Recap of My Latest Open Portrait Session – May 17, 2025

Yesterday marked another successful Open Session in the books. Open Sessions aren't frequent—they usually happen a few times a year, but they're always special. Here's a quick recap of how it went and why these sessions are valuable to me.

Why I Host Open Portrait Sessions

My Open Sessions aren't really about generating revenue. The idea behind these sessions is to reconnect with past clients and offer them a low-cost opportunity to update their headshots or portraits. It’s also a chance for past clients to refer friends and colleagues who might need quick professional photos.

The pricing structure is simple:

• $50 booking fee (waived for past clients)
• $20 per selected photo

These sessions are all about maintaining relationships, not maximizing profit.

Morning Session: Professional Headshots for Gianna

My day started with Gianna, referred by her boyfriend Nelson, who was an amazing client from December last year. Nelson has been incredibly supportive, referring multiple people my way. Gianna needed professional business headshots for LinkedIn and her law firm’s platforms. We captured clean, polished portraits tailored specifically for professional use.

Midday: Teaching My Intern

After Gianna’s session, I had an hour break, which I used as a teaching moment for my intern. We covered essential aspects of portrait photography, including:

• Studio lighting setup
• Tethering the camera to the laptop
• Selecting focal lengths
• Trigger mounting for strobes
• Balancing aperture, shutter speed, and strobe power

Marisa (The intern) got hands-on experience with all three lenses used throughout the day: the RF 85mm f/1.2, RF 28-70mm f/2, and RF 70-200mm f/2.8. We used the same lighting setup for all sessions:

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• Key light to the right, slightly elevated
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• Backlight positioned directly opposite the key light for background separation
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• Dedicated cyc wall lighting
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• Fill light positioned to the left, slightly underpowered

Afternoon Session: Jesse and Competitor Students from Gracie Barra Chantilly

Next up was Jesse, owner of Gracie Barra Chantilly, along with his son and two young competitive BJJ students. I switched to the RF 28-70mm f/2 lens to accommodate the variety of shots needed. We focused the session on capturing dynamic images suitable for:

• Tournament promotion
• Website content
• Social media

The shots included classic poses like arms crossed, hands-on belts, lapel grips, and action-packed grip fighting. These photos are perfect for all their Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu media needs, inspired by promotional styles from events like Who’s Number One (WNO).

Comedian Portraits: Dominique’s Session

Dominique, a comedian referred by some of my previous comedian clients, has been eager to book a session with me. Timing hadn't aligned previously, but fortunately, I had two slots open up. Dominique seized the opportunity immediately, and his enthusiasm made this session particularly rewarding. Using exclusively the RF 85mm f/1.2 lens, we captured portraits that reflect his comedic personality and stage presence.

Closing the Day with Chrissy

Finally, we ended the day with Chrissy, another comedian referred by Nelson. She arrived slightly late, but thankfully I always build buffer time into my schedule to accommodate such situations. Chrissy came prepared, dressed, and ready to shoot, needing minimal direction. With some extra encouragement and collaboration, again using the RF 85mm f/1.2 lens, we captured standout comedic portraits perfect for her professional portfolio.

Equipment Used During the Open Session

Primary Camera: Canon R5 Mark II

Lenses: RF 85mm f/1.2 (used for Gianna, Dominique, and Chrissy), RF 28-70mm f/2 (used for Gracie Barra), RF 70-200mm f/2.8

Lighting Setup:

• Key light positioned to the right and elevated
• 
  
• Backlight opposite the key light
• 
  
• Dedicated cyc wall lighting
• 
  
• Fill light positioned to the left, slightly underpowered

Booking Information

Clients booked their 20-minute slots from 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM through my Linktree, accessible via my Instagram bio.

Why These Sessions Matter

Open Sessions remind me why I love photography: it's about community, relationships, and supporting each other's growth. If you missed this session but are interested in joining the next one, make sure you follow my updates or subscribe to my newsletter.