Preview: Editorial shoot in Springfield, IL

Earlier this month I was contacted by a national publication to make a picture for an upcoming issue. Springfield resident Marla Wilson, center in the photo above, is being profiled in the magazine and they needed a photograph to accompany the story. We made arrangements to make Marla's picture in a home in Sherman, and stylist Kila Alexander (left) and image consultant Julie Timm (right) were also on set to help ensure Marla looked fabulous throughout the day.

The issue comes out in January; I'll have more details then.

A Portrait of My Friend Michael the Canadian and a Story to Go With It

Some 20-ish years ago, I met Michael in grad school. He was from Prince Edward Island, Canada, which sounds exotic when you live in central Illinois. We hung around with a group of mutual friends those couple of years. He took me to play hockey once (I was really bad but had fun) and he was in my wedding party.

Since then I've stayed in Lincoln and Michael's moved around some. He got married and has eventually settled in Marble, Colorado, where he and his wife run a retreat center for ministers.

Michael was in town last week teaching a doctoral class and we invited him over to the house for dinner Thursday night. It was fun to chat about school, our families, our work, and where our lives have gone in the past 20 years.

I was in the middle of a session at the studio on Saturday morning when Michael texted and asked if I wanted to have lunch. I thought he'd already left to return to Colorado but, no, his flight didn't leave until Saturday evening. The timing was perfect, so he stopped by at 12:30 and we went next door to the Mama's Arcade Cafe. Michael ate a horseshoe (a piece of toast topped with meat, french fries, and slathered in melted cheese). It's a central Illinois thing—I'd never heard of it before I moved here. I ordered a big hamburger and fries. We continued where we'd left off from Thursday night, talking about the joys and challenges of raising kids and being fathers.

An hour and a half later, we wandered back over to the studio and I asked Michael if I could make his picture. I used the light I'd set up from my morning session (a Paul Buff Einstein in a beauty dish) and made the picture above.

I hope to have more opportunities to do this--to make pictures of my friends. Time and distance will separate us but I'll see this picture and remember our food and conversation and laughter. And I'll look forward to the chance to do it again.

Alyssa Morris, 2014 Logan County Fair Queen :: Springfield, Illinois Pageant Photographer

Summer is county fair season in Illinois, and that means a new fair queen. The Logan County fair is held at the end of July (which is late by county fair standards) so our queen has less time to get ready for the state pageant than many of the other queens.

Lincoln native Alyssa Morris took the crown this year, and I was honored to host her at the studio for her competition headshots. Here are a few of the photographs we made.

Congratulations, Queen Alyssa—I wish you the best during your reign as the Miss Logan County Fair Queen.

Alyssa Morris, 2014 Logan County Fair Queen :: Michael Gowin Photography, Lincoln, Illinois

Alyssa Morris, 2014 Logan County Fair Queen :: Michael Gowin Photography, Lincoln, Illinois

Alyssa Morris, 2014 Logan County Fair Queen :: Michael Gowin Photography, Lincoln, Illinois

Dr. Tim Phillippe, CEO, Christian Homes :: St. Louis, Missouri, Executive Portrait Photographer

Every organization has a story to tell--that's the purpose of marketing. When we tell believable stories that get people to know, like, and trust us, we have the opportunity to win them over. And the stories are told not just with words but often with images. Well-made portraits and photographs can tell your organization's story and help get people to know, like, and trust you.

Christian Homes is an organization with a great story. Founded in 1962 to provide health care for older adults, Christian Homes now serves over 2,500 residents in 13 communities throughout the midwest. CEO Dr. Tim Phillippe has led the ministry since 2001 and is now based at their St. Louis headquarters. Jan Schumacher, the organization's communications coordinator in Lincoln, contacted me to make a new portrait for Dr. Phillippe that would appear in the annual report and other publicity materials. I met them at the studio recently while Dr. Phillippe was in Lincoln for meetings and we made his portrait.

We made pictures in two different outfits and on white, light gray, and dark gray backgrounds. While reviewing the proofs at the studio, we decided the dark background best complemented Dr. Phillippe's skin tone and clothing choices, and this is the final image Jan chose for publication.

What story are you telling with your imagery?

ME Realty Team with Seth Goodman :: Lincoln, Illinois, Business Portrait Photographer

Real estate, like so many other businesses, is a lot about "hustle." And Seth Goodman knows how to hustle. Seth has been a top seller in Logan County and has received national recognition for his efforts, including being named to the National Association of Realtors "30 Under 30" list in 2012.

Seth and his two teammates, Amy and Nancy, came by the studio this week to update their business card and promo photograph. We spent about an hour making a group picture and a new headshot for Seth. 

If you need to buy or sell a home in central Illinois, check in with ME Realty.

Session technical notes: Simple light--one Paul Buff Einstein in a 60" Photek SoftLighter II umbrella directly overhead. I used the Panasonic GH3 camera body with the Olympus 45mm f/1.8 lens (still my favorite for studio portraits).

You—working professional. With the "selfie." Stop.

You're a professional, right?

Do you still use a "selfie" for your email, LinkedIn, Facebook, and other social media profiles? Camera phone raised at arm's length, bad light, distracting background?

Or maybe a photo from your wedding (or your friend's, since you were dressed up)?

The front seat of the car is a also popular studio.

Please stop. Now.

I'm not being critical; I'm here to help. Really.

If you think of yourself as a brand, and your photo represents the first thing people see, would you buy from you? Is that picture helping people get to know, like, and trust you?

We've covered this before and there's really no reason to not have a professional photograph of yourself—or even a series of professional photographs that can build your brand. 

• The Wall Street Journal reports that LinkedIn profiles with photographs get seven times more views than those without photos.

• A recent eye-tracking study revealed that viewers spend 19% of their time looking at the photo on your LinkedIn page.

• A New York Times article showcased the lengths some professionals are taking to build their personal brand identities. If you're not doing this, your competitor is.

Last fall I did a little case study at the studio, complete with a behind-the-scenes video. I let my friend Karisa take a selfie and then I made her picture (shown at the top of the post). If you could choose between one of these photos for her social media profiles, which would you select?

But you're still not sure you need professional images? Too much time?

We can make your picture at the studio in about an hour and have it ready for you the next day.

Too expensive?

What does winning (or losing) one customer cost you? Probably a lot more than the cost of a headshot session.

I've photographed professionals right here in Lincoln, and I've had folks drive to the studio from Peoria, Springfield, and Bloomington/Normal. We made great pictures. We can do the same for you.

If you want to try something more elaborate like the NYT article describes, we can do that too. Maybe add some video as well? Could be a lot of fun and you'll end up with something that no one else around here is doing: a social media branding package.

I'm happy to help--just let me know.

So, working professional, lose the selfie. Please.

You're only hurting yourself(ie).

(NOTE: The photographs below are NOT selfies. Just wanted to make that clear.)

Springfield, Illinois, business headshot photographer :: Michael Gowin Photography, Lincoln, IL

Bloomington/Normal, Illinois, business headshot photographer :: Michael Gowin Photography, Lincoln, IL

Peoria, Illinois, business headshot photographer :: Michael Gowin Photography, Lincoln, IL

Blinn Bates, Attorney :: Lincoln, Illinois, Business Headshot Photographer

What does a photograph say? Better question: what can a photograph say?

A photograph for a business professional can say a lot of things. It can say, "I'm someone you can trust, someone who's on your side, someone who's approachable, friendly, competent. I'm someone who will treat you well and get the job done."

When a photograph says that, it's working for you. Unfortunately, a lot of business professionals have photographs that are working against them. Spend a few minutes on LinkedIn and you'll see plenty.

Blinn Bates, an attorney here in Lincoln, came by the studio recently to update his business portrait. Blinn practices law with his father just around the the block from the downtown courthouse. He's also involved in the community as an active member of the Chamber of Commerce and vice president of the District 27 school board, among other things. 

We spent about an hour making pictures, taking our time with different lighting and background setups until we landed on a great image to represent Blinn. In the portrait shown here, we used a Paul Buff Einstein strobe in a 60" Photek Softlighter II umbrella. Simple, beautiful light for portraits. The Olympus OM-D E-M5 with the Oly 45mm f/1.8 lens, my favorite camera/lens combination for studio portraits, was used throughout the session.

Do you need great photographs to represent you to your clients and prospects? Contact me today and let's make some.