Posts

A Financial Advisor, Boats and A Summer Day for An Editorial Magazine Article and Cover

I was called over the summer to photograph Douglas Bauerband in Toms River, NJ for a financial magazine called Proactive Advisor Magazine. I had never heard of them, however they had found me through Google and thought that I would be a good fit since I lived fairly close by. Going on location for an environmental editorial portrait photoshoot is what I’m known for so they gave me the specs that they needed for the article, how many images they needed and how they were planning on using them for the magazine and online. They were very detailed and organized, and I scheduled the shoot with Doug and took it from there.

We discussed what they were looking for, and I suggested some clothing options. I wasn’t sure what to expect so I went with a few ideas in mind. I knew getting some photos inside was one, but I really wanted to go outside too. And of course it was a hot, muggy day by the shore.

Once I got there for the time scheduled, there wasn’t too much outside. However across the street was a harbor with boats docked. Doug was super nice and so was his assistant. He came prepared with some options that we discussed. I setup my wireless Canon 600RT EX flashes with the Westcott Rapid Boxes and we got started quickly. 
IMG_9719 1Doug-ProactiveAdvisorMagazine.jpg
IMG_9730 1 1Doug-ProactiveAdvisorMagazine.jpg
IMG_9741 1 1Doug-ProactiveAdvisorMagazine.jpg

I understand that with layout and design, they needed a few options with vertical and horizontal options. I also intentionally did not crop these because I knew that the designers already had an idea of what they wanted and would need room for the fonts and other design elements.
Douglas Bauerband of G. Douglas Financial Group in Toms River, NJ photographed by Deirdre Ryan Photography for Proactive Advisor Magazine.
Douglas Bauerband of G. Douglas Financial Group in Toms River, NJ photographed by Deirdre Ryan Photography for Proactive Advisor Magazine. I had him try a few things, with and without the tie, with and without smiling. But he’s the kind of person that is a naturally happy person, so I prefer the ones of him smiling.
Douglas Bauerband of G. Douglas Financial Group in Toms River, NJ photographed by Deirdre Ryan Photography for Proactive Advisor Magazine.
Douglas Bauerband of G. Douglas Financial Group in Toms River, NJ photographed by Deirdre Ryan Photography for Proactive Advisor Magazine.
Douglas Bauerband of G. Douglas Financial Group in Toms River, NJ photographed by Deirdre Ryan Photography for Proactive Advisor Magazine.
Douglas Bauerband of G. Douglas Financial Group in Toms River, NJ photographed by Deirdre Ryan Photography for Proactive Advisor Magazine. Afterwards, Doug was completely up for going outside for more shots. The only spot of green that we found in the parking lot that had ok lighting was underneath this tree. The sun was by now right above us. I didn’t have an assistant to hold anything to diffuse the harsh light.
Douglas Bauerband of G. Douglas Financial Group in Toms River, NJ photographed by Deirdre Ryan Photography for Proactive Advisor Magazine.

So then I suggested the marina across the street and he was like sure! So we hopped into my car, braved some traffic and asked the guys there if it was okay that we took some pictures there for a magazine editorial, they said sure. I set up one Canon 600EX RT flash wirelessly and we started. I decided to have the light work with me and made him pretend that the boats were his.

Douglas Bauerband of G. Douglas Financial Group in Toms River, NJ photographed by Deirdre Ryan Photography for Proactive Advisor Magazine.

Douglas Bauerband of G. Douglas Financial Group in Toms River, NJ photographed by Deirdre Ryan Photography for Proactive Advisor Magazine.
Douglas Bauerband of G. Douglas Financial Group in Toms River, NJ photographed by Deirdre Ryan Photography for Proactive Advisor Magazine.
Douglas Bauerband of G. Douglas Financial Group in Toms River, NJ photographed by Deirdre Ryan Photography for Proactive Advisor Magazine. The last shot Doug wanted, so I said sure and that was it for the session.
Douglas Bauerband of G. Douglas Financial Group in Toms River, NJ photographed by Deirdre Ryan Photography for Proactive Advisor Magazine.

Afterwards, we took a quick fun selfie and we went back to his office where I packed up the rest of my gear and headed back to my office, edited the files and sent them to my client as full sized Tifs for them to download from my Photoshelter account.

Doug’s interview was published in early October, below is the cover and right underneath is the link the the article.

Douglas Bauerband of G. Douglas Financial Group in Toms River, NJ photographed by Deirdre Ryan Photography for Proactive Advisor Magazine.

Helping clients achieve three key principles for retirement success by  David Wismer | Oct 11, 2017 | Advisor Interviews

Thank you Doug for totally ROCKING your photoshoot with me! We had a lot of fun together and thank you Proactive Advisor Magazine!

I really loved how these images represented Doug for  his business and branding.

 

Being Honest About Myself, My Business, and What I Can Do To With Help Yours

I would like to get personal here and in support of my fellow photography professionals.

I started out in commercial and so my focus in the past few years has gotten way off track. This is not a job, a job to me is 9-5 and you follow the same commute every single day, doing something that you have to do. What I have is a career, something that I love. Everyday is different, I get to be creative every single day, and meet new people. Now you may LOVE your 9-5 job, and that’s cool if you do! But most people that I talk to don’t.
What I do is specialized, before I used to do families, maternity, newborn, children, and weddings. I found out that this wasn’t working for me, mainly because I would see friends and former clients use other photographers(I have a love/hate relationship with Facebook). Some used people who are hobbyists, nothing wrong with that, but it affected referrals to my business. While I love photographing families and kids (my own child included), I felt like my talents and expertise were more valued in the commercial photography area.

Hobbyists and those that do this part-time don’t get that when they offer their services to others free of charge to a former client of mine or for way less, it’s hurting the photo business as a whole. Hell, I see some professionals doing this and I’m like , why?!!! Stop doing this! You’re shooting yourselves in the foot.

This industry isn’t the easiest, and I get that, and I’ve been around for a really long time. I network in person…a lot. Sometimes it’s hard to get up and say a quick line about myself, I tend to fumble over my words and convey what I am trying to tell people. I’m best at one to one conversations, showing you what I can do and knowing that I can deliver what you want and then some, that’s where my confidence truly shines.  My goals and aspirations have always been high, and because of this, I do out of my way for my clients to give them MY best.

LisaTragottShesLoosingItAmericanGritBikiniBodyBuilderDeirdre Ryan Editorial & Commercial Photography - NJ, PA, NY

Here is my interview with my one of my best friends, Lisa, How To Look Better In Pictures. I photographed her in the image above. 

When approached and asked, what do you do?, I say that I’m a commercial portrait photographer.  What this means is that my work is seen in magazines for companies, annual reports, their marketing materials, and sometimes, tv. I go on location to photograph people, or often in their environments, and in the my studio. I personally love  environmental portraits, because this shows my clients doing not only what they are doing, but it tells their story and their environment is an extension of themselves.

HeadshotBusinessPortraitbyDeirdreRyanPhotography

Here are just a few questions that I ask my clients:

What is your next horizon for your company?  Where are you headed? Who needs to see you doing that? Magazines, tv shows, online media? Who is on your team to help present you visually? How are you insuring that your images and presence are the caliber that agencies and publications expect?  Do you have your marketing images packaged?

Dr.SarahMeanorChiropractorDeirdre-Ryan-Photography

Agencies expect a certain caliber of work and professionalism. Because this is what I do. I’m a photojournalist who gets their images for PR.

Let me ask you again, are you headed in the right direction? 

-Deirdre Ryan, Image Maker