Facing the heat for the perfect shot

We decided it was time to update our headshots, but getting the final photo was far from simple.

It all began at home. I rarely wear makeup, but that morning I pulled out my makeup bag to get ready for the camera.

Once I got to the car, I looked gothic in the sunlight. Not the vibe I was going for, so I admitted defeat and headed back to my vanity, making a mental note to buy brighter lighting for it.

After a few more swatches, I stumbled on more natural shades and made my way to the office.

Originally, I chose to wear a blouse and a blazer, but after a selfie check, I decided the blouse wasn’t working for me and quickly pivoted to a sweater in my office.

Once the team and I went outside to take our headshots, it was 80-something degrees. And there I was in a sweater. Any backgrounds close to the building were terribly lit, so we made our way down Washington Street.

About a block away, we found solace in a shady spot. The woodline had beautiful flowers sprouting from it, so Sandra and I opted for the woodsy background. Owen took his photo under a lone-standing tree.

I couldn’t even smile; I was burning up so badly. Owen snapped a quick photo of me, then I practically sprinted back to the office and gulped down water, scared I was going into heat stroke. I’m forever thankful my photo didn’t show the sneakers I was wearing; they came in handy that day.

We endured about 15-20 minutes of discomfort for a snapshot that lasted 1/60th of a second. Photography has come so far.

For painted portraits, before photography was even a concept, subjects had to pose and stay still for multiple sessions. I imagine this would take hours or days.

The first commercially successful photography was invented in 1839 by Louis Daguerre. 

Called the Daguerrotype, iodine-sensitized silver plates were exposed to light and developed with mercury. Last I checked, mercury was dangerous, so I’m grateful we don’t have to work with that chemical anymore.

Early portraits required subjects to sit perfectly still under bright lights for several minutes. That’s why they didn’t smile.

I’m counting my blessings now. Maybe the Georgia heat wasn’t too bad after all. (It was brutal taking Clay’s later, though.)