How to take a portrait to a President in 90 seconds

What does it take to photograph a president?

On 30 January, 2012, The Straits Times interviewed Myanmar President Thein Sein, at the Shangri-la Hotel in Singapore.

Besides taking shots during the interview, Straits Times photojournalist Desmond Lim also wanted to make a portrait of Thein Sein.

With the help of photojournalists Samuel He and Lim Wui Liang, he set up a backdrop and three lights, an hour before the interview began.

The Myanmese officials did not agree to the shoot initially, but agreed after some negotiations.
The aim was to photograph Thein Sein after the interview and make two different portraits - as quickly as possible. Samuel will hold up the beauty dish in front of the president, while Wui Liang would shift the light for the second portrait.

This video shows the what happened the moment Thein Sein emerged from the interview session, and the photographs that were made during those 90 seconds.

by ST Pix