"Rest in sweet peace Fern, and begin your journey as your family's guardian angel, we'll take care of keeping your legacy alive down here" #cancersucks
These are some comments from Fernando Morales' friends the day he died.
Fernando Morales was a 2013 graduate of Norwood High School in Norwood MA.
I had the great pleasure of photographing his senior high school portraits in the summer of 2012. And I am truly honored that the family chose one of the images for the program at his funeral
He lived his life focused on helping others and inspired everyone he touched.
I remember Fernando's senior session very well. His cancer had been in remission, but had come back and he was weak. I kept thinking that we should make the session as easy as possible for him. But he wanted to go to all the usual spots around my studio's outdoor locations.
He was a very serious person and had a beautiful smile. I thought as we were shooting his pictures "this is such a solid person" - confident, strong, proud and un-shakeable.
This slideshow includes some photos of Fernando from his senior portrait session and comments from his family and friends which were posted to his Facebook and Instagram pages the day he died; January 16, 2015, and for a few days after as well.
You've planned ... you've studied and talked to all your friends and you're ready!
Your go into your headshot or business portrait session with a clear focus - "I want two great images ... because I need one looking cool/confident and the other one smiling/friendly".
But you're missing one. There is always a need for what I call "the editorial shot". This is that approachable, casual, almost candid image of you that can be used for a speaking engagement program, magazine article / interview or anywhere you need the image to not look like a "posed headshot".
For the CEO, it's the "crisp dress shirt with the sleeves rolled up, sitting on the edge of their desk or out in the workplace with a confident smile". For the actor it's a "hands on the hips, casual shirt and jeans and a wicked smile " .
You notice the similarity in both ? The smile is genuine, not posed , a real "I can't wait to meet you smile" . Which is slightly different from the smiles we get for the "headshots" (which are much closer cropped and "I'm the perfect person for the gig" shot)
That's the extra shot I get at every headshot session. Now my clients have a professional casual image in their back pocket when they need it. Ready to pull out and give that interviewer or event coordinator for the more casual usage. (it's also that "do you have something else" shot for actors that I talk about all the time!)
So always ask your photographer for that extra shot, because you will need it one day. Because if you don't have one, they may just take the shot on their phone. YIKES
Dan Busler Photography is located just south of Boston in Walpole MA and specializes in portraits, headshots and events. 781-352-4863 www.danbuslerphotography.com
