Business portraits--often nicknamed "headshots" for short--don't have to be stuffy photos taken against a dull studio backdrop. In this assignment for the Chester Historic Business Association, I was tasked with creating innovative portraits of the owners of small businesses located in downtown Chester, New Jersey, to be used in marketing brochures and in featured profiles on the HCBA website. With over 65 businesses and limited time, we escaped briefly outside each business dwelling to make the most of available natural light. I turned the background street scene into a creamy blur by shooting "wide open" with an aperture between f/1.2 and f/2.0, depending on the lens. Adding a touch of fill light from Profoto reflectors and the portable new A1 system at High Speed Sync settings, I created crisp, colorful headshots that pop.
Following are a selection of images from our 3-day photoshoot that showcase the faces behind these great businesses that really are "The Heart of Chester."
AWorldOfBirds_LarryGuizio
Larry Guizio, A World of Birds
AllComputersGo_UmutBitlisli
Umut Bitlisli, All Computers Go!
Melange_AyushRai
Ayush Rai, Melange
BlackRiverCandy_SteveJones
Steve Jones, Black River Candy Shop
TaylorsIceCream_MarisaDeAngelus
Marisa DeAngelus, Taylor's Ice Cream
PortalOfHealing_DebbieCarcuffe
Debbie Carcuffe, A Portal of Healing
BountifulGardens_MelindaScotti_Manager
Melinda Scotti, Bountiful Gardens
JEmanuelChocolatier_MikeCanzano
Mike Canzano, J. Emanuel Chocolatier
ChesterFloralDesign_MaryEllenAlcock
MaryEllen Alcock, Chester Floral Designs
AntiquesByChesterCrafts_StephenBarbieri
Stephen Barbieri, Antiques By Chester Crafts
AslanGatheredGoods_DevonCarroll
Devon Carroll, Aslan Gathered Goods
ComfortablyChic_DanielleHester
Danielle Hester, Comfortably Chic
NewYorkPizza_ShaboHadzovic
Shabo Hadzovic, New York Pizza
BoehsCabinet Shop_JohnBoehs
John Boehs, Boehs Cabinet Shop
PublickHouse_JoeLubrano
Joe Lubrano, Publick House
SubPub_KarenWolfe
Karen Wolfe, Sub Pub
Fatrabbit_HeatherKoby
Heather Koby, Fatrabbit Creative
NitroFlex_SteveTylee
Steve Tylee, NitroFlex Gym
ChesterMeatMarket_GlenBoralsky
Glen Boralsky, Chester Meat Market
JJill_LaurieAnderson
Laurie Anderson, J. Jill Clothing
FrescoMexican_MarcoRojas
Marco Rojas, Fresco Mexican
AlstedeFarms_KurtAlstede
Kurt Alstede, Alstede Farms
TheHive_JaneShatz
Jane Shatz, The Hive
MGN_3877
Sean Henry, Redwoods Restaurant
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