Professional Headshots for Online Social Networking

In today’s digital age of social media & networking most people have an online profile of some description. Usually, the smartphone or webcam is the weapon of choice for profile pictures and while this is fine for Facebook or Twitter, it’s not necessarily the best choice for sites like Linked In.   

As more recruiters use social networking sites to vet and contact potential job candidates, commissioned portraits are no longer just for budding actors, company websites or brochures.

In order to project a professional online image, more people are turning to professional photographers to shoot their profile pictures. 

Thanks for reading,

Russ

A Growing Pregnancy Trend

Michelle & Allan's Maternity Shoot

After Demi Moore bared all for Vanity Fair in 1991 more women are choosing to show off their pregnant bodies and these days the maternity photography business is blooming. 

Back in August I was asked by a friend to take some maternity shots for her and her husband, Allan. They are both ex-pats from South Africa and wanted to be able to show off 'the bump' to friends and family back home, as well as having a memento of this special time in their lives.   

We started in Parc de l'Impératrice, next to the botanical gardens in Geneva, before moving indoors for a more 'studio' feel. 

After getting the more serious shots we had a little fun.

I had a great time on the shoot and would like to thank Michelle & Allan being great subjects and also for letting me share their photos.

Thanks for reading,

Russ

Quick Portrait Shoot

A friend of my wife, Louise, was visiting for the weekend and asked if I could take a few photos for her online social networking profile. Never one to turn down a chance to get my camera out, we found a spare hour and I set up some speedlights in the living room.

When the time came to shoot, Lou wasn't feeling that relaxed in front of the camera so we messed around with some silly shots first. 

Once she was more relaxed and used to the camera we managed to get some more serious shots.

Glacier Grey - Torres del Paine National Park

While listening to the safety briefing, sat onboard the boat heading towards the Grey Glacier, I wasn't expecting to get much of a view of our final destination. The wind was blowing a gale, the rain was thrashing down and the icy waters of Largo Grey were smashing over the bow. 

Sitting there wrapped up in cold weather gear, waterproofs and life vests, there were quite a few people taking on a pale green hue.

As we neared the Glacier, Mother Nature took pity on us and we were allowed out on deck to watch the huge icebergs pass by and take in the spectacular, awe-inspiring, sight of the Glacier Grey.

Glacier Grey is one of the big attractions of Torres del Paine National Park and is famed for its glacial ice calvings that result in the detachments of huge icebergs.

Located between Argentina & Chile, at the Southern Patagonic Andes, the Grey Glacier is part of the Southern Patagonian Ice Field (Campos de Hielo Sur), which is the third largest reserve of fresh water and the second largest contiguous extrapolar ice field in the world. 

The Glacier is one of 49 masses of continental Ice in the southern Patagonian Ice Field and is around 30 meters high and 6 kilometers wide. The name Glacier Grey originates from the colour of the water of Largo Grey (Lake Grey) and its icebergs, which both have various tones of blue.

With more than 2,000mm of snow and rain annually, there is never a dry season in the immediate area of the lake. In the spring/ summer the temperature rarely exceeds 10ºC but on the glacier it’s always below 0°C.

After a cold afternoon photographing a glacier the best reward is with a glass of whisky served with glacial ice.

Thanks for Reading

Russ

Click on the image below to see my Torres del Paine online gallery.

Patagonia - Torres Del Paine Landscapes

I visited Torres del Paine in January this year and stayed for 5 days of trekking and, of course, photography. Patagonia is famed for its very unpredictable weather fronts and gale force winds that only add to the eery atmosphere of this unforgiving, yet magnificent, ancient landscape. 

On the way into the park our driver stopped for a few photo opportunities. The weather was gorgeous and we had great views of the mountain ranges. Unfortunately, due to the classic Patagonia weather, I didn't see the mountain peaks again until the afternoon of the third day as it was either raining heavily or clouds were obscuring the spectacular views. 

On the day I trekked up to the Towers I experienced four seasons in one day, starting the 9 hour round trek in bright sunshine and 20°c heat only to be sat in freezing blizzard conditions 4.5 hours later at the final viewpoint. I sat huddled under a boulder in freezing conditions for almost an hour, willing the storm to pass, so I could get my shot! The weather didn't improve so I headed back to the refuge for a nice glass of Chilean carménère.

Torres del Paine is one of the most spectacular places I've ever visited and is truly a wild place. One day I hope to return and maybe get a chance to catch a sunrise or sunset and my illusive shot of the towers.

Below are some of my images accompanied by text taken from the Torres del Paine National Park wikipedia page: 

Torres del Paine and Lago Sarmiento Vista

Torres del Paine National Park is part of the National System of Protected Forested Areas of Chile and encompasses mountains, glaciers, lakes, and rivers in southern Chilean Patagonia.

Lake Pehoé

In 2006, it measured approximately 242,242 hectares and is one of the largest and most visited parks in Chile.
The national park was declared a Biosphere Reserve by the UNESCO in 1978 and is a popular hiking and rock climbing destination. There are clearly marked and well maintained paths and many refugios which provide shelter and basic services for around 150,000 visitors a year, of which 60% are foreign tourists, who come from all over the world.

Cordillera del Paine Panorama

The Cordillera del Paine is the centrepiece of the park and lies in a transition area between the Magellanic subpolar forests and the Patagonian Steppes. 

The Towers of Paine

The Torres del Paine are the peaks of the mountain range, Cerro Paine. They extend 3,050 meters above sea level, and are joined by the Cuernos del Paine. 

The Cerro Paine Grande and the Cuernos del Paine

The landscape of the park is dominated by the Paine massif, which is an eastern spur of the Andes located on the east side of the Grey Glacier, rising dramatically above the Patagonian steppe. Small valleys separate the spectacular granite spires and mountains of the massif. Glacial erosion is mainly responsible for the sculpturing of the massif in the last tens of thousands of years. 

Hiking to Mirador Cuernos

A good example of the latter is the Cuernos del Paine, whose central bands of exposed granite contrast strongly with the dark aspect of their tops, which are remnants of a heavily eroded sedimentary stratum.

In 1985 a Japanese tourist started a fire that burned about 150 km² (58 sq mi) of the park. The blaze affected the areas east and south around Lake Pehoé.

Fire damage in Torres Del Paine

In February 2005, an accidental fire started by Czech backpacker, which lasted for about ten days, destroyed 155 km² (60 sq mi) of the park, including about 2 km² of native forest. The fire consumed an area located on the east side of the park and away from the most popular attractions. The Czech government issued a letter of apology and donated US$1 million to reforestation efforts.

The Cuernos del Paine Through Dead Trees

In late December 2011 through January 2012, another fire burned about 176 km² (68 sq mi) of the reserve, destroying about 36 km² of native forest and affecting most of the areas around Lake Pehoé and the western areas around Lake Sarmiento, but moving away from the Cordillera del Paine, the park's centrepiece. An Israeli camper was detained on suspicion of causing the fire. He and his family claimed his innocence and there was no evidence directly linking him to the fire. The Israeli government sent reforestation experts to the zone and has committed to donate trees to replant the affected areas. 

Patagonian Guanaco

Guanacos are one of the most common mammals found in the park. Other mammals include foxes and pumas.[28] It is also home to the endangered Chilean Huemul. The puma's predation on guanacos in the park has been studied.

Hosteria Pehoe and the Cordillera del Paine

The final instalment of my Torres del Paine photos will be finished soon and are of the Grey Glacier!

Thanks for reading

Russ

Click on the Cuernos del Paine image below to see my online gallery.

Cuernos del Paine