"Valentina is quite simply the best! I knew the minute I met her that I would want to be working with her. Valentina is an amazing artist and has the - almost magical - ability to make you feel at ease. Valentina - Thank you so much! It truly was a unique experience."
Audrey Pouligny - Legal Translator | English - French
www.quidlingua.com
As a headshot photographer, I prefer three major colors for headshot backdrop: white, black and gray. And, a few other colors in special circumstances. Choosing the right backdrop for your headshots sometimes is a subjective preference. Before a photoshoot, determine how your headshots will be used: on your website? LinkedIn profile and other social media channels? Business cards and other marketing print materials?
White backdrop - The headshot on a white backdrop looks crisp, vivid, and appears to be modern and professional. Most of the corporate companies prefer the white backdrop for the clean and smooth look. Likewise, the doctors and other people involved in the medical industry choose the use of white backdrops for their headshots for the same reason.
Dark backdrop – A black backdrop gives a headshot an empowering and sophisticated look. Many CEOs, young entrepreneurs, financial advisors and classical musicians prefer their headshots on the black backdrop, which looks great as their profile pictures on their websites. In fact, my success in headshot photography started from creating my signature look of portraits on dark backdrop.
Gray backdrop – A gray backdrop provides a highly professional look. Headshots on gray backdrop are timeless and very practical. Gray backdrops may never go out of style.
Brown backdrop – Brown is regarded as a warm earth color that communicates about stability and sincerity to the audience. The headshots taken against a brown backdrop appear reliable, mainly in cases of family therapists, psychologist, and life coaches, who widely prefer this backdrop in their headshots.
Other colors in backdrop – Use of other backdrop color is as a special request by art directors and graphic designers who want headshots to be part of the branding colors.
Your headshot is your personal brand. It is always a good idea, before booking a professional photoshoot to consult with a professional photographer, art director or graphic designer, regarding the selection of the ideal backdrop color to get the best headshots.
Visit BOOK NOW page to schedule your Headshot Session with Valentina Sadiul Photography. For more information contact at ValentinaSadiul@gmail.com or call 415.400.9212
Posing for the camera can be an awkward moment for many people. It is important to feel relaxed and confident in front of the camera for your photographer to deliver the best of you. Surprisingly, even the most photogenic people can easily become stiff and nervous on the camera.
© Valentina Sadiul Photography
Here are 4 tips on how to feel comfortable, relaxed and confident in front of the camera:
It is best to dress in clothes and footwear that make you feel powerful and elegant. Your shoes, make-up, jewelry, and clothes choice should complement what you stand for without detracting you from your brand. Wearing clothing that makes you comfortable and confident will alleviate any stress or anxiety when posing for the camera. Remember, your dressing style reflects your real personality.
It is essential to have the good posture, natural movement, and a smile in front of the camera. It is worth remembering that your body language tells a lot about you. For your own convenience, find a highly experienced, knowledgeable, and trustworthy professional photographer to work with. A reputable headshot photographer will guide you on the right angles. You don’t have to have modeling skill when you have a skillful headshot photographer.
Punctuality matters a lot regarding boosting your confidence in front of the camera. Every business-minded person knows the essence of being punctual. Arriving late for your headshot photography session can easily trigger anxiety or stress.
You are more likely to have a successful headshot session if you allow yourself to have fun throughout the whole experience. Looking forward to your forthcoming headshot photography session can effectively boost your confidence.
In addition to the above tips, sipping water/other beverages in between the takes, complying with the crew’s request, looking at the camera confidently, limiting all distractions and breathing easy can lead to a successful headshot photography session.
Visit BOOK NOW page to schedule your Headshot Session with Valentina Sadiul Photography. For more information contact at ValentinaSadiul@gmail.com or call 415.400.9212
One of my favorite authors on financial education is David Bach. I have read all his books and I am a faithful follower of his blog. Several years ago, after reading one of his books, Smart Women Finish Rich, I took a close look at my financial goals and struggles. One of the main suggestions of David Bach is a file system for your financial life. I created this system not only for my personal finance, but also implemented the key elements for my business filing system.
As a Headshot Photographer, I work a lot with small business owners and freelancers, sharing my experience and knowledge with them. Today, I am inviting all Smart Business Women / Business Men to a filing system that I am using to keep my business documents tidy.
I keep two filing systems: Paper and Paperless. In this article, I am concentrating on the Paper filing system. It’s always a good idea to have all your printed documents handy to work with should your power source, Wi-Fi, or mobile data fail. I use the Paperless filing system daily. My paperless filing system runs on my computer’s hard drive and I have an extra copy in cloud storage. This allows me to access my documents and business information anytime and anywhere. Also, it is an extra protection in case if my physical folders are lost or damaged in a disaster.
Subfolders:
Business Plan
Workflow of customer service: from first email to image delivery
Subfolders:
Business taxes are much different than your personal taxes. For example, your folders will be filled with the payroll tax, sales tax, and income tax.
Subfolders:
2014
This folder should contain all your bank documents, contracts, checks, and statements. You will want to create separate subfolders for documents of each financial institution your business is connected to: business checking account, saving account, credit cards, loans, credit card processing companies, etc.
Subfolders:
When you run a business, it is necessary to protect your business and family from the unexpected. This folder contains your business insurance certificates. As a headshot photographer, I have two. However, depending on what industry you are in, your business may require more or less.
Subfolders:
Liability Insurance
I cancel a photoshoot reservation if my clients don’t sign a Headshot Session Agreement before booking. All businesses should operate on providing clear policies to customers. To make this process simple and organized, all my contracts between customers, companies or contractors are signed digitally using SignNow.com and kept in this folder. I also keep printed copies of my all contract templates. Contact a lawyer who specializes in business policies to create a bundle of contracts for your business needs. Protect your business and yourself.
Subfolder:
Templates
Signed Contracts
In this folder keep copies of rent agreements related to your business. Include statements of the payments and receipts.
Subfolder:
Studio Rental Agreement
USPS P.O. Box Rental Agreement
Create Subfolders for each vendor or contractor you have business with. Keep all agreements, checks, and documents in this folder.
Subfolders:
Design & Logos
Advertising
Website
Vendors - List of vendors and contact information I have business with.
Subfolders:
PPA
Stay organized and finish rich! Share your business filing system and leave comments below.
Professional headshots are very important for highlighting the profiles of the career-oriented people. Because of this, it is important to give these photos the best shot – by dressing carefully with the right attire and, though they are often overlooked, the proper accessories. Together, these can make their personalities more impressive for the viewers.
Here are a few tips on those important accessories that you may otherwise overlook:
Visit BOOK NOW page to schedule your Headshot Session with Valentina Sadiul Photography. For more information contact at ValentinaSadiul@gmail.com or call 415.400.9212
As a headshot photographer, I work with companies and offices with multiple team members. One of the challenges in production of a Group Headshot Session is to get everyone together on schedule in the same place. Usually, during business hours, offices schedules are busy and not everyone has availability to join group portrait. Scheduling become even more complicated if the office has many employees. Someone has an important meeting, someone is out of town, someone stack in traffic, etc.
So, when a company’s goal is to get a successful team photo, but scheduling is tough, there is a great solution.
This first team photo represents an office of 5 professionals. Each of team member was shot individually, digitally extracted from the background, and composed to group photo in Photoshop.
Individual headshots can be rearranged in any order you like. It is very helpful in a situation when someone leaves the company or a new hire joins the team. Instead of investing in a new group headshot photoshoot, the person who left company can be easily removed digitally. If company or office has a new hire, he/she can schedule an individual session. Once in studio, he/she will be photographed in the same style to match your group photo, extracted from background and added to the group photo with help of Photoshop.
This technique not only allows you to have the freedom to remove or add new team members, it also allows you to change background of your company's group photo, depending on your branding needs.
If your company or office is looking to update professional headshots for team members, contact me for details HERE.
As a headshot photographer, I work with real people from the classical music and business world. They are not professionally trained fashion models and most of them feel uncomfortable on front of the camera.
The major difference between an amateur portrait photographer and skillful one is not only a strong knowledge of lighting and equipment, but also having skills in directing and editing.
The process of the headshot photoshoot in my studio includes a guidance on how to pose, professionally set-up lighting and equipment, shooting tethered, so clients can give me feedback during the session to ensure that we achieve the best results in short time. The crucial step of final look is retouching favorite images. Keep in mind that photographers who provide unedited images to the clients are delivering unfinished work. This is not accepted in business of professional photography.
My signature editing includes:
Improving color, contrast and sharpness
Retouching skin by clearing up blemishes and reducing wrinkles as needed
Removing flyaway hairs and adding volume to the hair if needed
Enhancing eyes
Visit BOOK NOW page to schedule your Headshot Session with Valentina Sadiul Photography. For more information contact at ValentinaSadiul@gmail.com or call 415.400.9212
My name is Andy Babkes and I’m a functional nutritionist, efficient exercise coach, healthy-lifestyle optimizer, emotional regulation specialist, and the owner of OptimizedFit.
I like to think of myself as “the laziest healthiest person around.” Meaning, I’m obsessed with trying to improve myself mentally, emotionally, and physically in the quickest most time-efficient ways possible.
To achieve these goals, I am certified in a unique type of exercise program that gives your body all the exercise it needs in less than 20 minutes, once a week. I know it sounds crazy, but the science checks out and my clients and myself love it! In addition, I implement functional nutrition, using lab work and individualized nutrition recommendations as well as helping to resolve negative emotional patterns, I help my clients achieve their goals quickly and safely.
© 2017 Valentina Sadiul Photography
Time you wake up: I’m more of a morning person so I like to get up around 6am-7am.
Morning routine: To help keep a peaceful mind throughout the day, I always start my morning with a 20-minute meditation. Followed by about 30 minutes of stretching and foam rolling to get my body limber and ready to take on the day!
Best habit: I think I’m good at being consistent with my goals. Once I put my mind to something, I will keep at it! I think I can mostly am able to achieve this by being very meticulous with my goals and planning. Daily, I have “to-dos” and I do everything I can to try and hit these goals.
Worst habit: On the flip side, I tend to take on too many projects/commitments… this I am slowly getting better at.
Personal philosophy: Come at the world with compassion, curiosity, and good-will. Don’t take things personally and don’t hold back.
Book you are reading now: Cutting Through Spiritual Materialism by Chögyam Trungpa… just finished No Boundary by Ken Wilber
Most used apps: Google Docs—great for taking quick notes, keeping my “to-do” list handy on whatever piece of technology I am using at the moment.
Time you go to sleep: Generally around 10pm. I never like to stay up past midnight and try to always get 8 hours of sleep each night. I’m also a fan of daily naps whenever possible!
I started down my personal “optimized health” years ago when I decided to become a vegetarian. Then, during college, I stumbled upon the Holistic Health department. From there, I begin taking every class that was offered through their department and couldn’t stop reading about all things nutrition and health. This inspired me to pursue a career as a health coach… Since then, I became certified as a nutritionist and began eating meat again. After all this training and self-education and research it became clear that I had a passion for all things health. This realization is what motivated me to start a business helping others optimize their health.
I’ve had many professional milestones, but one of my greatest moments of pride was when I was able to quit my normal 9-5 job and start working for myself. I’m not much of a risk taker so making this jump was huge! It was a very empowering moment.
I don’t really think I’ve had any major setbacks (thank goodness). And if I had to look at all my “setbacks,” I don’t really see them that way… they were all important learning experiences that I am truly grateful for.
Connecting and serving others to get healthier and happier. It’s really strange but cool to have my work life and normal life kind of blend into one. I never feel like I am working.
A thirst for knowledge, wanting to help others, and growth.
TIPI stands for the Technique d’Identification des Peurs Inconscientes (TIPI) or Technique for the Identification of Unconscious Fears in English.
TIPI allows you are able to tap into your body’s innate capacity to heal and process negative emotional patterns. This could look like Phobias such as: Fear of the dark, swimming, heights, driving, being in closed or open spaces, animals, germs, agoraphobia, emetophobia, public speaking, meeting new people, etc. Or emotional patterns such as: PTSD, panic attacks, anxiety, depression, low-self esteem, anger, jealousy, etc.
Often when people think about hiring a health coach they just think about exercise and nutrition, but working on one’s emotional health is absolutely critical for a client’s success.
Something I find that all my clients struggle with is being properly hydrated. An easy equation to figure out how much water you should drink is: to take your weight in pounds, divide that number by 2 and that should be about how many fluid ounces of water you should drink (at minimum) each day. I actually wrote an entire article on the subject here: http://optimizedfit.com/drink-more-water/
Another important tip I give my clients to improve their energy level is to build good sleep habits. That includes getting to bed and waking up at consistent times, minimizing blue light exposure at night, avoiding caffeine after 3pm and more. Lots to talk about… check out my article on other helpful sleep tips: http://optimizedfit.com/get-your-sleep-on/
I am a fan of intermittent fasting, which is basically a way to skip breakfast and receive the benefits of fasting. (More details can be found here: http://optimizedfit.com/fasting/)
For lunch and dinner I keep things basic. Generally making sure I have a meal high in healthy proteins and fats with a moderate amount of carbohydrates. A typical meal would look like some steamed organic kale and grass fed ground beef… prepared sort of like a stir fry. After cooking, I’ll add raw salad greens, some kimchi or sauerkraut for health probiotics and added vitamins/minerals as well as some nori or other sea vegetable to boost my iodine and mineral intake for healthy metabolic function.
When I do snack I go for organic, raw nuts—presoaked or some sort of nut butter with a little bit of a dark chocolate (85% or higher) for added antioxidants. Sometimes I will pair these treats with some berries.
There’s a lot of random things I do to stay healthy. Feel free to check out my website for more helpful tips! You can find me at: OptimizedFit.com
Web: OptimizedFit.com
Tel: (415) 735-6843
You understand how important a headshot is for your career. However, to make the most of your time with your photographer, you are going to want to make sure your makeup and hair are camera ready – which is a bit different than your normal wear. Not only will it boost your confidence, but will also even out your skin tone and cover any blemishes.
To get you started, here are a few tips about makeup and hair for your professional headshot:
It is highly recommended that you utilize the services of a professional makeup artist. Making people look good is their specialty. Locate a professional in your area and make your appointment.
If seeking a professional makeup artist isn’t an option, you can always check out the services at your local mall or department stores. Companies such as Sephora or MAC offer makeup services to prepare your makeup for your headshot.
You have natural beauty. Sometimes you just need to help it shine through. This natural beauty is what the camera is looking for. One week before your photo shoot, make sure to take care of any tanning, hair coloring, etc. so that it looks more natural as the week passes. Two to three days before, make sure you are drinking lots of water and avoiding things such as caffeine, the sun, alcohol and smoking. The night before? Get rest and lots of it.
If you choose to do your own, make sure to use a yellow tinted foundation, as white tends to reflect the flash of the camera. Keep your makeup natural. Research tips for enhancing the eyes for emphasis. Stick to matte foundations and lip colors to avoid any reflection from the flash.
There is a perfect hairstyle for each of us – find yours. Make an appointment to have great hair for your headshot session. Get a style that compliments your features and boosts your natural beauty.
All this prep isn’t just for the ladies. It is important for guys to plan for their headshot photo shoot, too. Make sure you have your hair styled in a way that fits your look. Also, if you intend to have facial hair in your headshot, start growing it well in advance.
Planning ahead and following these tips can ensure that you have the most successful headshot session.
Visit BOOK NOW page to schedule your Headshot Session with Valentina Sadiul Photography. For more information contact at ValentinaSadiul@gmail.com or call 415.400.9212
"I LOVE the photos!! Thank you so much for making me feel beautiful and sexy on the day of our photoshoot even though I was still fighting a bad cold! I absolutely love them, and I can't wait to have my fiancé completely recreate and update my website with your images!"
Sarena Hsu - Violinist
http://www.sarenahsu.com/about
Nowadays, every professional person needs to have a professional headshot that will act as his signature mark in the online commercial world. The lawyers need their headshots as much as the other professionals, as it increases their reliability in the eyes of their clients and thus help them make progress in their career. The attorney headshot is extremely useful for posting in the business pages of social media sites, like LinkedIn and Facebook.
© 2017 Valentina Sadiul Photography
When people find the image of the attorney in different websites impressive enough, they feel more inclined to approach those lawyers for solving their legal problems, even if they do not know them very well. The profiles of the lawyers should always be accompanied with their professional headshots, for making their career smoother than others who do not bother to use one.
The attorney headshot can successfully become the brand signature of a good lawyer and speaks more about his confidence and professional success than what is written in his profile in words. Moreover, it makes the job of easier for their clients, when they are searching online to get in touch with that specific attorney for discussing their legal matters. Websites and social media profiles without headshots are usually passed over the one hired is someone that does have one.
Visit BOOK NOW page to schedule your Headshot Session with Valentina Sadiul Photography. For more information contact at ValentinaSadiul@gmail.com or call 415.400.9212
Headshot is a professional portrait of a person, where only the face and the upper part of the body is visible, mainly stressing on the face expression and eyes of that person. The headshots are generally used for posting online with the job applications and the profiles of the professional people, so that their clients can be impressed by their personalities. Therefore, the dress of that person should be distinctly dignified and should give a professional look to the wearer. So everyone should be careful about the clothing that can be used while posing for a headshot.
According to the expert advice of the professional photographers, the color of the dress selected for wearing in a headshot session should be in sharp contrast to the skin tone of the wearer. If the wearer is very fair-skinned, he/she should opt for a deeper shade of any sober color, to make his/her face more prominent in the headshot. On the contrary, if the wearer has dark colored or medium colored skin tone, he/she needs to wear only a light colored dress, to highlight his/her features in the headshot. Some photographers also suggest choosing the color of the dress according to the eye color of the wearer, to personalize the photo even more.
Generally, only the face and the upper parts of the body are visible in a headshot and not the lower parts. So the concerned person needs to be conscious only about choosing the shirt or the top that he/she will be wearing in the headshot session. But the trouser or the skirt will not be visible in the photo, for which the wearer or the photographer need not bother about the selection of these parts of the clothing at all. Neither the wearer needs to match the shirt with the trouser or skirt, as the lower part will not be seen at all. Similarly, he/she can wear any kind of shoes in these photo sessions, as the footwear also does not matter in any headshot.
When a person needs a headshot for submitting in a corporate company for job purposes or to make commercial tie-ups, his photo should be entirely different from that of a model or actor. Hence, the clothes chosen for this kind of headshots should be different too and the wearer needs to be careful while selecting his/her headshot attire. Since some corporate houses may have their unique preferences regarding the attires of their professionals, it is better to consult the website of the concerned company and derive ideas about their official dress codes, from the posted photos of their top officials.
The experienced photographers are well aware of the types of dresses that should be used for making the best headshots of their clients. Hence, it is best to show the chosen attire to the hired photographer, before finally putting it on for a headshot session.
CLICK HERE to see examples of Headshot Clothing for Men
CLICK HERE to see examples of Headshot Clothing for Women
Visit BOOK NOW page to schedule your Headshot Session with Valentina Sadiul Photography. For more information contact at ValentinaSadiul@gmail.com or call 415.400.9212
Fiona Santos | HRG Real Estate Agent http://fionasellshomes.com/
Buying a new home is an exciting milestone for a family, but it also brings its own challenges and concerns. In order to make the right choices and a practical investment, families are on the lookout for a real estate agent they can trust.
An ideal real estate agent is one that has a natural charisma and can speak easily with any family member. A real estate agent must also be aware of the budget and unique needs of a family. It is best if a real estate is intuitive, a good listener, and sympathetic to what their client is seeking for their family.
Clients who have families are unlikely to be impressed by just an email address or an online post. A client who has a family to care for and house wants to feel positively about their real estate agent. Furthermore, the client will want the real estate agent to be comfortable speaking to the eldest family member as well as the youngest. A high-quality, professional headshot will ensure a client feels their family is safe in your hands. Your headshot, which will highlight your qualities as a skilled and approachable real estate agent, will bring you to the top of their list of people to speak to and work with.
A headshot taken in a studio with a professional photographer will bring legitimacy to your public image. It shows that you care about your presentation and are invested in working with the best in order to serve your clients and their families. A real estate agent in front of a tasteful backdrop will outshine those who try to get by with a quick snap taken by a friend. It is best to avoid a cluttered background in a public place. This suggests that you are not serious about your business and don’t take the proper care to set up the right environment.
Khurel Bud | Real Estate Agent | https://www.khurel.com/
• Even though you are in a studio, you can bring your brightest self! Choosing a sunny color palette for your clothing (whites, yellows, blues, etc.) can help to remind families that you will provide them with a new home and a future as their real estate agent.
• Smile with your eyes — this conveys you can show warmth to every age group in a family, including children! Plus, it shows that you are a real estate that enjoys helping people.
• Remember to demonstrate open, inviting body language. You will likely be engaging with the entire family, and you don’t want anyone feeling left out!
• Opt for more loose, casual hairstyle that was still professional. This will put children and overworked parents at ease. You will send the message that you are a real estate agent that understands a hectic schedule, and is down-to-earth, yet businesslike. This is a difficult but important image to achieve, and it is best left to the skilled hands of a trained makeup artist.
With these steps, your headshot will be what families picture when they pursue a real estate agent to work and build a professional relationship with!
Visit BOOK NOW page to schedule your Headshot Session with Valentina Sadiul Photography. For more information contact at ValentinaSadiul@gmail.com or call 415.400.9212
A luxury real estate agent headshot on a website or business card is your clients’ first impression of you. They look to you as a representative of the lifestyles that you can provide them. You will be expected to carry yourself with poise, and to be an iconic example of elegance.
McGuire Real Estate | Raymond Ho | http://raymondhosf.com/ © 2016 Valentina Sadiul Photography
What is most important is that you polish your personal brand. Ensure this with the perfect real estate headshot, which will be used for your business cards, your webpage’s “About Me” section, and your LinkedIn. This will make you much easier to find on the Internet, as well as highly recognizable and memorable. You will be the first step to buying a property before a client even opens a door, so you must be prepared to always impress. You walk a fine line: you must be sophisticated in order to dazzle a client, but also approachable in order to encourage a solid business relationship.
Since clients will be prepared to make a large investment on a property that exceeds what many can afford, they expect someone who exudes success and business acumen. In order to never be confused with an amateur, avoid images taken on an iPhone or any other low-quality device, which will negatively impact your brand.
Similarly, refrain from relying upon images that are either over 2 years old, or that include drastic changes in your appearance. Clients will be confused if they do not recognize you when they meet you in person, and will likely bring their business elsewhere. If you are intelligent about investing in a professionally taken real estate headshot, your media presence will be a profitable asset.
When you take self-presentation seriously with your real estate headshot, you will have a real advantage over your competition. By appearing charismatic, self-assured, well-dressed, and well-groomed, you will give a client the sense that you are highly experienced. Appearing appropriately stylish and well-to-do will earn their respect. They will get the sense that you regularly sell luxury real estate and have created a prosperous business
McGuire Real Estate | Angelica Santamaria | http://angelicasantamariasf.com/ © 2016 Valentina Sadiul Photography
• Choose solid colors and prints, as they convey professionalism and directness. Patterns that are too “busy” can be distracting, and can detract from the refinement you’re selling.
• For women, consider a jewel-toned blouse in a flattering color. The subtle splash of vibrance will distinguish you, yet will still remain appropriate with the right business attire. For men, pay attention to which business suit-cut is on trend. Clients are likely to avoid someone with an outdated suit, which suggest an inability to keep up with the times.
• Opt for one upscale accessory in your headshot: a luxury watch or a classic necklace. This will show that you have a profitable business that you are secure about. Too many adornments suggest you are desperate to prove yourself.
• Work with a skilled hair and makeup artist for your headshot in order to showcase your best self. It is advisable to have smoothed (not tousled or heavily styled) hair, which implies a commitment to professionalism.
• Maintain a friendly but assertive demeanor. Focus on looking attentive to a client needs, yet relaxed.
• Have 2-3 additional headshots prepared in addition to your primary real estate headshot. These will add variety to your potential publications and blog posts, as well as keep your social media content “fresh” and attractive to clients.
Visit BOOK NOW page to schedule your Headshot Session with Valentina Sadiul Photography. For more information contact at ValentinaSadiul@gmail.com or call 415.400.9212
Business headshot is now dubbed the new handshake as it is the first introduction of your business to the audience. Business Headshot can make a big impact for your business and choosing the right outfit determines how the portraits turn out. It doesn’t have to be a difficult thing to do as the easiest way of knowing what to wear is by knowing what not wear on your business headshot.
The business headshot is seen by your current and future employees, customers, colleagues and investors. Having one with logos and branding makes it look awkward and unprofessional. Make your business headshot look friendly and approachable by wear plain colored professional clothes to make people focus their attention on your headshot but not the logo or branding.
Your headshot is not a fashion show. Stay away from showing too much cleavage and tight fitting outfits. Your goal should be looking attractive and approachable, not as sexy as possible. Make sure your clothes are fitting but comfortable, not too tight and not too baggy. Make sure you can’t see through them and become overexposed.
Clothes with polka dots, busy floral, plaid or stripes do not look professional on a business headshot. Wear clothes without any distractions and those that suggest professionalism. Stay completely away from patterns or stripes since they tend to dominate the image more than your face should.
In a headshot, faded, wrinkled clothes with holes and stains should be avoided. Your headshot reflects your professionalism and this type of clothes shows you don’t take care of yourself, your career or your business seriously.
Simplicity is the key to a professional looking business headshot. The focus on your headshot should be solely on you, not the distracting jewelry. Too much jewelry is a no-go. If you need to put on jewelry, you know what looks best on you, pick colors that compliment your skin tone and those that bring out your eye color.
Of course, you want to look your best in your business headshot. Wear what compliments your body type and if possible, bring two or three clothe option for your headshot session. Let your headshot show your character, highlight your personality and project your professionalism for who you are.
Visit BOOK NOW page to schedule your Headshot Session with Valentina Sadiul Photography. For more information contact at ValentinaSadiul@gmail.com or call 415.400.9212
"Valentina was such a pleasure to work with. I have an acupuncture practice and needed headshots as well as shots of my clinic. I'm so glad I chose Valentina for the job. She is very warm and welcoming, and she made a camera shy person like me feel very much at ease. The process of picking my favorite shots was very painless and the end product exceeded my expectations by far. I would recommend Valentina to anyone seeking a skilled and personable photographer and she gets my highest recommendation!"
Bastian Sascha Schmidt - Acupuncturist, Herbalist
http://www.treeofqi.com/
"I knew I was in good hands walking into Valentina's studio. She is highly recommended by my colleagues and I saw why. When she asked what I wanted to accomplish with the pictures I knew we were off to a good start. I hate being in front of the camera but she made the experience feel natural and the shots she captured definitely achieved my goals."
Kenneth Kellogg - Opera Singer
http://www.kennethkellogg.com/
My name is Sascha and I’m the owner of Tree of Qi Acupuncture Clinic in San Francisco. My interest is in bringing health and healing into the world and I feel very grateful to be able to provide my services to the lively and diverse community we have here in the city.
I focus on helping patients heal the underlying imbalances in their bodies and minds, thus creating what we call “flow” in Chinese medicine. Flow is what ensures movement that is free of pain as well as a state of mind that is free from suffering.
With health costs on the rise and an emergence of many acute and chronic health concerns ranging from pain, digestive issues, women’s health, to stress, anxiety and depression, I believe that acupuncture and Chinese Medicine are valuable resources for people during this time, especially for those who’d like to take a more active role in their healing journeys.
I use acupuncture, Chinese Herbs, cupping, reiki and nutritional counseling to help my patients find balance in their lives and I’m excited about what I do.
© 2016 Valentina Sadiul Photography
Time you wake up: 7:40 am
Morning routine: I meditate for 20 minutes, then I have tea and listen to either NPR or a podcast. Recently I’ve been detoxing from politics (not always successfully), so I’ve been listening to spiritual talks.
Best habit: Daily meditation
Worst habit: I binge watch TV shows if they’re good.
Personal philosophy: Serve others; do the best I can
Book you are reading now: “Understanding Power” by Noam Chomsky
Most used apps: Sonos for music
Time you go to sleep: Between 10 pm - 11 pm
I’ve always liked the look and smell of Chinese Herbs and have been fascinated with Eastern Philosophies and ways of treating the body even years before practicing Chinese Medicine. I used to live in New York City and would go to Chinatown often to be immersed in the colorful world of Chinese food and herbs and products.
I started my practice out of my apartment, because I was operating with a very low budget. This was surely one of the biggest challenges in the beginning. However, within 6 months I moved into a nice big clinic space here in the Mission and today, almost 7 years later, I practice in a fully equipped 3 treatment room clinic.
Being my own boss has been a wonderful experience. I set my own schedule, take 3 day weekends, travel, and I get to do what I love most, which is to help people feel better.
A challenge of being my own boss is that I have to oversee all aspects of my business, even the ones that don’t come so easily, such as bookkeeping and marketing. For this reason, I hired a business coach, who recommended getting professional headshots. This is where Valentina comes in: she’s been an integral part in my public appearance - her images not only portray the true essence of who I am and what I do, but also the space and surroundings I practice in.
Having a community of talented friends and colleagues around me has been key to the success of my practice.
In order to balance the demands of running a clinic I take long weekends, and often I leave the city and go into nature. In my spare time I also like to play music, read, go on long walks, go on meditation retreats, do archery, and visit the many naturally occurring hot springs in California.
A goal of mine for the future is to open up a tea house in the San Francisco, a place where people can come to relax and ground, a place of community and respite of the city hustle and bustle. A big part of my spirituality and inner growth is to make an impact on the community that lasts even after I’m long gone. It is my hope that my clinic and my future tea house will provide the community with resources for many years to come.
Contact Information:
Address: 2460 Mission Street Suite 104 in San Francisco CA 94110
Web: TreeofQi.com
Tel: (415) 424-3479
Yelp
"Thanks so much for doing such an amazing job; for taking fantastic, creative photos that took advantage of the location; and for making it all fun and easy! It was a real pleasure to get to work with you."
Laura Rennert, Executive Agent with Andrea Brown Literary Agency
http://www.laurajoyrennert.com/
I have always been a minimalist who enjoys organizing my surrounded environment to create balanced, functional and sophisticated space. I know that my lifestyle, neatness, and need for everything to be well organized played a strong role in my growing success as a headshot photographer.
When I first moved to the US, I was in a culture shock from how much stuff people had (especially clothes!). I witnessed closets breaking apart, garages that were filled from floor to ceiling without any room for a car, and hundreds of pillows on couches and beds...
I met Kaylee at a Wealth Entrepreneurs Event and learned that she is a professional organizer and owner of CLOSETED. I was very interested to find out how she transformed her lifestyle into an exciting business. We live in a heavily consumerist era. It is so easy to become a slave of materialism, and to get trapped in the disorganization of everything that you didn’t need in first place.
Here’s what Kaylee says in her bio:
Kaylee’s business philosophy resonates with my lifestyle and I can’t wait to share this interview so you can benefit from having less clutter and more room for creativity. I’m thankful that Kaylee found time to stop by my portrait studio for my Creative People in Business project and share her knowledge of organizing.
© 2016 Valentina Sadiul Photography
Time you wake up: Between 5-6 A.M.
Morning routine: Shower, make-up, cook breakfast while I empty the dishwasher, eat, brush teeth, style hair, get dressed.
Best habit: Meal planning. I always recipe search, shop and cook ahead of time so when it comes time to make breakfast or pack lunch I always have options to choose from. I make healthy food choices and never skip a meal which allows me to stay on my A game.
Worst habit: Worrying. On some level I know my clients appreciate that I worry about things so they don't have to but spending time worrying doesn't change an outcome. I know I'm capable of handling problems big and small so someday I'd like to evolve out of the worry-about-it step.
Personal philosophy: Be kind, do the right thing. Being nice to people is free AND easy. People who choose to have a bad attitude waste a lot of time and energy and that is not a way that I want to spend those precious resources. I find that I can diffuse difficult situations with a vendor or installer by staying calm, respectful and friendly.
Book you are reading now: I just started The Hundred Secret Senses by Amy Tan. I like to switch between novels and informative literature rooted in subjects like organizing, nutrition and personal growth.
Most used apps: I am not a big app downloader but I use Uber and Lyft a fair amount as well as Pandora and Whole Foods.
What you do before going to bed: Wash my face, brush my teeth and pack any items I will use the next day at work.
Time you go to sleep: 10 P.M.
My degree is in interior design and I was working for a designer (turned friend/mentor) who handed me my first organizing job because he noticed I was good at it. I organized as a side job for several years and then my husband pushed me to make it a full time business.
It's really different for every home but I like to start with smaller areas because usually once a client sees how much we can accomplish together they feel excited about moving on to larger areas.
Some clients are extremely mentally ready to purge their homes, they just need a little hand holding and someone to validate that their instincts are correct, for these people my advice is to trust yourself. Others need to really talk through each item, with these clients I ask them a lot of questions about why they feel the need to hold onto specific items or an excessive amount of stuff in general. I never make anyone give anything up but I will make strong suggestions. If we are sorting a lot of sentimental items I ask clients to share their memories with me, sometimes re-living a memory about an object is enough to make you feel ready to set it free. My clients see that I am passionate about what I do so they learn to trust that I have their best interested at heart.
We are already trapped in a heavily consumerist society. I try to remind people that shopping is fun but it becomes not fun when you have no where to put the things you buy and/or you can't find things you know you purchased. That's a sure sign you have a problem. I think being more aware of what you are buying (online and in stores) is part of the process, the other part is to always be thinking of what you don't need anymore. I have a "donation box" in all of my clients homes, as soon as you realize you don't need something you throw it in the donation box, when the donation box is full you seal it up, put it in your car and take it to be donated, then you start another donation box.
I try to use wall space as much as possible to get things off the floor and I also like using furniture that can double as storage.
Sometimes couples use me as a wedge, they want me to help gang up on their spouse and shame them into an organized lifestyle, I don't go in for that type of thing. Itry to develop a bond with each family member and that means asking everyone about their goals for the space. Knowing that I have multiple interests at heart makes clients more amenable to hearing my ideas and doing the work to clear their space and make room for a plan that encompasses everyone's goals.
Files are a non-negotiable. If you are an adult person you need a way to manage your paperwork (I created my personal filing system at age 11.) Some of my clients run a business out of their residence, they are probably going to need a tall file cabinet or a chest of drawers dedicated to files. For clients like home makers I can get away with smaller solutions but when you consider the paperwork you need to run a house (insurance, taxes, each family member's medical/school records just to start) it adds up fast and if you want an organized home you need a system for paperwork.
The other thing I do for almost every client is to organize their bathroom products in clear plastic shoe boxes. I sort like items then I label each box so when you cut yourself all you have to do is grab the first aid box and your band aids will be right there or if you are going on a trip then you pull the box that says travel toiletries and anything you may need is at your fingertips.
Hire me! Organizing is not a magic bullet, it's work and at some point something's got to give and if you spend so much time working that you have very little time for organization then it might be time to admit to yourself that organizing is not your favorite thing and it's worth it to you to hire someone to help. For my clients that go through the initial organization process and still have trouble taking time to stay organized I offer "touch-up" sessions which usually happen quarterly.
I love to cook. If I feel too tired to cook an entire meal then I just prep my next meal and when I go to make it the next day my job is much easier. If I am feeling very overwhelmed I will organize something small like the fridge or my desk. That small achievement helps me clear my head and prepare myself for the bigger achievements that await me in the near future.
Always unpack as soon as you get home. If it's your gym bag, purse, groceries, the clothes you bought online and received at work, unpack everything right away. If you spend a little time picking up after yourself daily you save a lot of time in the long run because you have less picking up to do and you don't spend time trying to find things you failed to put away.
