checklist counts the tasks back from your date and saves your ticks on your own device.