An impromptu outdoor headshot of a Salt Lake City police officer while on duty.

In my early days of test shooting and perfecting the look of my "cinematic headshots", which are shot outdoors, but also lit with two lights, I knew The International Peace Gardens in Salt Lake City would be a great and colorful, natural backdrop.

What I wasn't sure of is whether a permit to shoot there would also be required, since I was setting up lights, etc. While testing some new strobes (flashes) there without a model, I happened upon this officer, who answered the question (no), and gave me a green light to proceed down this path.

So then I said, "Great. So how about being my first subject?"