zed cards: the editorial shot

When I get a referral for a zed card (comp card) shoot, I start the process by getting a photo of the person I'll be photographing.  The first step is to start thinking about styling so that the person's range of looks can be expressed. For kids, that typically means a good headshot, a commercial print look, an editorial look, and an upscale catalog look.  I thought I'd share some photos of a recent session.  This little girl just signed with Stars.  I also photographed her little brother and sister the same day.

All models have their strengths, and for this girl it was clear that fashion editorial was the big win. Here are some examples of the shots where I was going for a more editorial look.  For the first look, I used the girl's living room, which had a neutral yet opulent look and dramatic  window light.  The second editorial look happened more spontaneously.  We were doing the last look, which is what I call "upscale catalog" (think Mini Boden, Tea Collection, etc.).  There was a lovely tree with spring green/yellow foliage hanging over a sloped wall.  I was able to capture that springy, sun-flared, kind of overexposed look to get a few more editorial-feeling shots.  Of course, with editorials, there is not such a concern of having models look at the camera, but for zed cards, most of the shots involve eye contact with the lens.