It was a pleasure to work with the creative team at SAP again to photograph DJ Paoni, then President of SAP North America. This was our second portrait assignment with DJ in just a few years, following an earlier shoot at Hudson Yards in New York City.


For this assignment, the goal was to create a series of environmental executive portraits in Philadelphia that incorporated recognizable elements of the city. The half-day shoot took place across two locations, with the Philadelphia skyline and the Four Seasons Hotel ultimately providing the settings for the portraits.

Man in suit sitting on bench with Philadelphia city skyline in black and white photography.

Location Scouting in Philadelphia


Location scouting was an important part of the production. My assistant and I spent a day scouting potential Philadelphia locations ahead of the shoot, including the Philadelphia Museum of Art, South Broad Street, City Hall, Old City, Race Street Pier and Elfreth’s Alley. We photographed potential compositions at each location and presented the options to the creative team so we could determine which settings worked best visually and logistically.

Man in blue jacket sitting on park bench with Philadelphia skyline in background on cloudy day.
Man in blue hoodie jacket standing on a wooden bridge with red railings surrounded by bare trees.
Man in blue jacket sitting on steps outside a classical building with columns, smiling with arms crossed.

DJ’s Chief of Staff, Patrick Minnock, joined us for the shoot, giving us the opportunity to create several portraits of him as well. Working across multiple locations in a half day required keeping the production efficient while adapting the lighting and approach to each environment.

Man in suit sitting on bench with Philadelphia skyline in background on clear day.
Outdoor professional photo shoot with city skyline backdrop, photographer, subject in chair, and large reflector on sunny day.
Professional man in navy suit smiling outdoors with Philadelphia city skyline in background on sunny day.
Black and white photo of a man in a suit standing near park benches with a city skyline in the background.
Silhouette of a person walking down a dark, elegant hotel corridor toward a large window with city views.
Man in dark suit and tie walking confidently on a city street in black and white photography.
A photographer captures a man in a suit during an indoor photoshoot while an assistant observes in a modern apartment.
Professional man in navy pinstripe suit posing confidently in modern wood-paneled interior setting.
Photographer directing a man in a suit during an indoor photo shoot with professional lighting equipment.
Smiling businessman in suit relaxing on modern sofa, laughing in stylish lounge setting.
Professional businessman in dark suit and tie smiling confidently in modern office setting, corporate portrait photography.
Professional man in gray blazer seated in modern chair with city skyline visible through large window behind him.
Three smiling men pose together for a selfie in a black and white photo, credited to Jeff Wojtaszek.

Executive & Corporate Photography


Assignments like this involve more than the time spent behind the camera. Location scouting, scheduling, lighting and coordination with the client’s creative team all play a role in creating photographs that work across marketing, communications and editorial needs.


I’m a Philadelphia-based commercial and corporate photographer specializing in executive portraits, professional headshots, workplace photography and editorial assignments for companies, agencies and publications.

 

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Professional woman in gray blazer stands confidently with arms crossed outside a modern glass building.

Executive Portraits

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Three colleagues smiling and reviewing documents together at a modern office desk in a bright workspace.

 

Corporate & Workplace

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Young professional woman smiling in glasses and black blazer against white background.

 

Professional Headshots

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