During my 30+ year career as a professional photographer, I’ve sought a wide variety of challenging projects. As a result, I’ve developed unique approaches to the five specialized areas of photography in which I’ve been most active.

Each area poses unique challenges and environments, requiring different combinations of lenses and lighting to bring out the full potential of the photograph. My experience ranges from shooting spontaneous documentary photos in extreme light conditions; to setting up on-site photo shoots in difficult work environments such as factories and operating theaters; to meticulously planning portraits in my studio or on-site, in corporate boardrooms and offices. Whatever the conditions, my expertise and flexibility yield imagery that is varied and distinctive.

Robert Essel, Professional Corporate Business Headshot photographer 

For over 30 years I’ve been photographing business headshots, portraits and team photos for corporate businesses. Capturing moments for events, meetings and conferences as a photojournalist has been a rewarding experience. 

As a professional commercial photographer knowing my craft is a given requirement but staying mentally & physically connected to a higher power helps keep me focused. Beyond the F-stops and the vast array of photo equipment I carry in my tool kit for technique, also lies the need for getting in touch with the human spirit that empowers me as a human being. 

Almost every day I have a routine that includes breathing exercises, meditation and grounding or also called Earthing. I do this practice because life as a freelancer can be very stressful. I enjoy the creative freedom of running my own photo company but I’m often pressured into wearing multiple business hats which can be emotionally demanding, energy draining solitary business. 

My day begins by going to Strawberry Fields, which is only a block from my studio, and sitting on a rock and removing my shoes so my feet touch the ground. This allows my body to connect with the Earth’s electrical charge which has positive effects on my health and mood. 

Then I start off with the Weil breathing technique, also known as the 4-7-8 breathing method. Meaning I inhale through my nose for 4 seconds, hold that breath for 7 seconds and exhale forcefully through my mouth for 8 seconds. I repeat this breathing cycle 8 times but beginners should start out doing it 4 times. This process helps the body relax, reduce anxiety and improve health. 

I continue by doing deep breathing exercises by squeezing my butt and breathing into my nose up though my diaphragm for 30 seconds and then breathing out through my mouth while bringing my shoulders back. I repeat the cycle 10 times. This process is relaxing and then I do 30 minutes of transcendental meditation sometimes with my hands touching the rock I’m sitting or palms up. 

New York City is a noisy city so as I’m hearing Beatles songs being sung, birds chirping and the roar of the traffic, I just take it all in. Some days are quieter than others. Overall, I find my morning ritual helps calms me down and allows me create my own day in more focused way and ready to face new challenges. 

Healthcare:

I’ve been privileged to capture doctors and medical professionals at work, recording over 100 orthopedic, cardiovascular and neurosurgeries, as well as research laboratories and medical technology. Timing is critical in medical photography, and I plan my shoots to minimize my presence in the operating theater, clinic, or laboratory. Portraits: Whether photographing in the studio or on location, I seek to capture each individual’s uniqueness in an image that tells his or her story. I also rely my own vision and sense of the portrait subject. The resulting portrait satisfies the client’s needs and reflects the subject’s vision of him- or herself, and meets my exacting artistic standards.

Corporate:

The corporate environment presents unique challenges, as money and patience are often at a premium. I am able to communicate to busy executives the value of a well-executed portrait – one which captures their influence and presence. I’ve even successfully photographed busy executives in as little as five minutes by pre-planning every detail of the photo shoot.

Industrial:

From shooting on the floor of a factory or a down zinc mine shaft, to making visual sense miles of industrial pipes in a chemical plant, my mission as an industrial photographer is to simplify complex elements into a meaningful, strong composition. My choice of tools – lenses and lighting – and my sense of composition enable me to create images which draw the viewer into the photograph. Travel: Nothing is more visually stimulating than seeing something new for the first time, something historical, spontaneous, seasonal, or foreign. One of my favorite destinations is the Kansai region in Japan, with its breathtaking temples and castles. Japan’s blend of beauty and a long historical culture have provided me with a subject that conveys the magic of travel.

Global Health:

When the International Trachoma Initiative needed a photographer to document the human impact of this infectious eye disease in rural Ethiopia, I joined their field team on the ground. Traveling alongside a doctor and ITI staff into villages accessible only by unpaved roads, I captured the realities of life and healthcare in an underserved region. The experience sharpened my ability to work in demanding, unpredictable environments — and to find dignity and humanity in every frame.

 

Hope and Change:

My work with the Bowery Residents Committee gave me rare access to the lives of New Yorkers experiencing homelessness — people whose stories of hardship, resilience, and reinvention deserve to be told with honesty and dignity. Working alongside BRC’s outreach teams as they provided shelter, food, and job support across the city, I intentionally traveled light — minimizing equipment to reduce any sense of intrusion and maximize my ability to capture genuine, unscripted moments. The result was a body of work that reflects both technical discipline and deep human empathy — two qualities I consider essential to powerful commercial photography.