Dallas Editorial Portraits: A Man of Many Hats
If you ever have the opportunity to sit down and ask a Dallas professional photographers opinion about what they love most about their job, there will most likely be a variety of responses. Some love the challenge; others love the chance to express their creativity while others may more enjoy the business side of photography. For me, one of the best parts about the work that I do day in and day out as a professional photographer is the variety. I am always covering something different, whether it’s a corporate conference, 500-person group shot or editorial portraits in an industrial setting. No matter what it is, things are never boring around here!
So speaking of Dallas editorial portraits in an industrial setting… today I wanted to share with you some portraits I took of Victor Cornejo. Mr. Cornejo is a hat designer and brand manager for Dorfman Pacific and Milano Hats. He actually had his start with Stetson and now works on a variety of hat styles. I was on assignment to capture some portraits of him for a magazine profile, so I met up with him at the Milano Hat Factory out in Garland to capture everything.
When I arrived I was basically given free reighn to photograph wherever I wanted to which made this Dallas editorial photographer very happy. They had a great display room up front with all manner of hats, but I am always drawn to those areas that are behind the scenes for most people. Not too many individuals get to see the inner workings of a hat factory, unless they happen to work there of course, and it was my first time to see hats being produced at this scale. Not only is it great to be able to show readers a hint of what goes on at the place that is responsible for creating their hat, but I find these types of industrial spaces really appealing from a visual standpoint. Basically, they always photograph really well.
You have all of these machines, that are literally from the turn of the century, coupled with the skilled hands of the factory workers to mold, shape, steam and sew both classic and modern hat designs into these magnificent examples of craftsmanship.
Mr. Cornejo is responsible for multiple aspects of the hat production, including design and procurement of materials for their different creations. In a word, he is a man who wears many hats (I’m sorry, I just couldn’t resist!). Not only does he turn out a great product though, but he was also a very cool and super accommodating guy. He walked me through the factory and basically gave me the full guided tour of the hat making process. I am super curious about how things are made so this kind of tour absolutely made my day. It also is really helpful in developing a shoot plan. I like to map out where I am going to take my editorial portraits at so that I can create some really cool looks while moving with as much efficiency as I can.
We started out at a space where two ladies were steaming the hat brims. As you can imagine, this spot was a must-have as soon as I walked in. There is just something about the drama of steam in photos, and Dallas editorial photographers will swarm to it like flies to honey. We then moved about the space, capturing some of the different types of hats they create, then had our grand finale amongst the rows upon rows of hat racks. I get pretty pumped with steam, and good ol’ repetition of form is right up there too. And even more interesting, I probably haven’t intentionally used that phrase since college, but it does sound rather scholarly. Perhaps I shall discuss bokeh next…? Thanks so much for looking at the photos and I hope you enjoy!