Michael Arndt’s Post

Have you ever seen a business portrait that made you stop and take a second look? Your portrait is a bold statement of who you are in the business world. My goal is to help you get that second look. Here’s how I transform portraits from bland to brilliant: 1- Selecting the Ideal Setting: I choose locations that resonate with your profession whether it's a lively café or your office. The goal is to find a place that reflects your story. 2- Documenting Your Actual Work Environment: Through portraits, I capture you in your natural setting which speaks volumes more than any description could. It genuinely connects with your target audience. 3- Opting for Informality: The most compelling photos are often captured when you least expect them. These candid shots showcase your real personality and create a meaningful connection with viewers. That’s how I step beyond the conventional headshot framework. If you want to improve your professional image, I'm here to assist you. Don't hesitate to reach out. Let's capture and celebrate the genuine, unfiltered you. P.S. Here’s a recently taken portrait of Jennifer Wangler - professional, unique, and candid photographs showcasing her true self.

My late mom’s birthday is today, so this a chance for me to share with you how I like to remember her… with my art! “Slice of life” is a genre of art and storytelling that gives a snippet or snapshot of life somewhere in the world, real or imaginary. I have made several “slice of life” art for clients, and found myself adding my mom somewhere in the artwork. Maybe it’s my own way of keeping my mom close by. If you’re an artist starting out, and needs to put out more illustrations to generate a portfolio, here are some tips. I suggest making a series of artworks that matter close to you. Try featuring people you know and love, living or who have passed. Try a “slice of life” series, where you depict people walking outside a cafe or restaurant you’re sketching in. To get an idea of how I’ve used “slice of life” illustrations to help clients get their messages across, read an older post from my blog below: https://lnkd.in/eJZYirHm

Recommendations for artists: There are three photo books I’d like to recommend to artists (or anyone, but artists in particular). Not for reference but for stark authenticity and moments in time that aren’t theatrical or performative. 1. Pulitzer Prize Photographs This one is not easy to get through. There are terrible things and a few moments of joy. But extraordinary in content. 2. Don McCullan This one is also not easy subjects, but exceptionally good. Very stark. Very impactful. And again authentic. Something painfully normal and real in all the work. 3. Elliott Erwitt “Snaps” Humorous, interesting, strange, and amazing moments of convergence. You will often think “how did he find himself there at that moment?” One other recommendation I would give is the work of Diane Arbus. I haven’t seen a book to recommend. They always seem to want to angle her work as quirky, eccentric, or weird. But don’t believe it. I saw a full set of her photos (not selected for quirkiness) at the LACMA. It was fantastic. Touching, sad, unusual, really human, stuff. Out of context her work seems like “photos of freaks”, in context, in a set, it is truly moving. Can’t recommend it enough. Also Dorthea Lange. You may have seen her famous photos on the “Okies” and “Arkies” desperately migrating during the dust bowl. But look at her full works. Great stuff.

What are you most afraid of? What's the scariest thing you get to do in your work? Is it the cold calling, the interaction with the difficult client, the... tax season? For me - it is sharing some of the most personal and revealing portraits that I create: the most artistic, the most daring, the least clear. Some of them - are commissioned by the client. A few of them - my personal projects. Many - are part of the premeditated idea that usually takes on a life of its own. All of them - make my heart skip a bit every time I bring any of them to light. One of my goals this year: a creative concept fine art pieces like this -created/completed every month. Finally leaving my fear of self-portraits behind and bringing into the open both the ones still hiding in my hard drives and bringing into existence the new ones that are burning my sketch books with its unfulfilled variations. Which ones resonate with you? What fears and special dreams do you wish to achieve this year? ✳️ FOLLOW MY HASHTAG #ShowTheWorldWhoYouReallyAre #ellydreamphoto #HighEndBusnessPortrait #PortraitPhotographerNJ #ArtOfFamilyPortrait #WhatMakesYouUniqie  #gratitudechallenge #familyisprecious❤️

Goals in life for a woman who loves creativity: Creativity is thinking outside of society's norm. Creativity opens the mind and broaden our perspectives. It is being able to express oneself in different varieties of arts - painting, poetry, sculpture, style, fashion, dance, drama and theatre arts, music, and visual arts, etc. Take classes dedicated to the type of art you enjoy. Publicize your work through media outlets, websites, and social media. Enhance your skill set through practice. Don’t let anyone dissuade you from putting your art out there. Find a tribe of creatives with similar interests as you. Work on your creative projects daily. Support other creatives. Reflect on the type of messages you want to convey to the world. Sell your art for what it’s worth. Don’t price your items less in order to make a sale. Your supporters will come. Attend conventions, panels, and formal events dedicated to your line of work. #digitalmarketing #technology #creativity #Entrepreneurship #socialmedia #socialnetworking #design #sales #art #personaldevelopment #painting #poetry #fashion

Painter and visual artist Chuck Close on inspiration: "The advice I like to give young artists, or really anybody who'll listen to me, is not to wait around for inspiration. Inspiration is for amateurs; the rest of us just show up and get to work. If you wait around for the clouds to part and a bolt of lightning to strike you in the brain, you are not going to do an awful lot of work. All the best ideas come out of the process; they come out of the work itself. Things occur to you. If you're sitting around trying to dream up a great idea, you can sit there a long time before anything happens. But if you just get to work, something will occur to you and something else will occur to you and something else that you reject will push you in another direction. Inspiration is absolutely unnecessary and somehow deceptive. You feel like you need this great idea before you can get down to work, and I find that's almost never the case." Source: Interview (March 2007) From James Clear's newsletter Feb 2024

NOBODY will notice your art, if you don’t make an effort to get your artwork out there to be seen…..     You can be the most talented artist with the most mind-blowing creations, but if you don’t manage to get eyeballs on your work, your talent gets wasted.   You have no idea how to promote your artwork? The good news is that nowadays it’s pretty easy and possible to promote your artwork successfully. There are lots of opportunities – both online and offline – to get the exposure you are looking for. However, many #artists dislike the idea of self-promotion. After all, what you want to do is being #creative and not becoming a marketing guru! But truth is being successful as an artist takes a lot of dedication and commitment.   Talent is just one part of the equation. You must know that a successful art career is made up of one third of #creativity and two thirds of business. And one big part of getting your artwork out there seen is self-promotion.   In the article below, I tell you everything you need to know to get publicity as an artist.   After all, it would be a pity if nobody gets to see what you have to offer to the world!   #artbusiness #artbuyer #artcollector #artcommunity #artistpromotion #artisticinspiration #artisticjourney #artistadvisory      https://lnkd.in/edCsTsMS

🤓 5 Must-Try Hook Ideas To Boost Your Instagram 🤓 1️⃣ “I need your help…” Let the audience come to you to learn what you need help for! i.e. What is the next painting or photography they want to see? 2️⃣ “I’ve got a secret” The audience will react, “Well! tell me!”. It’s intriguing and a smart way to hook your audience. i.e. What motivates you to finish a project 3️⃣ “Quick Reminder!” Show your audience you’ve got their back with handy tips and reminders. i.e. a sale or promotion that is about to end 4️⃣ “Did you know that…” Hook your audience with the most classic question! i.e. What is your masterpiece, or things that help you get going 5️⃣ “Stop scrolling!” Why? Let’s see what this creator has to say. i.e. show the most recent work you made, or share your journey that can connect with your audience Save for later 👈

🇬🇧 They say 'a picture paints a thousand words'... and this portrait is no exception. In fact, it needs no introduction whatsoever. But a picture, or impression can express much more than that of the subject, and can in fact express a complex idea in the same way descriptive text can. Tell me what do you see in this image? It is always of course personal and subjective. I see Hugh Grant, an actor from Britain, yes of course, but I also see... a man, an individual, a depth of character, beauty and class. I see London, I see Oxford, I see English Literature, I see culture. I see formal language, humour, integrity and grit. I see something that defines a visual and cultural part of England and its heritage, something that is truly unique and is not found anywhere else in the world. I believe that a picture has the power to unlock any amount of emotions held inside the human mind and heart, and to give the viewer a moment in time that not only releases memories and emotional connection, but gives the viewer a hope, a reason, a passion for who they are, can be, and believe they can become. You see the greatest people are just human, but they use their passion and grit to push forwards and create, and then what you learn to LOVE is the observation, or outcome, of that passion put into action over years and years of commitment and hard work. This is why I believe that art is one of the most powerful parts of content, and why I choose to create and use it in my own content. 📸 Photo: Hugh Grant Born London, England Read English Literature Oxford. Fergus Greer, 1992. The National Portrait Gallery, London.

Tip of the Day: 📸🎉❤️ Capturing your family’s growth and changes over time is a wonderful way to preserve memories and create a record of your shared experiences. Here are several creative ways to do so: 1. **Photographs and Videos**: Regularly take photos and videos of your family members, capturing everyday moments as well as special occasions. 2. **Annual Family Portraits**: Take a family portrait at the same time each year to document how everyone has changed over time. 3. **Memory Books, Albums or Scrapbooks**: Create a physical or digital memory book that includes photographs, drawings and/or mementos. 📸📙 4. **Height Chart or Wall**: Mark the heights of family members on a designated wall or chart, and update it periodically to see how everyone has grown. This is so fun with the littles 🎉❤️ 5. **Family Blog or Website**: Start a blog or website where you can share family updates, stories, and photos. This can be a great way to involve family members who live far away. More in the comments 👇🏽 January 06, 2024 at 09:16AM via Instagram https://lnkd.in/eZF2fcvp