This spring, I had the exciting opportunity to work on a unique series of branding portraits for a local magazine.
The Project
I was tasked with photographing a group of inspiring women for the Mother’s Day edition of Boise City Lifestyle magazine. The goal was to capture each woman in a setting that reflected her business, along with a portrait that highlighted her personality. With the editorial deadline just two weeks away, I jumped into action, quickly scheduling sessions.
The Logistics
As appointments filled up, I realized I had just 30 minutes with each person. To maximize my time, I carefully planned my route between locations. By the end of the first day, I found my rhythm. Over the next seven business days, I completed 21 sessions. Each day, I handed the day’s work to Kelly Zimmerman for culling and retouching while also staying on top of any last-minute changes to my already-packed schedule. Fortunately, everything came together smoothly. The magazine reported that the women I worked with were thrilled with the experience and loved the preview shots.
In June, I’ll take on a similar project for the Father’s Day edition.
In the next few blog posts, I’ll share some of the branding portraits and the stories behind them. Each woman I met was proud of her accomplishments and excited to be part of this project.
April Florczyk of 208 Market Real Estate
Today, I’m featuring April Florczyk from 208 Market Real Estate in Boise, Idaho. When I spoke with April, she knew exactly what she wanted. As a specialist in view homes in the Boise Foothills, she had the perfect spot in mind and gave me the address.
On the day of the shoot, I followed Google Maps up a series of winding roads to a stunning home perched on a steep hill. When I arrived, the view took my breath away. Instead of looking up at the mountains, I was almost level with them, with the city of Boise sprawling below and the Owyhee Mountains in the distance. April’s choice of location was spot-on.
The photoshoot
Upon arrival, I met the homeowner, a friend of April’s, and we discussed how to best capture the scene. The home’s large windows framed the incredible view, but the challenge was balancing the indoor and outdoor lighting. To solve this, I used a strobe unit to ensure April was well-lit while preserving the view.
After carefully balancing the lights, I adjusted the exposure to capture the natural light streaming through the windows. Kelly then merged the images in post-production, resulting in a well-balanced portrait that perfectly captures April and her work.
April’s confident yet approachable pose and expression were ideal for a realtor who specializes in high-end view homes.
Her portrait appeared on both the cover and inside the May edition of *Boise City Lifestyle* magazine, as well as in the *Meridian City Lifestyle* magazine of the same month.
Phil White M.Photog., Cr., CPP, I.P.A.-E
Phil is the part owner of The 8th Street Studio, home of CsiPhotoDesign and Cherished Images in Boise, Idaho. To contact Phil, call 208-331-2287 or email him at info@csiphotodesign.com.
For more information on how CsiPhotoDesign can help you with your branding portraits, call the studio at 208-331-2287, or fill out the form below.
