Raj & Jamie Capture Stunning Babymoon Portraits in The Bahamas

June 28, 2024 in Maternity, Lifestyle, People, Portraits

Embarking on the journey to parenthood is an exciting and transformative experience, and what better way to celebrate this particular time than with a babymoon in paradise? Raj and Jamie did just that, choosing the breathtaking Bahamas as the backdrop for their unforgettable babymoon portraits.

My island provided the perfect setting for Raj and Jamie's photoshoot with its clear turquoise waters, white sand beaches, and breathtaking sunsets. The couple wanted to capture the essence of their love and anticipation as they awaited the arrival of their first child.

Jamie wore a fitting black dress that made her look like a goddess. In a crisp white shirt and trousers, Raj gave us "relaxed Dad elegance," his outfit perfectly matched the tranquil beach. Together, they walked hand in hand along the shoreline, leaving prints in the sand as a reminder of their journey. The gentle waves lapping at their feet and the sound of the ocean created a serene and intimate atmosphere, allowing their genuine emotions to shine through in the photos.

As the day drew close, the sky transformed into a canvas of rich purples, pinks, and gold, creating a stunning backdrop for their final portraits.

Raj and Jamie's babymoon photo shoot in the Bahamas was more than just a series of beautiful pictures; it celebrated their love and growing family and the new adventure awaited them. The stunning landscapes of the Bahamas provided the perfect setting to capture these precious moments, creating a lasting memory they will cherish forever.

Old Master's Portraits with Olivia Dorsett

March 20, 2023 in People, Portraits, Creative

Olivia is the type of client who gives me 100% creative control when she comes to me with another opportunity to photograph her. This occasion was no different. She asked if I had anything new I wanted to try because she was “in the mood” for another portrait session. I told her I always wanted to recreate a portrait similar to that of the old portrait masters like Rembrandt, Caravaggio and Da Vinci.

I had to research the lighting extensively because I knew those painters used a specific style of light in their portraits. My setup was simple, where I only used a 2 light layout; a largely diffused modifier for fill and another large modifier for my key (leading) light.

Olivia trusted my vision, and I put together an incredible team once I knew the direction I was taking. I was very direct and specific. I knew what I wanted from makeup and hair, and even the colour dress and design of the gown I chose were intentional.

The table and background were already in the studio while we imported other props. The fruit we used was sourced locally, which was a challenge because, initially, finding the pomegranate was challenging! Once I completed the set, and we got our tethering setup, the shoot flowed seamlessly. The lighting was ideal for the direction of the shoot, and I was so happy that we had put so much time into our pre-production.

Olivia was a great muse. She knew her angles and followed my direction to the letter. Below is the hard work of a team of passionate people who came together to bring this vision to fruition.

Let me know what you think of our work in the comments below.

WATCH THE VIDEO

Photography: Scharad Lightbourne

Muse: Olivia Dorsett

MUA: Cody Rolle

Hair: Denise Francis

Designer: Ria Smith

Cinematography: Emmanuel Petit Homme

Assistant: Shavonne Strachan

Portraits of Realtor. Private Banker & Watch Collector, Bobby Chen

October 08, 2021 in Fashion, Lifestyle, People

“Working with Scharad was a cakewalk. He’s a consummate professional full of creative energy along with the perfect timing to capture the essence in every shot. He went above and beyond to ensure that the environment and creative process brought out the best expressions in me and my wife. An absolute pleasure to work with and the finished products are indeed timeless to say the least.”

— Bobby Chen

I met Bobby Chen a few years ago when I did some headshots for the real estate firm he worked for, and he seemed to be a pretty cool dude. As I followed his career path, I noticed he had an interesting portfolio that included cryptocurrency, private banking, and more so, a love for collection luxury and vintage timepieces.

You see, photographers are always looking to add more exciting people to their portfolios. Bobby seemed intelligent, accomplished and we both shared similar interests.

I reached out to Bobby via social media and asked him if he would shoot with me. After explaining my concept some more, he eagerly agreed. I explained to him I would photograph him in a way that timelined what a possible day would look like for him. I made up this story that he’d wake up, take a morning swim, have coffee in bed with his wife before heading to work and I also threw a pseudo modelling career for fun and date night with his beautiful wife, Patrice. We all felt this was going to be a great shoot to execute.

The shot list was simple enough, but I called on friend/stylist Shan Oliver to put all the looks together. Bobby had multiple options for wardrobe from his own closet, so we simply pulled from that to make it work. Working with a stylist is very important; I showed Shan a mood board of looks that I liked, and she was able to put pieces together based on my vision and used her expertise to make each outfit pop. She knows my style is clean and straightforward, so she made the styling the same.

The shoot went relatively smooth and we shot the entire day. Bobby got through it like a champ and with his wife by his side, he was able to confidently knock and model his looks out the park. The team had a great time working with this multifaceted Bahamian.

Bobby Chen by Scharad Lightbourne

Styling: Shan Oliver

Grip: Tameka Petit Homme

Grip: Sammy Rutherford

MUAs: Torkel Dawkins- Patrice’s morning look

MUA: Raven Forbes - Patrice’s evening look

Running a portrait session with Olympic Gold Medalist Steven Gardiner

September 12, 2021 in People

This title is so fitting because I had no time to photograph gold medalist Steven Gardiner. When I tell you the lengths I took to photograph Steven, you might not believe me, but I will tell you how this opportunity came to me to photograph “Speedy Stevie.”

Here we are, The Bahamas, a country hyped, and excited, fresh off back to back wins in the men and women's 400-meter race by local track athletes Steven Gardiner and Shaunae Miller-Uibo. The whole country was excited for them to come home, and a light bulb went off in my head. I wondered, "wouldn't it be an honour to photograph either one of them? Cementing them in the fabric of Bahamian Photography?"

I'll be honest with you, I had connected with Steven a few years prior because I wanted to photograph him shortly before he won his first Olympic medal. This Abaco born son holds numerous Bahamian records amongst his other accolades, so I felt my role was to make sure unique and driven Bahamians like him are photographed for historical purposes.

Let's get back on track. (pun intended)

I was determined to photograph Steven and Shaunae on their return trip, and once I saw the welcome celebrations at the airport, I got on my mobile phone and started my search to contact either athlete. I am not exaggerating when I say I called the entire country to reach Steven. I felt he may have been more accessible than Shaunae. Yes, I did have his contact, but it was a US number, and he wasn't answering texts. I contacted people close to him who never followed up. I called EVERYONE but, to my disappointment, I struck out with the opportunity to photograph him, and I watched everyone get their 5 seconds with the two and then they were gone.

But…one day, on a Tuesday afternoon, something told me not to give up. I texted Steven, and he responded! I congratulated him and told him what I wanted to do. I threw out the question, "when would you be in town again?" to which he responded, "Thursday." I gasped, thinking he meant a week from that day, but he meant 2 days away! I had an hour of his free time, and I had to make it count!

I scrambled to think of a concept. Steven was down for whatever I came up with. After crossing out a million ideas, I just decided to keep it simple. I would take my backdrop outside and use natural light. Less fuss, less clutter, just clean and simple.

Steven brought a few clothing items, ones he'd packed prior, so I didn't style him; I just picked out a few pieces I thought may have been great on camera. I wanted to call my stylist badly, but there was no time. I had to think quick. I had no mood board, shot list, or planned anything, just me, my Nikon, and the subject.

Steven was surprisingly awkward in front of the camera. A far from his natural environment of running on the track. But that pushed me to direct him more. I was happy with what I got in a short time, and hopefully, these images last forever. Plus I got to hold an Olympic medal!

Please enjoy!

Leo Creary, wedding photographer models in editorial for his 30th birthday

July 11, 2021 in Fashion, People

Leo Creary, a gifted wedding photographer, called me very excited about his 30th birthday. In fact, every year, I shoot Leo for some occasion but turning 30 was a milestone for him, and he shared a few concepts with me. I’ve photographed Leo for years, and you may recognize our work together from shooting him and his wife Keva’s fantastic wedding in Bimini, The Bahamas. I enjoy working with Leo as he always gives me creative control for photographing him, and it didn’t take me long to come up with styling for the photographer.

I wanted a rugged background because Leo was going to be styled in some pretty dapper suits. A cream, pinstripe, and 3-piece suits, but there was one more piece missing. I thought a vintage Land Rover would have been perfect, and in my search, I could not find an owner willing to let me use their vehicle. So I moved onto plan b to source my dream SUV, a Jeep Wrangler JL. I called a buddy of mine who I knew would say yes right away…and he did!

Once we arrived at our location, I tested a few shots with artificial light, but I decided to shoot natural. I hadn’t shot natural for some time. I’ve become a strobe nut, and I’ve been shooting more studio work, but being outdoors in that fantastic location just sparked that in me. The area we shot at was primarily used for landfills, and the white limestone rocks bounced light all around me. It was heaven. I photographed Leo in and around the vehicle, trying to tell a story with the images.

Leo was natural, posing and moving his body to complement the lens. We did shots still, moving and took risks climbing the limestone to get great pictures from different perspectives. I loved how the images turned out. Please enjoy them below.

PORTRAITS with the Nikon Z6 II ft model/actress Chrystal Bethell

March 02, 2021 in Fashion, People

Now I’m usually one who stays up on new gear and technology, and when I heard that Nikon was releasing the Z6 II, I was eager and excited to purchase it. Still, for some reason, life got in the way, and I haven’t had the opportunity to buy the upgrade to my Nikon Z6, which I primarily use to photograph 99% of my work.

A colleague of mine and fellow photographer friend Warren Grant, who I’ve also known to be an advocate for Nikon, sent me a text one day announcing, “Hey! I got the Z6 II; when are you getting yours?”

My face, which if it was an emoji, would have looked like this 😑. I reluctantly told him that I had not ordered mine yet and at some point shortly, I would prob upgrade. But Warren is a dope friend. After hearing the disappointment in my voice, he said that he would loan me his Z6 II, and I could test it out firsthand. Backflips and Spartan chants from the movie “300” followed suit.

So what is the point of my story? I will connect the dots right now. Chrystal Bethell is an accomplished model and actress living in NYC, and we’ve known each other since high school (a long time!) She had let me know that she was in Nassau and she wanted to book a photo shoot. So I got the team together, we chose a mood for the shoot, designed the aesthetic and confirmed our location.

On the day of the shoot, I used several lenses with the Z6 II, my 85mm, 70-200m and 35mm all helped me compose a variety of frames to help me tell a story with the photos. I kept the lighting simple, adapting one light with a soft modifier to compliment the natural light. I loved the way the finished images looked. The camera, which was the whole point of this story performed amazingly, it was super fast, focusing was a breeze and I was very impressed with the overall responsiveness of the Z6 ii.

Stay creative!