Executive Portraits: Why You Want to Bring the Kitchen Sink

Our philosophy about our Executive Portraits sessions is: bring the kitchen sink. What do we mean by that? Well, usually when someone is going to get a headshot done, they put on their suit or dress, or whatever it may be they choose, at home, and arrive at the photographer’s studio ready to step in front of the camera. Outwardly ready, at least. We believe that spending some extra time gives our clients time to get comfortable, which leads directly to executive portraits that look natural and connect well to potential clients. We do not allow stiff poses and frozen smiles at C1M. To that end, we offer a private dressing room, and we suggest that our clients bring more than one outfit. To bring, in fact, any outfit they might be considering. Sometimes what looks great at home does not photograph well. Having options is good. Having options avoids stress. We can fix a lot of things with lighting and photo editing, but your wardrobe is pretty much up to you. And no matter how beautiful the blouse or how stunning the tie or how perfectly camera-ready the suit – if it’s still at home in your closet, it does us no good.

In addition, clients who come to us for executive portraits often want more than one headshot pose. It’s amazing how much flexibility you can get from one photo session by having a change of wardrobe with you.

So, when we tell you to bring everything … including the kitchen sink, this is what we mean. And its one of the things that makes our Executive Portraits unique in the headshot market. To learn more about our programs, visit our Executive Headshots page.

Walter Schnecker, CPP

Walter Schnecker is the owner of C1M Photography, LLC, in Amherst NH. He specializes in Executive Business Headshots and crafts hundreds of headshots each year for businesspeople in a wide range of professions.

Duncan got the most out of his session by having several wardrobe options.

“When I made my appointment with Walter, he responded with a PDF all about his headshot process. I really liked having all the information up front – that was very professional. It wasn’t “just make an appointment with me.” He gave a full description of what I could expect and tips for getting the most out of my session, like ‘bring the kitchen sink.’ I loved that. Normally, I would have just arrived with a blue suit on. I had someone come to my office to take photos of me a few years ago. She just said, “OK, I’ll be there at 3:00,” and that was the end of it. But here was Walter saying, “well, bring the kitchen sink so we can explore who you are and what colors work for you, and what’s appropriate for the framework you need the photo for – whether it’s on a website or LinkedIn.” It was great to be able to work with someone who could connect with me and bring out my personality and confidence that I otherwise haven’t been able to capture in pictures before.”

Duncan, Bedford, NH