Headshot Photography?

I got an out-of-the-blue text from a Montclair neighbor, and I didn’t know what to do about it.

David Marchese is a key journalist for The New York Times Magazine‘s Interview section, and something of an interviewer legend in his own right. We’ve spent a bit of social time together in the last couple of years, and now he was asking for advice on how to find a photographer to shoot a professional headshot for himself.

David’s text sat in my messages for over a day before I addressed it. Finally, I sent a response, offering myself as someone to possibly make his portrait. Immediately, I realized that I shouldn’t be texting people after having a couple of drinks.

He responded warmly and appeared to receive it as a genuine opportunity.

We did the session at my home, as it is an older structure and has some nice details and good light. The most precarious setup was in the ivy path of our yard: the ground is uneven, and I kept tripping and even dropped the camera at one point. Plus, the light was continually changing. I could feel my authority evaporating as the minutes passed, so we wrapped it up and moved onto the next scenario.

Ironically, it was this environment that delivered the most interesting pictures. The combination of sunlight coming through the trees and a simple fill light in front delivered some of the complexity to the picture in a way that conveys David’s abilities and talent in a way that I’d hoped we could do a session.

Ultimately, doing a headshot is not a good fit for me. It’s a narrow format that requires the expression to be positive and neutral, instead of surprising or vulnerable, as I prefer.

Top Image: David Marchese, Montclair NJ. July 22, 2026.

Bottom Images: Two more of my favorite takes from the session.