The Florida Chamber Revs Up For 2022 // INFLUENCE Magazine
The Florida Chamber Revs Up For 2022 // INFLUENCE Magazine
We had a great time with the Leadership Team from the Florida Chamber. For their feature in INFLUENCE Magazine, we spent some time at Charlie Park, photographing the team and hearing about all the amazing things they are working on for 2022.
What I've Learned: Rick Flagg // INFLUENCE Magazine
The Workmans photographed veteran Florida Capitol reporter Rick Flagg at their Garage studio in Tallahassee for INFLUENCE Magazine's What I've Learned feature.
What I've Learned: Rick Flagg // INFLUENCE Magazine
INFLUENCE Magazine assigned us to photograph veteran Florida Capitol reporter Rick Flagg for their "What I've Learned" feature in the Fall 2021 issue. The story, written by Rosanne Dunkelberger, was a career-spanning interview, and the portrait session took place at our Garage studio in Tallahassee.
The "What I've Learned" series is one of INFLUENCE Magazine's recurring features, and we've had the opportunity to photograph several of them over the years. Each one is a portrait session built around a single subject, and the Garage gives us the controlled environment to make each one feel distinct. The challenge with a recurring series is that the visual format needs to feel consistent for the magazine while still reflecting the personality of whoever is sitting in front of the camera. That means the lighting, the composition, and the creative direction shift from session to session even though the setting stays the same.
For Flagg's session, we set up Profoto lighting and tethered to our MacBook Pro running Capture One so we could review the portraits in real time as we worked. Tethering is a standard part of our Garage workflow because it lets us make precise adjustments to lighting ratios and composition on the fly. When you're working with a subject who has a strong visual presence, like Flagg does, the photography needs to match that energy. You're looking for the frames that communicate who this person is without needing the article to explain it.
Portrait photography in a studio environment is about control, but the best results come when the subject brings something of themselves into the frame. Our job as the editorial photographer is to create the conditions where that can happen; the right light, the right lens, and enough space for the subject to relax into who they are. We have photographed a wide range of Florida's political press corps, lobbyists, and public figures in the Garage over the years, and each session adds to the body of work that defines what Tallahassee photography looks like beyond the Capitol building itself.
As editorial photographers in Florida, we value the "What I've Learned" assignments because they give us the chance to spend focused time with a single subject rather than moving through a high-volume session. That kind of one-on-one portrait work is where you can really dial in the details and deliver images that stand on their own.
This feature was photographed by The Workmans for INFLUENCE Magazine and appeared in the Fall 2021 issue and was written by Rosanne Dunkelberger. The Workmans are a husband-and-wife photography team based in Tallahassee, Florida, and we work with publications across the state of Florida, in Washington D.C. and around the United States. You can explore more of our editorial photography in the archive, see more of our work across our website and connect with us on how we can best serve you!
Virtual Business Meetings Don't Have To Look Bad // INFLUENCE Magazine
The Workmans photographed Strategic Digital Services' new studio-for-hire in Tallahassee for INFLUENCE Magazine's feature on the future of remote business production.
Virtual Business Meetings Don't Have To Look Bad // INFLUENCE Magazine
INFLUENCE Magazine assigned us to photograph a feature on Strategic Digital Services for their Spring/Summer 2021 issue. The story, written by Rosanne Dunkelberger, profiled the Tallahassee-based digital marketing agency and their investment in a new studio-for-hire, and our assignment was to capture photographs of the space and its capabilities at their offices in Tallahassee.
Photographing a studio environment for a magazine feature is an interesting assignment because you're essentially photographing a space that was designed to look good on camera. Strategic Digital Services built their studio with broadcast-quality production in mind, so the bones of the space are already strong visually. But there's a difference between a room that's set up for video conferencing and a photograph of that room that needs to communicate what the space can do. Our job was to make the studio feel professional and versatile in a way that translated to the printed page.
The challenge with photographing interiors and equipment-heavy spaces is making them feel inviting rather than clinical. A room full of monitors, lighting rigs, and rolling equipment can look sterile if you don't think about composition and how you frame the elements within the space. We worked with our Canon mirrorless system to find the angles that showed the studio's flexibility and scale while keeping the images clean enough for a magazine layout. For a feature like this, the photographs need to do double duty; they have to look good as editorial images and also communicate the practical value of the space to potential clients reading the story.
As Tallahassee photographers, we've seen the local business landscape shift significantly over the past several years, and companies like Strategic Digital Services are a big part of that. We have photographed a range of Tallahassee businesses for editorial assignments, and the technology and marketing sector in particular has grown in ways that create interesting visual stories. Photographing a purpose-built production studio in Tallahassee for a statewide publication is a good example of how commercial photography in Florida intersects with editorial work.
Assignments like this sit in a space between traditional editorial photography and commercial documentation. The images serve the magazine's storytelling needs, but they also have practical value for the business being profiled. That overlap is something we navigate regularly as editorial photographers in Florida, and it's one of the things that keeps this kind of work varied and interesting.
This feature was photographed by The Workmans for INFLUENCE Magazine and appeared in the Spring/Summer 2021 issue and was written by Rosanne Dunkelberger. The Workmans are a husband-and-wife photography team based in Tallahassee, Florida, and we work with publications across the state of Florida, in Washington D.C. and around the United States. You can explore more of our editorial photography in the archive, see more of our work across our website and connect with us on how we can best serve you!
Chill Out, Unplug, and Unwind // INFLUENCE Magazine
The Workmans photographed Dominic Calabro at Florida TaxWatch in Tallahassee for INFLUENCE Magazine's feature on stress-relieving books during Florida's legislative session.
Chill Out, Unplug, and Unwind // INFLUENCE Magazine
INFLUENCE Magazine assigned us to photograph imagery for a feature on stress-relieving books in their Spring/Summer 2021 issue. The story, written by Rebecca Renner, recommended six books for readers looking to unwind, and our assignment was to capture photographs of Dominic Calabro, CEO and President of Florida TaxWatch, at their offices in Tallahassee.
The concept for the photography was simple: a busy professional taking a moment to step away from the pace of session and clear his mind with a book. That kind of editorial imagery looks easy on the page, but getting it right requires some thought. You're photographing someone in their professional environment doing something that's supposed to look relaxed and natural, which means the lighting and the composition need to support that feeling without making the image look staged or stiff.
The Florida TaxWatch offices gave us a professional setting to work within. Office environments can be tricky for editorial photography because you're dealing with overhead fluorescents, limited space to position lights, and backgrounds that can feel generic if you're not intentional about where you place your subject. We used Profoto lighting to give us control over the quality of light on Calabro while keeping the environment visible and natural-looking in the frame. The goal was an image that felt like a moment rather than a posed portrait; someone genuinely taking a pause in the middle of a full day.
As Tallahassee photographers, we photograph a lot of professionals in office settings during the legislative session, and each one presents its own layout and lighting puzzle. We have developed a workflow for these kinds of sessions that lets us set up quickly, work within the realities of the space, and deliver images that feel polished without disrupting the subject's day. For a feature like this, where the photograph needs to complement a written piece about slowing down, the image has to communicate calm without looking manufactured. That balance is where the craft lives.
Assignments like this are a good reminder that not every editorial session is a multi-location production or an elaborate setup. Sometimes the most effective editorial photography is a single, well-executed image of the right person in the right setting, doing something that connects to the story being told.
This feature was photographed by The Workmans for INFLUENCE Magazine and appeared in the Spring/Summer 2021 issue and was written by Rebecca Renner. The Workmans are a husband-and-wife photography team based in Tallahassee, Florida, and we work with publications across the state of Florida, in Washington D.C. and around the United States. You can explore more of our editorial photography in the archive, see more of our work across our website and connect with us on how we can best serve you!
10 Places to Chill // INFLUENCE Magazine
The Workmans photographed ten Tallahassee locations for INFLUENCE Magazine's feature on the best places to decompress during Florida's legislative session.
10 Places to Chill // INFLUENCE Magazine
INFLUENCE Magazine asked us to photograph a feature on the best places to decompress during Florida's legislative session. The piece, written by Chelsea Workman, covered ten different locations across Tallahassee, and for us that meant ten mini-sessions in a single production window. Every location needed to feel distinct.
One of the advantages we had on this assignment is that we actually live here. A lot of the people reading INFLUENCE during session are in Tallahassee on a part-time basis, so they might not know about a place like Lichgate on High Road or the quiet courtyard tucked between City Hall and the Capitol at British Olympic Courtyard. We already had a sense of what makes each spot special and what time of day the light would work best, which saved us a lot of scouting time and let us move quickly between locations.
The range of settings made this one interesting from a photography standpoint. We went from the 22nd floor of the Florida Capitol, where you can see all the way to St. Marks on a clear day, down to the patio at Ology Power Mill, then over to the rolling fairways at Capital City Country Club. Each location called for a different approach. The interiors at Bar 1903 and the library at Governors Club have completely different character than the open green space at Lewis Park or the trails at Lafayette Heritage Trail Park. Our Canon mirrorless setup let us move between those environments quickly without a lot of gear swaps, which matters when you're covering that many locations in a tight window.
What we like about assignments like this is that they show a side of Tallahassee photography that goes beyond the Capitol dome and session coverage. This city has so much texture, from historic spaces to local breweries to parks that most visitors never find. Getting to capture that range for a single feature is the kind of work we love doing as editorial photographers in Florida.
This feature was photographed by The Workmans for INFLUENCE Magazine and appeared in the Spring 2021 issue and was written by Chelsea Workman. The Workmans are a husband-and-wife photography team based in Tallahassee, Florida, and we work with publications across the state of Florida, in Washington D.C. and around the United States. You can explore more of our editorial photography in the archive, see more of our work across our website and connect with us on how we can best serve you!
Meet the Freshman // INFLUENCE Magazine
Meet the Freshman // INFLUENCE Magazine
Every 2 years, we welcome a new group people to Tallahassee. Between the House and the Senate, there are elections and a new class of legislators come in. The 2021 session was unique because of Covid, but we were grateful for the opportunity to photograph the “freshman” legislators and share some of our favorite local spots and facts about TLH. Thanks again to Florida Politics for including us in this issue of INFLUENCE Magazine.
2020 Politician(s) of the Year // INFLUENCE Magazine
The Workmans photographed environmental portraits of Florida mayors across Tampa, St. Petersburg, and Orlando for INFLUENCE Magazine's Politicians of the Year feature.
2020 Politician(s) of the Year // INFLUENCE Magazine
INFLUENCE Magazine assigned us to photograph portraits of several Florida mayors for their Winter 2021 "Politicians of the Year" feature. The story, written by Janelle Taylor and Jacob Ogles, covered mayors across the state, and our assignment took us to three cities to capture environmental portraits at the Tampa Riverwalk, Albert Whitted Park in St. Petersburg, and Lake Eola in Orlando.
A multi-city portrait assignment like this requires a different kind of planning than a single-location session. Each mayor had a limited window of availability, so we mapped out the travel between Tampa, St. Petersburg, and Orlando to make the most of each stop. There's no room to run over when your next subject is two hours down the road and has 20 minutes on their calendar. As Florida photographers, we've built our workflow around that kind of schedule; you show up ready, you work efficiently, and you deliver consistent results regardless of how tight the timeline gets.
All three locations were outdoors, which means you're working with whatever the weather and the sun give you that day. The Tampa Riverwalk is wide open along the waterfront, Albert Whitted Park in St. Petersburg sits right on the bay, and Lake Eola in downtown Orlando has its own set of background elements to work around. Each setting has a different visual personality, but the goal for the magazine was a cohesive series of portraits that felt connected across the spread. We used our Canon mirrorless system with a range of Canon lenses to maintain consistency in the look while adapting to the different environments. Keeping the focal lengths and framing approach similar across locations helps tie the images together even when the backgrounds are completely different.
Environmental portrait photography of public officials also comes with its own logistics. These are people with security considerations, packed schedules, and communications teams coordinating alongside you. The photoshoot has to fit within a window that's been negotiated well in advance, and once you're on location, the clock is running. That's where preparation matters most. We scout locations ahead of time when we can, identify our preferred angles and backgrounds, and arrive ready to work so that the subject's time in front of the camera is as efficient as possible.
This assignment was a good example of the kind of Florida editorial photography that takes us beyond Tallahassee. As Tallahassee photographers, the majority of our work happens in the capital city, but assignments like this remind us how much great editorial work exists across the state.
This feature was photographed by The Workmans for INFLUENCE Magazine and appeared in the Winter 2021 issue and was written by Janelle Taylor and Jacob Ogles. The Workmans are a husband-and-wife photography team based in Tallahassee, Florida, and we work with publications across the state of Florida, in Washington D.C. and around the United States. You can explore more of our editorial photography in the archive, see more of our work across our website and connect with us on how we can best serve you!
New Year, New Faces // INFLUENCE Magazine
New Year, New Faces // INFLUENCE Magazine
Each year, Florida Politics’ INFLUENCE Magazine publishes their version of 30 under 30, called Rising Stars. We were honored to be a part of capturing the Winter 2021 Rising Stars list. Thanks again to Peter Schorsch and INFLUENCE Magazine.
The 100 Most Influential People in FL Politics // INFLUENCE Magazine
The 100 Most Influential People in FL Politics // INFLUENCE Magazine
One of our largest editorial projects to date was traveling around the state of of Florida, capturing portraits of almost all of the 100 Most Influential People in Florida Politics. It was incredible to meet people from all over the state that come to Tallahassee every year for Legislative Session, and learn about what they do and the impacts they make on our daily lives. It also brought perspective to how influential our community is around the state. Thanks to Peter Schorsch for trusting us with this project for INFLUENCE Magazine.
Chef Sylvia Gould: Memory Maker // INFLUENCE Magazine
The Workmans photographed pastry chef Sylvia Gould and her desserts at Kool Beanz Café in Midtown Tallahassee for INFLUENCE Magazine's feature on the James Beard Award-nominated chef.
Chef Sylvia Gould: Memory Maker // INFLUENCE Magazine
INFLUENCE Magazine assigned us to photograph pastry chef Sylvia Gould for a feature in their Spring 2020 issue. The story, written by Gus Corbella, profiled Gould and her work at Kool Beanz Café in Midtown Tallahassee, which is where the photoshoot took place
We combined environmental portraits in the dining room at Kool Beanz with more controlled portrait work in our make-shift studio in the back room. For the environmental piece, the goal was to photograph Gould in her working happy place, the space where her desserts come to life. Restaurant kitchens are tight, busy, and full of competing light sources, from overhead fluorescents to the warm glow of equipment. You're working around prep surfaces, service flow, and the reality that the kitchen doesn't stop for a photoshoot. As Tallahassee photographers who have worked in a number of local restaurants for editorial assignments, we've learned to move quickly and stay out of the way while still getting the frames the magazine needs.
Thankfully we were operating during non-business hours, but we still needed to navigate the tight corners and shiny surfaces.
When it came to photographing the food, our make-shift studio gave us the opposite environment: full control. We set up Profoto lighting and tethered to our MacBook Pro running Capture One so we could build the photos with intention and review them in real time. Having both settings in a single assignment is ideal for a magazine layout because the art director gets the candid, in-context images from the restaurant alongside the clean studio images, and the two styles complement each other across the spread.
Gould's desserts are visually striking subjects. Her work is known for vivid color, intricate plating, and unexpected combinations, which means the images needed to do justice to the level of detail she puts into every plate. Photographing desserts requires attention to how light interacts with different textures and surfaces; a caramelized sugar element reflects light differently than a matte ganache or a fresh berry, and getting all of those elements to read well in the same frame takes careful positioning of both the light and the lens.
What makes editorial photography like this rewarding is that you're telling the story of someone's craft through two different visual languages: the environment they work in and the work itself. Kool Beanz is a Tallahassee staple in Midtown, and Gould's presence in that kitchen is a big part of what makes it special. Our job was to let both of those things come through in the photographs without getting in the way of either one.
This feature was photographed by The Workmans for INFLUENCE Magazine and appeared in the Spring 2020 issue and was written by Gus Corbella. The Workmans are a husband-and-wife photography team based in Tallahassee, Florida, and we work with publications across the state of Florida, in Washington D.C. and around the United States. You can explore more of our editorial photography in the archive, see more of our work across our website and connect with us on how we can best serve you!