This week on It’s Ben A Week, I’m kicking things off with a story that made me question everything: a friend ghosted me in the middle of planning an episode… after confirming, bullet pointing, and saying “love you.” I went full Nancy Drew, messaged her mom, and basically spiraled into a wellness check meltdown.

If you’ve ever been stood up, blocked, or left wondering “am I crazy or is this sociopathic?” — same.

But then — the episode redeems itself — because I’m joined by one of my all-time favorite humans and mentors: Stephanie Girard, LA’s number one headshot photographer (and my friend since 2014) and the woman behind all of It’s Ben A Week's iconic branding photos.

In this episode, we talk about:

•  The emotional labor of being a headshot photographer
•  Why photographers should be part therapist, hype person, and lighting wizard
•  Her creative journey from NYC rooftop shoots to the top of the industry in LA
•  How she became the best — with no marketing, just word of mouth and undeniable talent
•  Her take on AI headshots and why photography is still deeply human
•  Our shared obsession with chickens (including a chicken picnic table and coop fashion)
•  Why mentorship matters, how she helped me start my own photography biz, and the impact of creative generosity

We also get into mentorship, creative growth, and why the best artists are the ones who give back.

Check out Stephanie’s work:  https://www.stephgirardheadshots.com
Get Headshots training at: https://www.headshotxperience.com

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