The Photo Shoot

I don’t know about you but I hate having my photo taken. The last time my smile didn’t look like it was painted on was in my grade 5 class photo. I had teeth like chiclets, blue sparkly cat’s eye glasses and curly hair (my mom went nuts with the curling iron).

So I wasn’t happy when I discovered I had to include a head shot with my bio for a project I’m working on.

First I enlisted my daughters. Armed with their cell phones they posed me around the house. I smiled into the camera and out the window trying to look arty and intelligent. I thought the shots were…well…okay. They said, Mom, you need a professional.

A professional? Who? And how—we’re in the middle of a pandemic after all.

By fluke I stumbled across the work of Barbara Blakey and booked an appointment. The next day I showed up at Barbara’s studio with three different tops and a briefcase stuffed with makeup and a hairbrush.

We chatted for a while in her studio, a long room packed with backdrops, photographic equipment, lights and reflective umbrellas, then it was time for me to perch on the tall metal stool.

Her camera fluttered like the ones you see in fashion shoots and she directed me to pose in positions she said might feel awkward but would create an  interesting shot, for example, lift your chin, crinkle your eyes, and look as if someone is telling you a secret.

She took hundreds of shots. When she was done she asked if I wanted to see them all or was I okay with her selecting the ones she liked the best. I said I trusted her judgment.

Less than a week later I had my photos. They were fantastic. You’ll see more of them as this website evolves and on my book jacket when my book is published.

So that’s one more thing to check off my ‘to do’ list. Only a hundred more to go.

I’ll keep you posted.

Susan Jane