Executive Portraits of Veronica Giggs
When ANZIIF magazine first rang me up to photograph Veronica, I was excited. But when Veronica told me she wanted to do her corporate magazine portraits in the comfort of her gorgeous Sentosa home, I was even more excited!
It’s not common an Executive would be so welcoming towards an outsider into their own personal space. I was excited because I knew the shots we took were going to be special. Don’t get me wrong, I think it’s possible to great nice images in an office, especially with the beautifully designed co-working spaces nowadays, but there’s nothing I relish more than being able to put a personal touch and inject some personality into my portraits.
The first thing that struck me about Veronica’s apartment is vast collection of tasteful artwork. I really loved how she enhanced her space using simple personal pieces, some of which she picked up during her travels. The second thing that struck me was her collection of pets. Veronica has a grand total of 3 dogs and 2 cats. What an animal lover!
I love picking up visual cues and spinning off them so I told Veronica once we’re done with the safe shots, let’s take one with your pets. I told her I think it would lend a softer and more genuine touch compared to most Executive portraits. And it’s not everyday you get to create an image like that!
Thankfully, she was really game about it and appreciated the kind gesture to also create a wonderful memory for herself at the same time,.
What followed was 15 minutes of hilarity as we tried to get all the pets in position.
Anyone with pets will know it’s almost impossible to get them where you want them to be. 1 is tough enough, much less 3 or 4!
The photo you see right at the top was actually a split-frame. Using the magic of treats, we lured her grey cockle spaniel up and down her corridor until we achieved the perfect position and dynamism in his stance.
Don’t worry, no animals were harmed in the process! If anything, he just got some much needed cardio from lounging around the house for too long.
We rounded off the 1.5hr session with some more generic shots of her against a white backdrop and in her porch to give the art director more options for layout.
It was a really memorable session for both of us – Veronica saying these are some of the best portraits she had taken of her and me thanking her for the trust and creative leeway to explore her beautiful home.
Thank you, Veronica!
If you’re looking to create personal and unique portraits for your company’s executive, send us a request and we’ll chat. Our sessions are usually capped at 1-1.5hrs, depending on your Executive’s availability, comfort and energy level on set, as we know their time is precious. Contact us to find out more!
