Recently I had the honor of photographing Scott Bourne, the genius of social media and Twitter.  I must say, I was a bit nervous. (I am always a bit nervous before a photo session.)   I don’t take my photo sessions lightly.  It is not just another session to me.  I personally hate having my portrait done and know how it feels to be less than excited with the results. 

Why is it that we never really look like we do in our imagination?   My imagination says I look great in spandex.  Well, I look great in everything, don’t need any of that makeup, and my hair is always fluffy where it needs to be without being 80’s hair.  Then… reality.   Who is that woman who sort of looks like me, but is at least 20lbs heavier than I am, with 80’s bad hair, and a double chin!  Is it possible to stop the madness? 

OK.. the answer,  never under any circumstance wear spandex,  ignore the small voice that says makeup is not necessary,  and hire a really skilled photographer!  OH.. one more thing… hire one WITH a personality!    In our world of great cameras and the never ending supply of compact flash cards, many feel if one just takes a lot of photographs you will get “the shot.”  

It has been my experience both in front of and behind the camera, that good camera’s don’t take good photographs,  any more than a great oven guarantees a terrific meal.  Learning an F stop from a bus stop, understanding the quality of light needed for the job and the angle to use for a given subject are the nuts and bolts needed to capture a great shot. 

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Photographing Scott was kick.  I chose to use as much available light as possible and keep the image natural.  Soft light, his trademark hat and I never pushed for a big toothy grin – just natural expressions.  If you know Scott, I definitely captured the essence of the man, but it wasn’t as much about the camera as him being relaxed working with me.  We simply had fun, that last key ingredient necessary to capture your best shot!