I built this as a full studio setup on location, using my own lighting to shape his face with control I wouldn't have from ambient light alone. But I also timed the shoot for golden hour, so the natural light low on the horizon is doing real work too — that warm rim along his hair and shoulder is genuine ambient sunlight, blended with my studio lighting rather than replacing it. Getting both to agree, instead of fighting each other, is the harder part of a shot like this.
We shot this at Santa Monica Municipal Airport, with the air traffic control tower soft in the background — enough to add depth and a sense of place without turning into the main subject. The out-of-focus tarmac lines and tower give it texture that a plain sky or wall wouldn't.
It's a good example of how I approach executive headshot sessions: blend controlled studio lighting with real ambient light, on location, rather than relying on just one or the other.
Location: Santa Monica Municipal Airport - Santa Monica, CA.
