The only thing better than getting to work on an edit with a photographer whose work you love is getting to work on an edit with a photographer whose work you love and who is just an awesome person. We were lucky enough to get to do that with Sean Scheidt, a fashion photographer based in Baltimore.
Sean talked about wanting to put a book together when the topic came up and mentioned that he didn’t have a print portfolio, so we got started on a fresh edit to showcase his body of work to new clients. He shoots the whole gamut of fashion—from bubbly tween and teen work to high-fashion, almost fine art images. It was the latter type of work that he was looking to do more of, but we also didn’t want to discount the work that had already gotten him some great clients. We knew everything could live together in one print portfolio, it was just a matter of finding the right transitions to make it happen.
Logically, it made sense to me that it would be easier to go from the more playful images to the more serious ones, and Sean agreed. We went through almost 700 images to select photos that showcased the strongest compositions, the most interesting setups, and the best styling and showed Sean’s impressive range. We also wanted to feature his ability to create a photo story from one shoot without making it feel too repetitive. Spreads like those showing the girls in the movie theater were perfect for that.
The more playful images that we started with also had the brightest color palette, so the edgier images that make up most of the middle of the portfolio were a great way to transition to the softer colors of the more mature photos. The mix of the environmental and studio shots, showing some pops of color alongside more natural tones related to the work before and after, made the whole book flow seamlessly.
All said and done, the final edit does a great job of advertising Sean’s skills: creating emotive fashion images, no matter the age of the audience, and telling a story. And it doesn’t hurt that he was such a great person to work with! This is what he had to say about the process:
One of the most daunting tasks we face as photographers is to cull through, organize, and arrange our work in a coherent way that not only speaks accurately to who we are as artists but is compelling enough to gain us new clients. I for one hate this and get easily overwhelmed. I was glad to have Morgan’s help through this process. She was able to bring a new, objective eye to my work. This helped re-enforce some things I already liked but also opened my eyes to some images I wouldn’t have considered. As photographers, we fall in love with images for various reasons, most of which have little to do with whether or not the image is actually good. Morgan’s deft hand and willingness to make interesting juxtapositions allowed me to see my work in a new light. I’m super pleased with the resulting portfolio of images. Can’t wait to get it out in the world!
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