by Kirsten McGoey | Feb 14, 2025 | Acting Headshots, Ajax, Ajax headshot photographer, Ajax headshot photographer, Bowmanville, Bowmanville headshot photographer, Brooklin, Brooklin headshot photographer, Business Content, Corporate, Courtice headshot photographer, Durham Region, Headshot, Local Business, Markham, Modern, Orono headshot photographer, Oshawa, Oshawa headshot photographer, photographer, Photography, Pickering headshot photographer, Port Perry, Portraits, Scarborough, Storytelling, Trinity Design, Uxbridge, Uxbridge headshot photographer, Whitby, Whitby headshot photographer
We are going to “shed some light” on the kinds of light photographers use to make your branding/headshot images. Light is everything in our work and it can shape the look of your brand, so knowing a few basics is essential in finding the look that aligns with you and or your brand.Â
Natural Light
This one sounds just like it is, we use the natural light in a scene or building to create your image. There are no extra lights on our cameras or off the camera to aid in creation of the images. We may use natural light at golden hour or open shade, where the light reflects softly in the shade of a building or tree. We may bounce light with a reflector but that light is still natural light.
Sometimes we pose subjects indoors using the light from windows – after all this is Canada and we have a sizeable winter season so we cannot always work with you outdoors. It is a softer light and best used in a space connected to you and your brand, it might be nature or the city – indoors or outdoors.Â
On Camera Flash
This is not one I often use for branding/headshots as I tends to give you that paparazzi vibe, which can be used intentionally with the right brand. I am going to show some examples but they are from events as I really don’t use the technique (or had clients who needed that look).
Events in dark rooms often require a flash on your camera to be effective but it would not be a first or second choice for professional work. You could use this technique effectively to create cool fashion brand on white backgrounds for that high key image look but the brand would need to align with this to make it work.
Off Camera FlashÂ
Given that we do have a sizeable winter season and many businesses have specific headshot and image requirements light the studio can be a popular or starting option for images.
There are a variety of different ways to employ studio lights with and without backdrops. For example, in the case of the image of Mika Modolo we took in 2017, there was one studio light in a cramped hallway, next to a coffee station and adjacent the newsroom and the computer graphics room. we also bounced a little of the light using a reflector on her right side to get this image.
In the case of the Mayor Roy and Council’s images we used a grey backdrop and then edited each image also as a .tiff so the file could be used on a responsive grey background gradient on the website itself.
We also create images that are high end music style like country music protege Riley Wheater’s image below and more fun images like the SNL inspired image of Greg Frankson flying into the frame.
The world of studio lighting gives realtors a fresh all white look and makes them easy to cut out for a variety of realtor signs, website and pamphlets applications.
Business Images
When it comes to successful business images we have spoken about the value of making your own images in our article Are there drawbacks to stock photography?. Stock tends to under perform on searches so creating it is in your best interest.
Business images are a great way to build brand recognition as it’s essential to keep a consistent look across your social media through to your website. A hodgepodge of images can be confusing for customers who are inundated with content 24/7. Every time a consumer visits you it’s important to show you are a serious brand and keep them engaging; branding images help you achieve that all important goal.
When telling a story a business images – be it a headshot or brand specific images – are essential to telling an effective and understandable story. They help you build trust with your customer base by creating a good first impression and subsequent impressions along the timeline of engagement with you and or your brand. For example, a headshot that looks like it was cropped from a wedding photo presents differently than a planned professional headshot in a studio or on location.
Images Shown : (Above) Local MP Ryan Turnbull engaging with Seniors at a local Seniors Centre in town. (Top Left) Yoga Jungle (Middle) Enjoying a promenade with a friend on Marito’s Coffee at Pearson Lanes (Top Right) Creating a tea cup flower arrangement with blogger Craftberry Bush.
Images Shown : (Top Left) Shopping at the Makers Hub (Middle) Exploring the greens growing pod at Durham College in Whitby (Top Right) Getting your eyes checked at Brooklin Optimetric.
Take charge of your brand
I know that my own brand is like my fourth child, it has grown over the last twelve years and that is why working with clients on their brands is so exciting. We are growing a special part of your work story – be it as a local MP, a trusted eye expert or a local maker’s hub – connecting you to your customers is essential.Â
What story do you want to tell?
Kirsten McGoey | Visual Storyteller
by Kirsten McGoey | Jun 3, 2024 | Acting, Acting Headshots, Ajax, Ajax headshot photographer, Ajax headshot photographer, Art, Bowmanville, Bowmanville headshot photographer, Brooklin, Brooklin headshot photographer, Courtice headshot photographer, Durham Region, Durham Region Acting Headshots, Educational, Magic, Markham, Modern, Orono headshot photographer, Oshawa, Oshawa headshot photographer, photographer, Photography, Pickering headshot photographer, Pickering headshot photographer, Port Perry, Scarborough, Storytelling, Trinity Design, Uxbridge, Uxbridge headshot photographer, Whitby, Whitby headshot photographer
Join us as we show you how a professional theatre production can be captured in Dress Rehearsals to support your production later in the week. Henry Street High School has a long standing tradition of great theatre and they delivered a great production of Mamma Mia! this year. Here we go again!
I am looking for the big emotional and physical moments in a play. This is infinitely made harder as I have rarely seen the play and sometimes notes about what to look for are not given. I watch to see where I can see the shots I want to make and often take a series of twenty to just get the right smile, eyes open and touch of nose or sassy look. Practice for them also applies to theatre photography, the more you do the more you know what to look for.
What I loved about the play this year was this black light sequence. It was so seamlessly blended into the story and the choreography was just amazing. It allows more of the ensemble to show off the depth talent at Henry. It was a great storytelling technique for the dream sequence and I was delighted I got some good frames as it’s the definition of “low light”.
When photographing theatre you will be faced with light changes, sometimes from moment to moment, sometimes one side is a different scene than the other. It’s always worth mentioning it to the tech team, sometimes the lights are like in Mamma Mia full of colour and capturing that is on point.
Every now and then a part is so perfect you could not imagine anyone else playing it. Meet Stella who plays Rosie in the production and nailed this part. Her physical comedy is spot on and I laughed, clapped and cheered her on in her pursuit of Bill. Bravo! A dash of her work is below:
I mean with ABBA as the soundtrack and a strong plot there is just not much you can say about this play that would be negative. The performances were amazing, the leads for performance 1 and 2 changed for 3 and 4 so we have tried to show you both casts as much as we could.
Stage Director : Skylar is rarely in front of the camera or on the stage but without her and the team there would be no performance. She guides the performance (her 6th with Henry) with skill and confidence – always smiling and ready to make it happen. We will miss you as you are moving on to post secondary.
Kirsten McGoey | Visual Storyteller
by Kirsten McGoey | Nov 4, 2021 | Acting, Acting Headshots, Ajax, Art, Bowmanville, Brooklin, Business Content, Corporate, Durham Region, Durham Region Acting Headshots, Headshot, Markham, Modern, Oshawa, photographer, Photography, Port Perry, Portraits, Scarborough, Storytelling, Trinity Design, Uxbridge, Whitby
Kristine Dandavino is a teacher, an actor and a talented opera voice. She mentors and coaches local talent with her business Oshawa Piano and Voice http://www.oshawapianovoice.com/. When they say those who can’t teach they did not include the likes of a talent such as Kristine.
When she connected to update her headshots we discussed how she would use the images to audition and for social media usage. Acting has very specific needs and over top of that the opera world has it’s own. We crafted her poses and outfits to ensure her looks dovetailed with the types of roles she auditions for, a key component of an actor’s headshot.
Kristine had her makeup done by makeup artist The Many Faces of Beauty’s Stephanie Koktan. We kept our editing in keeping with the industry, maintaining major features so casting directors see the true version of the actor if present in our lighting of the face.
By pairing a tank top with a simple necklace and vegan leather jacket we get a timeless look for this headshot. The key to this shot is the position of the body which welcomes in the viewer to the actor’s portrait.
We finished up the session with a sensational image of Kristine wrapped in raw silk. Shot from a high angle this image is a nod to the Girl with a Pearl Earring. We amped up the volume as Kristine is a joy bringer, a room filler and she needed a portrait that spoke to the voice and beauty inside her. As they say on Tik Tok – I understood the assignment.
To book a session with us:Â
https://trinitydesign.ca/connect-2/
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Kirsten McGoey, Visual StorytellerÂ
by Kirsten McGoey | Jul 26, 2021 | Acting, Acting Headshots, Ajax, Bowmanville, Brooklin, Durham Region, Markham, Modern, Oshawa, photographer, Photography, Port Perry, Portraits, Scarborough, Storytelling, Trinity Design, Uxbridge, Whitby
Working with actors to create professional headshot photos in Whitby, Ontario in our studio is one of my favourite things to do. Even more favourite are young actors who are already amazing at taking direction.
We worked with Jacob to create his first set of acting headshots. Do not let that first fool you, he is already at age nine an experienced actor with cast credentials on a new television series. Watch for him in the upcoming
When dressing for headshots as an actor bring solid shirts that will allow the focus to stay on your face in your headshot. This shirt has a small pattern which we removed to strengthen the impact of the image. I asked him to give me a stern look and he nailed this look with only that direction.Â
Every actor must update their shots yearly and when younger sometimes even moreso. A full body, half body and a headshot are the first three shots you MUST HAVE in your actor arsenal. We added in some cut off jean shorts and a white t-shirt to play up the converse shoes in this image.
A professional headshot is markedly different than an actor headshot. We only edit what we need to in acting headshots, removing blemishes. We show the true face and that face must be current. Directors and casting staff need to see what you look like. So editing is minimal and complimentary to how the person looks.
The classic headshot is head and shoulders with a winning smile. It is essential the eyes are in focus for any headshot and anything less will not do for a professional headshot.
Sometimes I will have clients jump, dance or anything to relax them. In Jacob’s case we did it because it was fun – after all he is nine and fun is the name of the game.
Kirsten McGoey | Visual Storyteller | Trinity Design Photography
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