Craig Newmark – October 3, 2008 (Upscale embedded with SynthID)

The Gear

Lens: Nikon 80-200mm f/2.8 at 125mm

Camera: Nikon D300 (the camera that started it all for me)

Settings: 1/100s, f/2.8, ISO 800

Lighting: Single umbrella (my setup) + ambient

Technique: Improvised portrait setup in a press conference environment

The Goal

Create a more intentional, camera-aware portrait in an environment that was nothing like a controlled studio.

The Vision

This was the first time I realized I’d have to figure out how to make these kinds of portraits work in spaces that weren’t designed for them. This wasn’t a blacked-out broadcast studio like my Bill Nye portrait or a dedicated portrait setup… it was a press conference. I set up a single umbrella off in the corner and used it to light him while he was seated at the table. Nothing fancy, just problem-solving. This approach would later evolve into more complex setups using Einstein strobes and modifiers, but at the time, one umbrella was all I had and all I needed. Everything I know about lighting, workflow, and technique started with moments like this.

The Story

Craig Newmark was at the National Press Club for a press conference. I’m not sure exactly what he was there to talk about, but he shared some history about Craigslist… he’d sold the company years before and mostly just spent his time randomly taking support calls for fun. He shared a bunch of anecdotes about that.

The reason this portrait is special to me has nothing to do with the image itself. Every apartment I lived in after moving out of college dorms… I found through Craigslist. And the job I was doing while photographing him? I also found through Craigslist.

I had a rare opportunity earlier that year to make one singular, life-changing decision. I interviewed at Science Systems and Applications Inc., a NASA contractor doing computer science work. Later that same day, I interviewed at the National Press Club. I got offers from both. The Press Club paid about half as much, but the job was to build up their photography services… something they could sell to clients alongside microphones, TVs, and video production. So that became my job… and ultimately led to this entire Epic Portrait Series, and everything that came after it, including portraits of George Clooney, Denzel Washington, Michael Phelps, Leon Panetta, Herman Cain, and many others.

It also led to wedding photography, worldwide workshops, my Patreon community, The Epic Podcast, and the techniques I’ve become known for… prisming, freelensing, lens chimping, and more.

Craig is essentially the catalyst for that decision happening at all, even though he didn’t know it and I didn’t tell him any of this. It’s just nice to have a portrait of him.

The Lesson

Sometimes the significance of a portrait has nothing to do with the technique or the final image. This one matters to me because of what the subject unknowingly enabled in my life. You don’t always get to photograph the people who shaped your path… but when you do, it’s worth acknowledging, even if only to yourself. This portrait didn’t require prisming or freelensing or any of the techniques I’d later develop. It just required showing up to the job I got because of him.

If you’re interested in learning more about how I approach portraits, lighting, and workflow, check out my education resources, workshops, or join the community on Patreon.