I recently had the pleasure of meeting and photographing BZ Lewis at Studio 132 in Oakland. As a photographer working throughout the East Bay, I always enjoy assignments that bring together interesting people, creative environments, and a strong visual story. This project provided an opportunity to create editorial photography and a professional business portrait while documenting an important addition to a working recording studio.
BZ Lewis is an accomplished musician, composer, producer, and recording engineer, and Studio 132 provided an ideal environment for the photography session. The studio is filled with the equipment, instruments, and visual details that reflect the creative work taking place there. Rather than removing those elements, I wanted to use the environment as part of the story and create photographs that felt connected to both the individual and the space.
Editorial Photography That Tells a Story
The purpose of the assignment was to document newly installed Genelec studio monitors. The resulting images were later used as part of a profile on the manufacturer’s website, making the project a good example of how editorial photography can combine portraiture, environment, and product documentation.
For this type of assignment, I look for photographs that provide more than a simple record of the subject. I want the images to communicate something about the person, their work, and the environment where that work takes place.
The recording studio offered a variety of visual opportunities, including interesting lighting, equipment, architectural details, and the layered atmosphere of a professional creative space. Working in this environment allowed me to create images that felt authentic to the story rather than overly staged.
Creating a Business Portrait in a Creative Environment
A business portrait does not always need to be created against a plain studio background. Environmental portraits can provide additional context and help show what a person does, where they work, and the personality behind their professional role.
For BZ Lewis, photographing him within Studio 132 helped connect the portrait directly to his work as a musician, producer, and recording engineer. The surrounding environment became part of the composition and added visual interest to the final photographs.
Photography in Oakland and the East Bay
Oakland and the broader East Bay are home to a remarkable variety of creative professionals, businesses, artists, and working environments. As a photographer, I enjoy documenting those people and places through assignments that combine portraiture with visual storytelling.
This project at Studio 132 was a great example of how a business portrait and editorial photography can work together to create a more complete visual story. Whether I am photographing a professional in a recording studio, an office, a construction site, or another unique environment, my goal is to create photographs that are authentic, engaging, and connected to the people and work they represent.
Read the article: http://bit.ly/4pKwXRh
