Editorial Portrait Photography for a Philadelphia Icons Feature
Inside a Private Photo Session for an American Entrepreneur
Work from this portrait assignment appears in the Philadelphia Icons feature published by Philadelphia Style magazine. Their July issue highlight the 250th anniversary, or semiquincentennial, of the United States. This special section recognizes iconic Philadelphians and their contributions to the local culture.
In the industry, we define this session as editorial portrait photography because the content supports a published story. The final photos are meant to convey a deeper narrative about the person (or persons) in the copy.
This project is a case study in editorial portrait photography for entrepreneurs, authors, executives, and public figures in Philadelphia, New York, and the Main Line.
The individual featured in these portraits is Pat Croce.
Type: On-Location Editorial Portrait Photography
Subject: Pat Croce
Location: Private residence
Publication: Philadelphia Style (@phillystylezine)
Special Section: Philadelphia Icons
Photographer: Phil Kramer (@philkramerphoto)
Photography Assistant: Mimi Janosy (@mimijano)
Usage: Magazine feature, book-related publicity, online publication content
Creative Approach
As a commercial editorial photographer, it is my responsibility to make someone look their best, but at the same time, capture their authentic personality. There is a thin line between this.
The private residence is large and has a lot to offer. Ultimately, we chose to work in two photo locations:
the meditation room.
the living room hallway.
Both of these spaces offer strong visuals, but most importantly, they share a piece of our subject’s story. The environment expands on the magazine’s editorial copy and gives viewers a glimpse into his private world.
As always, our team tethered the camera to the laptop. After each frame is captured, the raw photos appear on the monitor for us to evaluate and make adjustments. This is a key component of our professional photography experience.
Legacy
Most Philly residents and sports fans know Pat Croce for his time served as President of the 76ers. During his tenure, the organization selected Allen Iverson with the first overall pick and reached the 2001 NBA Finals.
Personal Connection
My relationship with Pat Croce goes beyond fandom. The family hired me as a photographer for their daughter’s wedding, which gave me the opportunity to build a personal relationship long before this editorial portrait assignment. In addition to this, I captured Pat Croce for the cover of RowHome Magazine on Broad Street in Philadelphia.
The Benefits of Previously Working Together
Having a special relationship with a subject for an editorial portrait assignment gives me an edge. Instead of spending the first part of the session trying to develop rapport, we were able to begin from a place of familiarity. He knows how I work and I understand his personality.
Trust
That trust allows our portrait session to feel more personal and less of a performance. The strongest editorial photos come from a place of access, comfort, and trust. It is not only lighting, composition, or location.
Benefits of Comfort
Capturing editorial photography at a private residence makes a big difference. When your subject is in the comfort of their own home, it is easier to guide them through poses. Pat invited us to his home for the photo session, which gave the assignment a more personal and relaxed atmosphere.
Creative Freedom
On top of this, working in someone’s private residence gives editorial photographers the most freedom. We have access to move furniture, avoid public foot traffic, and use the most photogenic locations throughout the property. Also, we can integrate personal heirlooms and artwork into the photos.
Early Location Scout
When traveling to a private residence or unfamiliar space for a photography assignment, our team likes to arrive early to conduct a location scout.
The Workflow
When the portrait session starts, we already know where we want to work, which areas to avoid, and how to move efficiently through the space. The result is a smoother experience for the subject and a stronger, more intentional set of editorial portraits.
For high-profile portrait assignments, preparation makes the session feel effortless.
Serenity in the Meditation Room
There were three deciding factors that convinced our team to capture editorial portraits here:
1) Natural Light: We captured this in the early morning when the sun was diffused from the clouds. Soft natural light poured in from the large windows, so we used a reflector to control it in our photos.
2) Furniture: The arm chairs in this room were upholstered with an East Asian design, which featured red dragons, yellow cloud swirls, and blue flames.
3) Symbols of Tranquility: The floral tapestry, buddhist statues, and bonsai trees are relevant objects in this story. It made sense to include them in the editorial portraits.
Posing by the Buddhist Statue
Behind the meditation room, this location was our second choice. It still offers great qualities:
1) Natural Light: The living room has larger windows than the meditation room. As a result, tons of natural light pours into the space for us to pair with our lighting strobes.
2) Space for Full Lengths: This area is very spacious for portraits. Instead of working in a tight corner, we’re able to switch lenses, back-up, and capture our subject at full-length to add more variety to this gallery.
3) Bronze East Asian Statue: The home offers a lot of beautiful art, but this bronze statue from East Asia was phenomenal and the red paint makes it pop off the page. It is a great background element that ties into the story.
Watch Us In Action: Behind The Scenes Reels
Instead of describing our portrait photography experience, we prefer to show it. On the Phil Kramer Instagram account, we regularly post quick highlights of behind-the-scenes moments to show clients how we work as a team.
These videos demonstrate how we provide a fun and relaxing portrait session. It helps clients know what to expect before posing in front of the camera.
Published Tear Sheets in Philadelphia Style Magazine
The portraits from this session made their appearance in Philadelphia Style. Published layouts demonstrate how the photos fit within the print design and support the article copy.
Editorial Portrait Photography FAQ
This type of photography is designed to tell a larger story. These sessions consider location, mood, body language, and personal details. In most cases, the photos are featured alongside text, graphics, and block quotes. They are commonly published in magazines, online blogs, or press releases.
Editorial photography clients mostly include entrepreneurs, magazine publishers, authors, real estate agents, healthcare leaders, law firms, pharmaceutical companies, and corporate executives.
An editorial portrait session can take place in a private residence, office, hotel, restaurants, museum, photo studio, or public park. When photographing high-profile clients, a private location offers more comfort, flexibility, and control during the experience.
Yes, although Phil Kramer primarily provides photography and cinematography production services in Philadelphia, he serves other surrounding locations like New York City, Wilmington, and Atlantic City. Corporate clients have hired Phil Kramer to work in cities such as Miami and Washington D.C.
Hire Phil Kramer for Editorial Portraits
Phil Kramer is a premier photographer serving Philadelphia, New York, and the Main Line. With over 40 years of experience in editorial and commercial photography, he excels at capturing bold, ambitious portraits that command attention.
Phil creates editorial portrait photography that helps clients communicate credibility, character, and presence.
Contact Us
If you’re interested in capturing editorial portrait photography in Philadelphia, New York, or the Main Line, then contact Phil Kramer to begin planning your session.