I love how portrait photography can communicate in a way that words can’t. We use light, we use color, the setting, the clothing. Sometimes we’ll lean into communicating just one thing that you want to share – something essential about your identity or work or personality. Othertimes we’ll focus more on illustrating the mood or theme of your project.

The way I approach portrait photography, especially in the creative world, is highly customized for each project, so the questions that come up really run the gamut. But today I thought I’d talk about some of the broader topics that get the conversation going when we first start thinking about doing a photo session.

What kinds of creative projects do you make pictures for?

It’s so fun and interesting to see the projects creative folks come to me with. I work most often with visual artists, musicians, authors, & creatively inclined folks of all sorts. The project categories might be similar (promo images, album covers, book jackets, author photos, streaming profiles, about-me pages, process photos, etc), but no two images are ever the same and I start every session from a unique place – it’s about you, it’s your work, your project’s specific goals & needs.

I know how much time and energy goes into your creative work, and it’s a real honor to be a little part of the process as your get your art out into the world.

I have a very specific vision in mind for my pictures. Can you help me bring it to life?

Folks often come to me with specific inspiration – I’d love to hear about your idea! We’ll discuss together what’s doable (really, we can do a lot and I love a challenge), and how we can make these images come to life in a way that aligns with your creative identity and goals.

I know I need updated photos and have a vague idea of what I’m going for, but no solid direction yet. Is that ok?

Totally ok! Part of my job is helping you figure this out. We’ll start brainstorming ideas and discuss options during our pre-session consultation. You don’t need to know exactly what you want, just reach out and we can chat.

Where should our photo session take place?

This is one of the biggest decisions we’ll make together – the location/setting/background goes a long way in setting the mood and communicating a message visually. A location might be obvious based on your project, but otherwise we’ll brainstorm and make a decision during the planning process.

We can make photos inside or outside, put together a custom set, take photos in your studio space, use a backdrop in my Baltimore studio, find the perfect spot in a city neighborhood or park, the options go on.

(I live in Baltimore but often shoot in DC, NY, and everywhere in-between; I’m happy to travel with my camera.)

How do we get started?

As you’ve probably gathered by now, I place a lot of value on conversation in the planning process for your shoot. I’ve found that conversations lay the foundation for great collaborative, creative images. So this all starts with you sending me an email or text so we can set up a pre-session consultation. These are no-obligation coffee meetups or phone chats where you can tell me about yourself, your art/practice/project, and why you’re looking for photos now.

I’m excited to start talking ideas and answer any questions you have. Contact me here.