Michael Benabib Photography

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Top 7 Quick Tips: How To Prepare For A Corporate Portrait Photoshoot

Top 7 Quick Tips: How To Prepare For A Corporate Portrait Photoshoot

By: Michael Benabib, Corporate Portrait Photographer of Executive Photos NYC & Jeremy Fischer

After 30 years of New York corporate portrait photography experience, I've noticed an apparent trend of common mistakes overlooked by corporate clients in preparation of their portrait photoshoot session. These commonly overlooked mistakes can be easily avoided by simply being aware of them. Avoiding these easily avoidable mistakes will exponentially improve the productivity and quality of your next corporate portrait photoshoot. Here are 7 quick tips to prevent the most commonly overlooked mistakes and proactively prepare for the best corporate portrait results.

1. Don’t drink the night before

If you drink like a fish, drink what a fish drinks; Instead of alcohol, guzzle water. Dehydration causes skin to appear flushed and blemished; also, your body will counteract dryness with a flood of oil causing pimples and other undesirable features to appear in your corporate portrait. This can be cured with your free Photoshop retouches, but the less is more when it comes to Photoshop editing, do your best to keep look your best with tactics within your control.

2. Don’t throw your wrinkled clothes in a garbage bag

Your corporate portrait wardrobe should be cleaned and pressed the night before. Use a large suitcase for traveling to avoid folding and creases. If you have items that have been dry cleaned, do not remove from plastic until arriving at shoot; the plastic cover and neat hanger is your best defense against creasing your clothes and stains from beyond. If unforeseen circumstances cause you to arrive to your corporate photoshoot with clothing piled like origami castle, there’s still hope; we have a steamer that dissipates wrinkles, however, it will cost you valuable time of your shoot.

3. Trim your nose hair

If you’ve come clean-shaven and neat, any bit of mess will stand out. The only thing that sticks out more than a sore thumb is a nose hair. If you look unkept everywhere else anyway, let it be. Instead, you may want to reflect on your goals for a having professional portrait photograph. Again, photoshop can save the day for your retouches; however, there are only so many image adjustments before you disappear.

4. Don’t squeeze your pimples 6-hrs before the shoot

Drizzles of blood and expanding redness becomes a contrast and light balance issue in photoshop that, otherwise, would have been an easy fix if it stayed an isolated dot. For best results: Exfoliate and wash your face; twice a day, for 1-3 days prior to your corporate portrait photoshoot.

5. Don’t bring me photos of when you were an intern and say, “make me look like this.”

Don’t catfish your clients, you don’t want your new clients to feel betrayed from the moment they meet you in person. Look at the upside, clients want someone with plenty of experience and you don’t want to look an intern seeking a test subject.

6. Don’t stay up all night obsessing about the shoot

Bags under the eyes, flushed skin, and a lack of energy dims your natural glow. A good night’s rest is the most important and effective way to look your best and get the best quality corporate portrait. Quick supplement sleep-hacks to fall asleep: Banana, Milk, Melatonin, ZzZQuil

7. Take a cab, don’t risk it!

The camera can see you drenched in sweat. However, we have plenty of face powder and strong AC.

Discover why Executive Photos NYC is the best corporate headshot photographer.

For more tips, tricks, and pics... Let's be friends.

100% OF SHOTS NOT TAKEN ARE MISSED. WHAT ARE YOU SHOOTING FOR? GET A FREE QUOTE NOW OR CALL 212.683.4853

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Lil Kim & Puff Daddy - Then and Now - Today Show 2016

While on a shoot for Rockefeller & Co in 10 Rockefeller Plaza, I noticed the office was situated right above where the Today show was filming. I watched as Lil Kim & Puff Daddy performed, and made the above image.  I photographed Lil Kim, as well as Puff Daddy, years ago in the height of the 90s hip hop era. 

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Corporate Headshot Photographer - Rockefeller & Co.

From the Rockefeller & Co. Website:  From its roots over a century ago as a private investment office to the diversified financial services firm that it is today, Rockefeller & Co. has always taken pride in the integrity, depth, and vision of its professionals. 

Today, the firm serves a wide range of individuals and institutions. Successful families and individuals rely on our planning and wealth management skills in seeking to preserve, diversify, and grow their wealth – often from one generation to the next. Institutional investors select us for our asset management expertise. Charitable and other organizations recognize the sophistication of our financial and investment services, as well as our longstanding credentials, in the nonprofit world. And we remain, as we have been since our inception, the financial stewards of one of America’s great family legacies.

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Corporate Headshot Photographer - Rockefeller & Co.

From the Rockefeller & Co. Website:  From its roots over a century ago as a private investment office to the diversified financial services firm that it is today, Rockefeller & Co. has always taken pride in the integrity, depth, and vision of its professionals. 

Today, the firm serves a wide range of individuals and institutions. Successful families and individuals rely on our planning and wealth management skills in seeking to preserve, diversify, and grow their wealth – often from one generation to the next. Institutional investors select us for our asset management expertise. Charitable and other organizations recognize the sophistication of our financial and investment services, as well as our longstanding credentials, in the nonprofit world. And we remain, as we have been since our inception, the financial stewards of one of America’s great family legacies.

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Kimberly Orcutt Appointed as Andrew W. Mellon Curator of American Art at the Brooklyn Museum - Executive Photos NYC - Headshots

Orcutt has held curatorial positions at the Indianapolis Museum of Art, the New York Historical Society, Harvard Art Museums & the Bruce Museum in Connecticut.  She has contributed to the "Armory Show at 100" show & catalogue, exhibiting over works from the inaugural Armory show in 1913, then called the International Exhibition of Modern Art.   Her Book "Power and Posterity: American Art at Philadelphia's 1876 Centennial Exhibition" will be published in 2017 by the Pennsylvania State University Press.  Orcutt received her B.A. in art history from Hope College in Michigan and her Ph.D. in art history from the Graduate Center at the City University of New York.  Her position began May 16th at the Brooklyn Museum as the Andrew W. Mellon Curator of American Art.  Read more about her here.   

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Executive Photos NYC: Skanska Safety Week Industrial Photography at the World Trade Center

Skanska, one of the world's leading project development & construction groups, hired Executive Photos NYC for on-site industrial photography to commemorate Safety Week, which took place this year on April 25th - May 1st, 2016. Bill Flemming, president & CEO of Skanska Building, visited job sites with peers from Hunter Roberts & Lend Lease, and discussed safety protocol, with the goal of providing more consistent and safer protocol across several construction companies.  Flemming mentioned, as quoted from the Skanska blog post, "To me, we are not successful if we put our workers at risk to deliver projects. We work safely, or not at all."  This is the 12th Safety Week celebrated by Skanska & the 3rd annual Construction Industry Safety Week, where 50 other construction firms have pledged to thank construction workers for their safety protocol and inspire additional vigilance and care.  In order to be an on-site industrial photographer in NYC, one must be constantly on the look-out while navigating potentially dangerous situations. One must be comfortable climbing ladders & narrow stairs with equipment, and having an assistant is advisable. The industrial photographer documents construction as it's happening in a documentary fashion, and then additionally takes portraits when the job requires.  You can read more about Skanska's commitment to safety and see Executive Photos NYC Photographs here.  To see more industrial photos, click here. 

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Margaret Sullivan, Public Editor of the New York Times, accepts position as Media Editor for The Washington Post

Margaret Sullivan, Public Editor for the New York Times, has officially stepped down to take a new position at The Washington Post. She began her tenure in 2012, and held the position longer than the five other public editors who have held the position, and was the first woman hired for the position.  New corporate headshots are vital when changing positions, especially for public figures. Executive Photos NYC made sure her photoshoot was easy, enjoyable, and provided quick results - and is happy to have had her as a client. 

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Images: Phase 1 of the Moynihan Station project nears completion in the historic James A. Farley Post Office

Moynihan Station is to occupy the current Farley Post Office on 34th Street to help alleviate pedestrian congestion for the Amtrak, New Jersey Transit & Long Island Railroad in Penn Station, across the street.  While the plan was conceived 25 years ago, ground was broken on the project in 2010 and Phase 1 is expected to be completed this year, in 2016.

Skanska, one of the worlds leading civil construction groups, hired Michael Benabib, industrial photographer, to make images of both employees and of the construction project . After donning hard hats and reflective vests, we entered the construction site – to document the progress on phase 1, which involves installing an emergency ventilation system and new entrances to the building, as well as photograph the empty spaces where phase 2 will begin.

The James A. Farley Post Office Building was designated a New York City Landmark in 1966, so extra care on this project is made to keep the external façade of the building intact. 

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Ask Executive Photos NYC: What should I wear to my corporate headshot session?

To which, we ask right back at you: What are you trying to say? If you are a lawyer, or CEO, a suit and tie is often worn for your corporate portrait. However, if you’re at a forward thinking marketing startup, maybe you can wear something more tailored, and casual. However the case, we recommend looking up coworkers and competitors in your field to take a look at what their personal branding is if you are unsure. That being said – there are a few guidelines.  (Keep on reading to learn more)

MENS CORPORATE HEADSHOTS

 Wear your favorite suit that doesn’t bunch up when you sit down in it. Avoid distracting patterns and colors. When in doubt, think more conservatively.  

Ties look best when they are a shade in between the suit color and the shirt color.  (ex. A black suit, a white shirt, and a blue-grey tie).  Avoid repeating patterned or tightly stripped ties.  

If you’re looking for a more casual look, avoid polo shirts and T-shirts. A colored, button up shirt is a good in-between for a professional, but casual look. Darker colors for fairer skin tones and lighter colors for darker skin tones are a good choice, if you are unsure about what color shirt to wear.

WOMENS CORPORATE HEADSHOTS

While you have more options for variety in your nature of dress, make sure your outfit remains classic – on trend styling, however corporate, can look out of date very quickly.  

Just as with mens corporate headshots, avoid loud patterns. Bright colors are acceptable, although it is inadvisable to wear red. (Red is the color your eye is most attracted to in any photograph.)  

Keep jewelry minimal, so that it doesn’t distract from your face.  

A little bit of texture in the fabric of what you choose to wear can add a nice accent to your headshot.

MAKEUP ARTISTRY

Interested in hiring a makeup artist for your shoot? Feel free to inquire about rates when you schedule your corporate headshot session. 

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On Location Portrait Photographer - Headshots for Data Driven Storytellers

Kelton Global is a research consultancy firm with offices in Silicon Alley, New York City. While having both qualitative and quantitative data analysts on their team, their ultimate goal is to provide data analysis that is readable and easy to interpret by the client. Clients of theirs have included Bloomingdales, Viacom & Target.  This form of data journalism is growing more and more popular in the digital era. Kelton Global's branding is approachable and demonstrates out of the box thinking. As a result, they required corporate headshots that had visual variety and were a little more creative than the average studio shoot. On location portrait photography was the decided route of action; studio portraiture just wouldn't do. Executive Photos NYC Photographer Michael Benabib went on a walk in downtown chelsea with each new employee and photographed them in a variety of unique locations, conveying a unique part of their personalities.  Luckily, Executive Photos was lucky to have a client that understood and appreciated the value of quality images. As written on the Kelton Global blog, Sarah Stone writes, “If imaginative empathy is fueled by great photography, then we can build the empathy habit by looking at powerful images every day. By pausing briefly to consider the feelings, lives and experiences of people we view only from a distance, we practice imaginative empathy, broaden our range of understanding, and become better 21st century marketers.” All images from our day with Kelton Global will be used on their website. Click here to read more about personal branding and photography for websites as an important marketing tool. 

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New York Times Lens Blog & Smithsonian : Published

Some of you may know Michael Benabib for his corporate headshot work. What you might not know, is that he also has a history of photographing some of the biggest hip hop stars in history. This week, he has been featured for his hip hop photography in the New York Times Lens Blog. He captures an important part of history and has been recognized by the Smithsonian Museum for his efforts in this publication. 

You can read more about his work below, in the New York Times.  Click here to read more. 

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New York Times Lens Blog & Smithsonian : Published

Some of you may know Michael Benabib for his corporate headshot work. What you might not know, is that he also has a history of photographing some of the biggest hip hop stars in history. This week, he has been  mentioned for his hip hop photography in the New York Times Lens Blog. He captures an important part of history and has been recognized by the Smithsonian Museum for his efforts in this publication. 

You can read more about his work below, in the New York Times.  Click here to read more. 

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Book Cover Photography - What Your Headshot Says About You as An Author

So you've wrote your first book - now think twice about your book cover headshot.  Robynne Chutkan, a leading gastroenterologist, bestselling author, and founder of the Digestive Center for Women, needed a doctors headshot that that was both welcoming, and authoritative. Her "power stance" and smile helps communicate both of these things, simultaneously - her studies are now easier to trust, as there is a face behind the facts. A power stance is a common choice for authors, doctors, and lawyer portraits alike who want something less traditional but professional. Hiring a trusted portrait photographer is vital because you're also hiring a personal branding expert. After all, first impressions are not just when you meet someone - in this case, the first impression is a book cover.  _______ The Microbiome Solution explains how the standard Western diet and lifestyle are starving our microbiome, depleting the “good bugs” that keep us healthy and encouraging overgrowth of exactly the wrong type of bacteria. For more info, please visit www.gutbliss.com.  

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Branding and Website Photography - Why Professional Corporate Portraits Matter

It's that time again. You are rebranding your business, and now you want to revamp your website to match. You could go to a stock photo agency to find images that illustrate what your company is about, but if you really want to stand out and give yourself a unique look, it might be time to consider hiring a photographer to provide the photography for your entire site.  Using one corporate photographer to work on the job side by side with you ensures consistency with your branding and personal image, and gives your website a cohesive, professional look that would be hard to acquire otherwise.  Michael Benabib photographed all the images for the below site, for Dynasty Financial Partners. Note how the headshots and board of directors portrait all have a consistent style with the feeling of the site.   

A shoot with a professional corporate photography company such as Executive Photos NYC also gives you the opportunity to update your headshot. It's extremely important to keep your headshots updated as often this is the first impression any client or potential business partner will have of you. 

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Shooting for New Client Linkedin

I always like getting a call for a job shooting interesting people for a new client. And to top it off they are located across the street at the Empire State Building.

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Loretta E. Lynch, Attorney general of the united states

"Loretta Elizabeth Lynch (born May 21, 1959) is the 83rd and current Attorney General of the United States, having previously served as United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York. Her tenure as U.S. Attorney began in 2010, and she also held that position from 1999 to 2001. As U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Lynch oversaw federal prosecutions in Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island and Long Island." - Wikipedia Corporate Photography by Michael Benabib of Executive Photos NYC

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Heather Brave Singer Actress