Sometimes a portrait session becomes more than just a photography assignment. It becomes a story of trust, timing, experimentation, and the personalities involved.
This particular shoot was exactly that. It began not with a client enquiry, but with an unexpected visit from the Canon India team shortly after the launch of the Canon R5.
A Visit from the Canon India Team
When the Canon R5 was first launched, I received a call from the Canon team in Kolkata. A few days later, two representatives visited my studio.
Rajdip Das, Regional Head for Eastern India, and Milan Dutta, who heads the Canon Kolkata branch, came over to discuss the new camera.
At that time, I was still shooting primarily with the Canon 5D Mark IV. It was a camera I trusted deeply, especially for portrait work.
They suggested that I test the Canon R5. But I had a simple concern. Testing a camera casually during a quick demo inside the office doesn’t really reveal much.
So I made them an offer.
I told them: “Send the camera during one of my real portrait assignments. Let me test it in an actual professional shoot. That’s the only way I can understand what it’s capable of.” They liked the idea.
So we agreed — the next time I had a suitable portrait assignment, the Canon R5 would be delivered to the studio.
At that moment, I had no idea how perfectly the opportunity would arrive.
A Call at 7 AM
About a week later, early in the morning around 7 AM, my phone rang.
The gentleman on the other side introduced himself.
“Good morning. My name is Subroto Mukherjee. I am a former Commander of the Indian Navy.”
Today, Mr. Mukherjee leads Moultling Caterpillar LLP, a leadership and systemic team coaching firm.
He then told me something that every photographer secretly hopes to hear.
He had found me on Google.
After reading reviews and exploring my website, he mentioned he was impressed by the style of the portraits on my website. He needed a professional business portrait session, and he had a very tight schedule. He was flying abroad the very next day.
So the shoot had to happen on a particular date. We briefly discussed the details, and he immediately transferred the booking advance.
That level of decisiveness already told me a lot about his personality.
First Impressions of a Naval Officer
On the day of the shoot, the session was scheduled to start at 9:30 AM.
I’ll admit something honestly. Due to traffic, I was running about seven minutes late. At exactly 9:30 AM, my phone rang. Commander Mukherjee had already reached the location. At that moment, I knew one thing for certain.
This was clearly someone who carried the discipline of a naval officer.
When I reached the building, he greeted me with a smile. He had arrived with his luggage and wardrobe bag. Out of courtesy, I offered to carry one of the bags upstairs.
His response was immediate. “No, no. I’m good enough to carry my own things.”
He picked up his luggage and walked up to the studio himself. That small moment said a lot about the man.
The Canon R5 Arrives
While the makeup preparation was underway, the Canon team arrived at the studio with the Canon R5. This was the first time I was going to test the camera in a real portrait shoot.
They briefly walked me through some settings.
Before bringing the client in front of the camera, I did a few quick test shots with my assistant. The moment I zoomed into the image preview, I paused.
The level of detail was immediately noticeable.
So I decided to push it further. I increased the ISO, reduced the light, and deliberately tested it in low-light conditions. Then I zoomed in again.
- The images were still remarkably clean.
- Very little noise.
- Excellent clarity.
At that moment, I made a decision.
Instead of switching back to my 5D Mark IV, I would shoot the entire portrait session using the Canon R5.
Getting Comfortable With the Camera
For the first few minutes, I needed to adjust to the new system. Milan Dutta from Canon helped me fine-tune a few settings according to my portrait lighting setup.
Once that was done, the camera started to feel extremely intuitive. The eye autofocus worked beautifully. It allowed me to focus entirely on directing the subject rather than worrying about focus accuracy.
And that’s when the real shoot began.
Someone Completely Comfortable in Front of the Camera
Commander Mukherjee was completely at ease in front of the camera.
His posture, body language, and expressions suggested that he had done professional shoots before. He understood how to hold a pose, how to shift expressions, and how to communicate confidence without appearing stiff.
That made the entire process very smooth.
We explored several portrait styles during the session:
- classic black background executive portraits
- expressive leadership gestures
- relaxed conversational portraits
- strong formal business portraits
The variety allowed us to capture different facets of his personality.
When the Client Sees RAW Images and Smiles
During the shoot, I showed him a few images directly from the camera. Even though they were RAW previews, he immediately reacted.
“Ranjan, you’ve done a fantastic job. This is beyond my expectations.”
He also gave an on-camera reaction.
Unfortunately, the audio contained too much background noise, so I couldn’t include that clip in the final BTS video.
But the moment itself was satisfying enough.
Extra Portraits That Weren’t Planned
After we finished the main portrait set, I suggested trying a few additional ethnic style portraits as well.
Initially, he declined.
But I requested him again, just for experimentation.
Eventually, he agreed.
Those extra frames turned out to be some of the most interesting portraits from the session.
Coffee, Conversations, and a Naval Sense of Timing
Once the shoot was complete, we still had time left. Commander Mukherjee had told me earlier that he could stay until 5:30 PM. So we sat down for coffee and snacks. The conversation moved away from photography. We spoke about travel, professional life, discipline, and leadership. Then something interesting happened.
At exactly 5:30 PM, he stood up.
“Alright, Ranjan, I should leave now.”
He thanked me warmly, cleared the remaining payment, and before leaving, he even posted a Google review. All this before receiving the final images. That level of trust meant a lot.
Delivering the Final Portraits
Within about a week to ten days, I delivered the final edited portraits.
He was extremely happy with the results.
A few images required specific crop adjustments for different uses, which I completed and sent over.
Seeing the portraits being appreciated by the client is always the most satisfying part of the process.
The Behind-the-Scenes Video
During the shoot, the Canon team had captured some behind-the-scenes footage.
Because of busy schedules, that footage reached me almost three months later.
I finally edited it into a short reel showing moments from the session and how the Canon R5 performed during the shoot.
You can see that video on YouTube.
Why Executive Portraits Matter
In today’s professional world, portraits are no longer just photographs.
They represent identity.
A strong portrait communicates authority, confidence, and credibility.
Whether it’s for leadership profiles, corporate websites, or LinkedIn presence, the right portrait can shape how a professional is perceived.
That’s exactly why I approach every business portrait photography session in Kolkata as a collaborative process rather than just a quick photo shoot.
Camera Used in This Session
Canon R5
Professional studio portrait lighting setup
This shoot became my first real experience of using the Canon R5 during a professional assignment.
The camera delivered exceptional sharpness, reliable eye autofocus, and impressive low-light performance.
For portrait photographers, that combination makes a significant difference during live sessions.
A Portrait Session I Still Remember
Every portrait session has its own story.
This one had many layers — a disciplined naval officer, a new camera being tested in real conditions, and a shoot that ended with coffee, conversations, and genuine appreciation.
Experiences like these remind me why I enjoy professional executive portrait photography in Kolkata so much. This portrait session was photographed for Subroto Mukherjee, Founder & CEO of a leadership and systemic team coaching firm. Today, several portraits from this session are also featured on the official website of Moultling Caterpillar LLP.
Because beyond the lighting and the camera, it’s always about the people in front of the lens.