Physio

[Granddad]

One of my wife's friends has decided to branch out from working for the National Health Service and set up her own business as a physiotherapist. To help her get started I volunteered to take some photos for her new website. Here's the headshot that my wife and I like best (C&C always welcome).

Lightly Photoshopped with a quick touch in Portrait Pro.

 

[Designer]

Have you considered a darker background for this portrait?

 

[Rick50]

Very nice!

 

[Studio7Four]

Regarding the background color, I think (in general) the white background goes well with the feeling of health and wellness that a physiotherapist wants to convey. It is probably worth a discussion with her (which you may have had) about her website design - is this headshot going to contrast against a dark background on her web page, is it going to be set a border to offset it from the background, or is it going to be right against a white page background? If against white, you want to be really careful about the actual color of the image's background so it's not just off from the web page. Here, it seems you haven't quite blown out the background (the white of her shirt looks brighter white).

For me, that white shirt is the issue with this shot (when against the white background). The front of her shirt blends in so well with the background that you lose her body as a foundation for supporting her head. I think if she was in a dark shirt you could really blow out the background and have a winner. The composition, her pose, her interaction with the camera - I think you nailed all of those.

 

[tirediron]

I've got a couple of nits with this one GD... I agree that white is a good background for health/medical stuff, but between her white shirt, light hair, and the background I think it's a little too much of a good thing. I definitely agree with discussing website design regarding this, which you may have done. The other significant point is her position with respect to the camera: She's wearing a shirt with a society emblem; I think she should have been posed in such a way as to really make that stand out. as-is, I have to work to read it.

Lastly, I think a slightly higher shooting position would have helped to minimize the appearance of a slight double chin (and don't forget to tidy up the collar).

 

[Granddad]

Thanks guys, all suggestions have been duly taken on board. Head shots aren't my speciality but I hope to do more.
Her website has a white background so I set up the white backdrop, I didn't know she'd adopted a white uniform shirt till she arrived. I can probably do something to improve the separation with a little work.

John, you're right about the higher angle, I took a bunch of shots from higher but the expression on her face in this shot was the best of the lot.
I'll see if I can fix the collar, it would have been much easier if I'd noticed it at the time.