BLACKRAPID Spotlight: Margo Reed

Margo Reed Studio – Visual Storytelling

I’m a visual storyteller working primarily with nonprofit organizations and their publications and marketing teams.

I have a background in photojournalism, having started my career at the Philadelphia Inquirer. Today, my clients generally work in medicine, arts, and education. I work with marketing directors who want to document authentic human stories that reflect an organization’s values and legacy.

My work has been published by Vanity Fair, The Associated Press, Propublica and more. Selected clients include Penn Medicine, Gerflor, and The Philadelphia Orchestra.

Do You Have a Good Photography Tip for Us?

Keep people moving- especially in portraits.

Photographing Pain in a Small Home Office

I’ve made pictures while hanging over the side of a high rise building, on the sidelines of an NFL game, and in the operating room during brain surgery – but I didn’t get into photography for the mile-high views or celebrity run-ins. Which is why, when I’m asked about a favorite recent experience, one that comes to mind took place in an ordinary person’s home.

I was commissioned to photograph Deborah Burnham, a former English professor and cancer survivor who leads a writing support group for Penn Medicine patients. The portraits were for a magazine feature, and my task was to capture her identity as both a writer and a leader.

The shoot took place in her small home office, where I had to squeeze in a projector, a strobe, and a three-person crew. On assignments like this, the hardest part isn’t the gear; it’s keeping a subject who isn’t used to the spotlight, comfortable while an audience watches their every move. Making the photograph itself is a part of my job, but the hard work comes from managing my client’s expectations while balancing the emotional energy in the room, which is ultimately what will make (or break) a picture.

We learned early on that Burnham’s group focuses heavily on pain. This sparked a vulnerable, profound conversation among everyone, which ultimately broke all tension. It connected us, put Burnham at ease, and allowed the photographs to remain authentic.

The resulting images were beautiful, leaning into creative projection lighting to mirror her digital world while capturing her work and experience. My favorite assignments will always be the ones that draw me closer to individual people and their stories. Managing a mix of opinions, environments, and comfort levels is a delicate balancing act—but it is easily the most rewarding part of my work.

What’s in Your Bag?

Every day, I work with two Sony a7IVs which are on my shoulders with the BLACKRAPID Dual Slim harness.

On this note – the BLACKRAPID harness is one piece of gear I’d recommend quickly to almost anyone who does what I do. I love that it fits my small shoulders (unlike most other harnesses on the market) and keeps my cameras from falling, which used to happen with straps alone. It’s comfortable and lightweight, which is great for working in sticky summers in Pennsylvania, and it looks sporty, but still professional.

When I’m juggling a lot of emotions on a shoot, I don’t need to be juggling my gear, too.

I also use one light, an off-camera Godox roundhead strobe, and a 35 and 85mm lenses.