Most people assume a photographer’s week is one long run of similar bookings — headshots, then more headshots, maybe a wedding at the weekend. In reality, one of the best parts of this job is that I genuinely never know who’s going to walk through the studio door next.
This week it was Dani — one of the UK’s leading Dolly Parton tribute artists, in full costume for a set of stage-ready promotional portraits.
Meet Dani
Dani has spent years building a reputation as one of the country’s most convincing Dolly Parton tributes — the wig, the voice, the rhinestones, all of it. She works clubs, private events, and stages up and down the country, and like any performer serious about the act, she needed portraits that actually hold up: sharp, professional images she can use for her press kit, her socials, and venue bookings.
It’s a different kind of brief to most of what comes through my studio, and that’s exactly what made it a good week.
What Goes Into a Performer Shoot Like This
Costume shoots like this one come with their own list of things to get right that a standard headshot session doesn’t. The wig needs its own lighting consideration — big, structured hair catches shadow differently to normal portrait lighting. The sequinned fabric on the outfit reflects hard studio light in ways that can blow out a shot if you’re not careful, so exposure gets adjusted specifically for the costume rather than the more forgiving skin tones you’d light for on a headshot session.
Then there’s performance energy. A tribute artist isn’t just modelling an outfit — she’s projecting a persona built over years on stage, and the job is to capture that persona convincingly in a still frame, not just document a costume.
Why Every Session Is Different
I get asked fairly often what a “typical” booking looks like, and the honest answer is there isn’t one. In any given month I might photograph a solicitor who needs a headshot for their firm’s website, a couple getting engaged, a small business owner rebuilding their brand from scratch, and — as it turns out — a tribute artist who spends her weekends embodying one of country music’s biggest stars.
Different lighting, different pace, different brief every time. That variety is genuinely one of the reasons this job hasn’t gotten old after all these years — it forces me to keep adapting rather than running the same set-up on repeat.
Need Photos That Do Your Work Justice?
Whether you’re a performer who needs a proper press kit, a business that needs to be taken seriously online, or you just want portraits that actually look like you on a good day — that’s the job. If it’s been a while since your photos represented what you actually do, get in touch and let’s sort it.
