I have been asked this question most days of my 21 year career, and I’m quite certain I’ve answered this question a thousand different ways, if there are indeed a thousand ways to tell someone that I’m a photographer. After a flurry of marketing and social media training over the last 2 months or so, I have a new answer: “I free people from the notion that they hate photos of themselves.”
This was born out of the literally thousands of times I’ve heard this comment as someone steps up to my set (typically a head shot set). I estimate, cuz I’m kind of a stats guy, that 40-50% of human beings make this type of an announcement upon arrival to my set. I have made it my business to send those folks away from my set saying something different, for example, “Wow, that’s the first time I’ve ever liked my photo!”
Call it my mini-ministry, call it a subtext to the hundreds of head shots I shoot every year. I call it a new way to relate to what I do that gives me a way to make a lasting difference with the people I’m fortunate enough to meet every day of my life.
So, that’s it for now – I’ll be saying more – lots more, about this topic in the very near future. I just wanted you to know I’ve been listening to you all these years. Oh, and welcome to my new blog! We’ll talk soon…
Cheers,
Bob
Thompson Brand Images 
The first time you shot me it was my teeth that got me. Since I was a little kid my family and others had made fun of my teeth. You came right in and shot closeups of my smile over and over while making me laugh. Now one of my all time BT shots is a close up of my smile. Having it framed for my new apt. Thanks for the transformation.
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What a great supporting story to my blog post Denise!! That is a great memory, and but one tactic (maybe you’ve seen them all at this point?) in my toolbox for freeing human beings from their thin and narrow relationship to their own likeness! Thanks for the note!
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