Meet Dr. Ophthalmos. You would trust this guy with your eyes, right? I would. Of course, I know him personally, so that is much less of a problem for me. What I was trying to capture was familiarity, compassion, and professionalism all wrapped into one.
Here was the assignment. The clinic where he will be moving to work after residency asked him for a photo they could put in the paper. It is one of those here-is-the-new-eye-doctor-in-town paper articles, but really it is just free advertising for the clinic and for him in particular. They wanted him with his equipment, something that said ophthalmologist, and they wanted a photo that was inviting.
I would like to say I am some hot-shot photographer that made all this happen in some kind of beautifully historic way, like Yousef Karsh’s iconic photo of Winston Churchill. Alas, my doctor friend made it easy on me.
This was my first attempt at the photo, after moving the light a bit and adjusting the light level to taste. I did not give him any instructions before this photo. He just gave me that trustworthy lean on the equipment and a great smile. Since it was my first shot, I did not think I was done. Actually, I did not really prefer the equipment directly behind him. It does not really feel like something is growing out of his head (which is a common problem in portraits…the background, that is), but I still wanted a more plain background directly behind his head and the equipment to one side.
I took a couple more photos, really going after a horizontal shot, for the equipment off to the side. I achieved what I went after: no head growths and equipment easily visible. In post production, though, I realized what that second, more technically perfect photo, did not have was the right feel. He did not feel relaxed. He seemed just slightly awkwardly contorted, as if for a photo…and I do not want to draw attention to the photographer or camera. He was indeed turned just a bit more to the right, and with the lighting coming in from the left, he actually looked a little pudgy.
I had actually gone straight to the other photo in post production, assuming it was my top pick. Then, when I went back to look at this one, it just grabbed me. It was just what I wanted, or rather, just what he and the clinic wanted. Actually, the more I look at it, the more I wish I needed an ophthalmologist right now!
The whole process, besides me playing in the kids room with my up-and-coming assistant and him putting on his tie and lab coat, was probably five minutes. If the lighting is good, I like doing portraits with available light, but if I need to enhance the lighting a bit, I like to carry my little Softbox III on the remote triggered flash. I stopped the room light level down just a bit and lit him back up with that one light. Keep it simple.
