Why creating more than just an “author headshot” matters
I knew I was going to like Stacey the minute she popped up on my Zoom screen for our discovery call. Smart, curious, open, beautiful, and funny, she radiated an honest and relaxed vibe that told me we were going to have a fun lifestyle headshot session.”.
Serendipitously, she had written an article some time back about the female owner of a fantastic Indian restaurant I had just been to while on a shoot in San Francisco (Besharam – definitely go eat there if you’re in the area!). I just happened to mention it in passing when she said she’d recently moved from there, and she told me about the article. Kismet.
Stacey’s resume is impressive to say the least. She’s been a senior editor and editor to multiple major publications including Goop and Maria Shriver’s Sunday Paper, has interviewed hundreds of public figures from all walks of life, was a TV news anchor, and (this one is extra fun) was James Caan’s associate producer.
Her new book “Being 40: The Decade of Letting Go—and Embracing Who We Are“, out May of 2026 is an exploration of alternative narratives of mid-life and the questions and challenges it brings. Yeah, I’m well past 40 I know – but one look at the publisher’s summary (excerpt below) and I’m already relating – I can’t wait to get my hands on it.
Lindsay provides a modern, bold exploration of marriage and relationships, living with and without kids, beauty standards, career transitions, and health shifts. Each chapter includes questions and prompts to help you uncover what you truly desire in this phase of life.
Really, I just wanted to break out a bottle of wine and spend an hour or two enjoying some good craic after the shoot was over – but alas I had to vamoose and get to other work.
This year I’ve had the honor and pleasure of photographing several successful writers – and as the publishing landscape has changed over the years, so has the idea of needing just a simple author headshot to slap on the back cover. Getting picked up by a major publishing house no longer lets you sit back and dream up your next plot line while the checks roll in. These days, authors work just as hard after publishing the book—planning book tours, creating social media content, appearing on podcasts, and more—so they need a variety of shots to cover their bases.
Here are a few images from Stacey’s Lifestyle Headshot Session—and if you want to explore more of Stacey’s work, I’ve included some articles and interviews I loved to get you started.
Gillian Anderson Asked Women to Share Their Sexual Fantasies
Cailtin Moran Is Asking, What About Men?
To Savannah with Love: The Creepy, Cool Romantic Magic of This Southern City
