Consistency on Camera Starts with Consistent Direction: Portraits for WJXT
Some shoots are about the final image, but more often they’re about everything it takes to get there. This one was a bit of both—a reminder of how much the process matters, especially when you’re asking people to step in front of a camera.
When you’re working with a team like WJXT, the goal isn’t just to create a strong individual portrait. It’s to make sure every person feels comfortable, confident, and visually aligned as part of a larger whole. That kind of consistency doesn’t happen by accident—it comes from how the shoot is built and how people are guided through it.
Where It Started
Looking back at these earlier shoots, the setup was pretty simple—just a backdrop, a few lights, and a group of people figuring it out together. This was around the time I started working with WJXT, when I was still building my business and finding my footing.
That connection started through Earl Bersamin. We had only recently connected at the time, when he brought me into the project. It was a new working relationship, but one that clicked pretty quickly. Earl was there on every WJXT shoot in those early days, part of the process from the start and helping keep things moving. Over time, that initial connection turned into a long-standing working relationship.
My dad was there too, helping as an assistant in those early years. It was a small crew, a simple setup, and a lot of learning happening in real time. We were figuring things out as we went, putting in the reps, and building a foundation that would carry forward.
What stands out now is not just how simple it all was, but how long it’s been. It’s a long time to still be working with the same client, and just as long for many of the people I’ve photographed to still be part of that environment. Over the years, a lot has changed on my end—growing the business, different chapters of life, different assistants, different gear, different setups.
But some things have stayed consistent.
From the beginning, it was never just about getting a clean image. It was about creating something collaboratively—between me and the client from a creative standpoint, but also between photographer and subject. The goal has always been to make something that works on every level: it meets the needs of the project, it represents the brand, and just as importantly, it feels like the person in the frame.
Getting People Comfortable on Camera
One thing that’s carried through over the years is how much those first few minutes matter once someone steps in front of the lens.
For this shoot, before we got into the actual portraits, I had everyone do a quick “mugshot” holding a sign with their name. On the surface, it was just a practical way to stay organized in post, but it ended up doing something more important.
It gave people a chance to step in, adjust to the lights, and get comfortable without any pressure attached to it. There’s something about having a simple, slightly informal starting point that helps break that initial tension. People loosen up, the mood shifts, and the camera stops feeling like the main event.
By the time we moved into the actual portraits, that edge was gone. It’s a small thing, but it makes a big difference in how people show up on camera—and how confident they feel once they’re there.
The Final Images
Once everything settles, the process becomes a lot more straightforward. People aren’t thinking about where to stand or what to do with their hands—they’re just present.
That’s where things start to click. Expressions feel more natural, posture relaxes, and the images begin to reflect the person instead of the moment. When that happens, the results feel both authentic and consistent across the entire group.
For a team like WJXT, those images don’t live in just one place. They’re used across broadcast, web, social, and internal materials, becoming part of how the audience recognizes and connects with the people they see every day. That kind of visual consistency builds familiarity—and over time, trust.
Three years of working with Kent—same approach, small changes, and a look that holds together over time.
What Carries Through
A lot has changed since those early shoots—on both sides. Teams evolve, environments shift, and the tools we use continue to improve. But the core of the work has stayed the same.
It’s still about creating something collaboratively. It’s still about making people feel comfortable enough to show up as themselves. And it’s still about building images that allow people to feel confident in how they’re represented.
Long-term relationships like this don’t happen by accident. They’re built over time, through consistency, trust, and a shared understanding of how the work gets done.
And when everything is working the way it should, the result is simple:
People look like themselves—comfortable, confident, and consistent.
