FMM: You left NY and came to LA at the start of the pandemic to pursue your dreams. Tell us about your journey?
It’s never easy making a cross-country move. Let alone a move at the start of a global pandemic. I moved out to California on March 1st, 2020. My plan was to move into my brother and sister-in-law’s home which is just outside of LA, and then transition into an apartment in Central LA. It ended up taking me 6 months to make the move from their home into my own place in Los Angeles. It was definitely difficult, but I’m very blessed to have had that base in California which gave me the energy to find a location to move to in LA.
FMM: Has photography always been in your blood?
Since I was a wee child, I’ve been enamored with cameras. I had a collection of disposable cameras that my older siblings would give to me to use after they had finished their initial round of film. So I think it’s safe to say that it’s always been in my blood. I’m the youngest of 10 siblings, and every one of my siblings has one or multiple talents. I think that naturally, I have an innate connection to the arts so if it wasn’t photography, it would be something else in the arts.
FMM: Your portfolio is diversified. Take us through the creative process of working with you?
One of my goals when doing a photo session is to try to tell a story through photography. My creative process depends on many different factors including what type of shoot we’re going for and what we’re trying to convey in the shoot. For corporate clients, most times we try to convey a professional, yet approachable image. For actors, it heavily depends on whether the headshots are theatrical or commercial. For Tiktokers and influencers, it usually is way more personable and quirky. It’s the attention to detail that separates a good photo from a mediocre one. Aside from delivering stellar portraits, I believe the experience during a photoshoot is of utmost importance so I strive to create a symbiotic relationship with my clients to ensure we truly capture both of our creative visions and bring them to life.
FMM: How important is storytelling for your work?
Funny, you ask this question… I was just segwaying into that. Storytelling is everything. Our brains understand the world through stories. Our brains are able to elate to others through stories. Storytelling is a vessel that humans use to channel their different thoughts and emotions which helps explain individual perspectives. Every single person alive has a story to tell and I believe doing a photo shoot for a personal brand, really helps a person tell their story online. I’m so privileged that I get to be a part of so many incredible people’s journeys.
FMM: You have photographed many celebrities. Which shoots have you enjoyed the most?
This is a difficult question to answer. You see, everyone has been incredibly kind and an absolute pleasure to work with. This includes the talent, the publicists, the directors, the agencies, etc. There are so many names of amazing experiences, but I’d have to say that two experiences stuck out. The first is with Actor Josh Brolin, he’s an all-around talent and a true down-to-earth guy! The second is the reigning royal family of Tiktok: The D’Amelio family with Charli, Dixie, Marc, and Heidi. They would have to be the most genuine and humble people that I’ve ever worked with in the industry.
Actor Ben Stiller Photographed for Deadline.
FMM: What does it take to make it in the business?
Honestly. It requires persistence, tenacity, grit, perseverance, open-mindedness, no ego, the ability to deal with big egos, the ability to face intense amounts of rejection, the ability to not crumble after being given false promises and hope, and real chutzpah!
FMM: How important are headshots for business?
How you present yourself is how you’re perceived. Period. People are judging you every day, always. The reason why they are judging is that they need to judge your threat level. It all comes down to survival. The only connection people have to you via the Internet is your likeness. If you have a quality headshot that helps tell your brand story and flatters your face with the right lighting, angles, styling, posing, etc, it will make people want to associate themselves with you, which will then bring in more sales and raise your brand value. I don’t say this as a pitch to hire me. I just want everyone to have a quality online presence. Here are some tips: Put your phone on a tripod, find good natural window lighting in your home, make sure there’s a solid background with no distractions, look in the mirror and find your good angles, style yourself accordingly, set your timer, press the timer button, snap a bunch of photos and chances are you may be able to take a good headshot!
FMM: How have you fine-tuned themes for businesses/Instagram/websites?
Every person has a personal brand whether they would like to have one or not. You cannot control the fact that you ARE perceived by others, but you CAN control how you are perceived by others. Most people usually have their brand identity understood by the time they come to me for portraits, but many times people don’t know what story they want to tell in their brand images. I help them understand themselves based on who they are, what their service is, and who they are servicing.
FMM: Share your vision for 2022. Are there any Stars you would like to work with?
I actually just created a vision board! I won’t give too much away but I will say that there are some really exciting projects in the works which I cannot wait to share with everybody!
FMM: Please share your social media.
You can find me @ZushaGoldin on all platforms: Instagram: @zushagoldin Linkedin: @zushagoldinTiktok: @zushagoldinFacebook: @zushagold on YouTube: @zushagoldin Website: www.zushagoldin.com
