2022 in review
As a photographer, I always aim to capture the beauty and emotion in the world around me. And in 2022, I had the most wonderful year as a photographer. My name is Tim Engle, and I have been a photographer for 27 years. This year was not only the most fun I've had, but it was also incredibly fulfilling.
One of the things that made this year so incredible was that I felt like I had truly mastered my craft. After 27 years of being a photographer, the technical aspects of the job no longer felt overwhelming, and I had a deep understanding of my equipment and knew how to use it to its fullest potential. This allowed me to focus on the art and the interaction with my subject.
I also felt like my connection with my subjects was stronger than ever before. I had a real understanding of what they wanted to convey through their photographs and was able to capture that emotion in a way that truly resonated with them. I received countless messages from people thanking me for capturing special moments in their lives, which was incredibly rewarding.
Overall, 2022 was a fantastic year for me as a photographer. I captured so many beautiful images and had so many wonderful experiences. I am grateful for the opportunity to do what I love and look forward to continuing to capture the beauty in the world for many years to come.
Below is just a small sampling of the year.
Executive portraits
As a professional corporate photographer, I've had the opportunity to work with some fantastic clients. I've been blessed to have had such a great year, and I look forward to continuing my work in the coming year.
As a professional corporate photographer, I've had the opportunity to work with some fantastic clients. I've been blessed to have had such a great year, and I look forward to continuing my work in the coming year.
I'd like to take a moment to talk about corporate portraits and why they're essential. A corporate portrait is essentially a headshot but with a few important distinctions. First and foremost, a corporate portrait is taken in a business setting. This could be in an office or at a corporate event. It's important to capture the subject in their element so that the portrait is professional and conveys the right message.
Another important distinction is that a corporate portrait is usually taken with a specific purpose in mind. For example, a company might use a corporate portrait on their website, or in marketing materials. Headshots are often used for press or publicity purposes. It's important to keep this purpose in mind when taking the photo, so that you can make sure the portrait is effective.
Finally, corporate portraits are generally taken in a more formal style than headshots. This doesn't mean that they have to be stuffy or overly serious, but they should look professional. The subject should be well-dressed and groomed, and the background should be simple and clean.
If you're considering having corporate portraits taken, I highly encourage you to do so. They can be a great way to boost your professional image, and they can be used for a variety of purposes. I hope you have a great year, and I look forward to working with you soon!
Portrait Shoot Progression
Over the years I've developed a rhythm which allows me to get to know the model, as well as what type of lighting works best for them. This week was a prime example; Emily was in my studio for a portrait session, and while I've worked with her in the past, this was her first portrait session with me. My normal progression is what I like to call, “no make up, makeup, and lighting.” For the no makeup look, I normally just use natural light from an open door. Typically I shoot these on a black background. This allows me to really focus on the subject’s face and learn what lighting and lenses are a good match for them. Once I get these shots done, I have the makeup artist begin the model’s first makeup look. By the time I get the last image, it's typically something a little more complex with the lighting.
I receive many questions regarding my workflow in photographing new models and faces, so I thought I would address some of them. This post is only about photographing models from talent agencies or bookings directly with a model.
Over the years I've developed a rhythm which allows me to get to know the model, as well as what type of lighting works best for them. This week was a prime example; Emily was in my studio for a portrait session, and while I've worked with her in the past, this was her first portrait session with me. My normal progression is what I like to call, “no make up, makeup, and lighting.” For the no makeup look, I normally just use natural light from an open door. Typically I shoot these on a black background. This allows me to really focus on the subject’s face and learn what lighting and lenses are a good match for them. Once I get these shots done, I have the makeup artist begin the model’s first makeup look. By the time I get the last image, it's typically something a little more complex with the lighting.
First image made with no makeup. For this I used the Sigma 35mm.
In the progression of Emily's images, I photographed her with no makeup for the first set. I loved how her freckles showcase the natural beauty she possesses. Next, I have the makeup artist add to her look while still keeping it simple. I work fairly rapidly throughout all the different looks. For each set up, I may only spend about 10 minutes. My goal is to get 3 to 4 really strong images from each look.
During last round of makeup, I normally let the makeup artist do something they've been dying to try. It's always good to allow collaboration with your team. Having the hairstylist or makeup artist use their creative juices can inspire me as well. There are times that this collaboration has produced some of my best images. All the looks put together in this type of session typically take about a three and a half hours.
For this image the makeup artist did minimal makeup. I want these as close to there real look as possible.
Finally, the equipment I use stays pretty consistent. I use my Nixon D4 & Nikon D810. The lenses I shoot with 85% of the time are the Sigma 35mm f1.4 Art Lens and the Nikon 85mm f1.8. For the lighting I use Phottix Indra 500 with various modifiers.
If you have any questions, I’m always open about how I do, what I do, so please drop me a note.
Happy Clicking!
Tim
Top Attorneys
During the hottest part of the summer, I had an assignment to photograph 31 of the top attorneys in the Sacramento region for Sacramento magazine. This is my 4th year working on this project and it has become one of my favorites. This assignment is certainly not without some challenges.
During the hottest part of the summer, I had an assignment to photograph 31 of the top attorneys in the Sacramento region for Sacramento magazine. This is my 4th year working on this project and it has become one of my favorites. This assignment is certainly not without some challenges.
Firstly, trying to schedule that many attorneys is no small task. They are extremely busy and when I do photography them, I often only have a few minutes. I think my shortest session was about 7 minutes long.
Another challenge I have is finding a good spot in the offices to make the images. Often the offices don’t have a lot of light, so I have to bring in lighting and try my best not to disrupt their normal operations. I was fortunate with a few locations to have some really big windows with lots of natural light. In those cases, I only needed a reflector or scrim to control the light.
The last big challenge is one I mentioned earlier and that is the crazy HIGH temperatures this summer! Trying not to show up a sweaty mess was always a struggle, especially when we had 110+ degrees on some days. I packed a few extra shirts to help with this task.
In the end, I was really happy with the style and execution of the year's section in the magazine. Most importantly, the clients were all very pleased with what I made, which is always my goal.
20minute Portrait
I was recently assignedto photograph multiple law firms for a local magazine.
Photographing law firms is something I've done the past few years for this magazine and I really enjoy it. A majority of them are on location, but I do shoot a few at my studio. It always a challenge to get busy people scheduled to photograph. One of the attorneys was in between appointments and called to see if I was available. I happened to have about an hour before my next shoot, so his timing worked out perfectly. By the time my lighting was set up and he arrived, I had about 20 minutes to make some images. Over the years I have worked really hard to get the images that I need, quickly and efficiently. It's taken much practice and is something I'm still working on.
Here are a few tips I have picked up over time.
I was recently assignedto photograph multiple law firms for a local magazine.
Photographing law firms is something I've done the past few years for this magazine and I really enjoy it. A majority of them are on location, but I do shoot a few at my studio. It always a challenge to get busy people scheduled to photograph. One of the attorneys was in between appointments and called to see if I was available. I happened to have about an hour before my next shoot, so his timing worked out perfectly. By the time my lighting was set up and he arrived, I had about 20 minutes to make some images. Over the years I have worked really hard to get the images that I need, quickly and efficiently. It's taken much practice and is something I'm still working on.
Here are a few tips I have picked up over time.
WORK QUICKLY
Having a portrait taken is an intimidating process for many people and I constantly hear, "I hate having my photo taken." or "I am so nervous". When I first meet my subjects, I try to find something in common that we can chat about to help put them at ease. There is no point being a loud, “Out There” person, when the subject is shy and introverted. I take my time setting up lighting and posing them, but when it is time to shoot, I work quick, as no one likes to hold a pose. And the longer you hold a pose the stiffer it looks and feels. If it feels awkward it will look awkward. The only way to learn is to pose yourself, even in front of a mirror so you can see what works.
SUBJECT FIRST, TECHNIQUE SECOND
My approach to portrait photography is all about the person I am photographing. Too often it’s the technical trickery of the photographer that ends up showing through and speaking for the sitter. When that happens you don't really get to know the person in the picture, just the photographer. My goal is to strip all of the extraneous stuff out. Of course, a portrait can never be more than a subjective view of someone. So, even though I am trying to portray the sitter for who they are it’s inevitably my view, my interpretation.
EXPLAIN YOUR APPROACH
Most of the portraits I am making at the moment are commissioned by an editorial client or an organization. Commissioned portraits require a brief from the client including a consideration of layout, style, deadline, budget and availability of the subject. I get organized as much as possible and try to find out about the person I’m photographing. I do a Google search on the person so I have some thing to talk about and some idea of what may resonate with them. I explain a little of my approach to the subject so they know what I am hoping to achieve. Sometimes I want to create a formal structured portrait and other times a more fluid spontaneous style depending on what I want to communicate and what medium the image will be published in. Every photograph, even commissioned work, has a little of me in it in some way.
The Rogue FlashBender 2 XL Pro
So I've had my Rogue FlashBender 2 XL Pro’s for a few weeks now
So I've had my Rogue FlashBender 2 XL Pro’s for a few weeks now and I have to say that I love them! Working in a commercial environment means that I can't haul a bunch of equipment with me on shoots. I have to keep it simple.
2 light setup ISO 160, 85mm, f2.8, 1/60sec
These little boxes produce light that's equivalent to some of my larger boxes on my AlienBees. The speed and efficiency that I can set these up and tear them down is a huge benefit. They're simple!
One FlashBender 2 XL Pro and one 3-in-1 Flash Grid