Here is a cropped portion of a photo I took today. It was my very first Head and Shoulders portrait. I got extremely lucky that the client...

1) Was handsome and photogenic (the human one whose identity is witheld)

2) Had a kitchen with low, neutral-colored ceilings to bounce flash off and a faux painted wall that looked better than any muslin or paper background I've seen.

This photo features Bob the dog who decided it was OK to post his photo.