Most businesses start with a phone camera and a wall. This usually results in a random, haphazard collection of photos with inconsistent backgrounds and lighting. Many people include photos of people who’d rather be anywhere else (headshots). A professional shoot solves all of these issues. Consistent photos look better and give a more polished look to your online presence.
A studio offers control. The backdrops are consistent and so is the lighting. This gives the opportunity for small modifications for things like people wearing glasses. All of this leads to a consistent, polished final result.
Each of your team members is a critical part of your business, but one of the biggest ways to support them is by having a consistent polished representation online. Having headshots done for your business shows your commitment to your team.
Look at portfolios first rather than price lists. One good indicator of a photographer’s skill is the ability to take natural and confident portraits of everyday professionals. Dramatic fashion work isn’t necessarily a bad thing to look out for, but it’s less important to evaluate a photographer with that. Ask the photographer if they are familiar with doing corporate work. Doing 20 nervous accountants in an afternoon is far from taking portraits of a single person.
Answer these questions: How many people do they shoot per hour? Do they offer a private changing area? How quickly do they return photos to you? What level of retouching do they offer? Some editing and retouching is perfectly okay to give a natural photo, but be mindful, as it can make your coworkers look very different from their true self. Heavy retouching can be surprising to the clients if not done carefully.
Preparation is key. About a week beforehand, send a briefing with information on timings, what to wear and the reason for the photos. In general, images work best when the subject is wearing solid colours as fine stripes and busy patterns may appear distorted on camera. Provide the subject with the option of bringing an alternative outfit to wear, in case their first choice isn’t working out.
Keep your schedule and stick to your timings. Anywhere from 10 to 15 minutes per subject is a good benchmark, and a printed schedule helps keep things on track. Remind your subjects that they don’t need to be models. Most of the time the photographer does all the work by adjusting the position of their subject’s head and arms. This really helps people relax and enjoy the experience.
Agree in advance on what you want your photos to look like. What kind of headshot will you have? Will your headshots be tight at the shoulders or include a little more of your torso? Will your headshots be on a white background or a grey background? Be sure to communicate your decisions with your photographer. The most important thing is for everyone on your team to be on the same page and for the images to be consistent.
Also consider what your photos will be used for. Will they be used for social media and require a square crop? Will they be used for a website banner that requires a wide or landscape crop? If you need different crops for your headshots, be sure to let your photographer know so you don’t end up having to alter the photos yourself.
Pick a coordinator the day of. This person’s responsibility is to bring their coworkers to the studio at the right time, and keep the schedule on time, while being a calm presence for any last minute nerves. Having snacks and beverages, or a breakfast burrito bar, for the team is always a good idea. A long session is always easier when the team feels cared for.
Let your team members pick their photos. You can let them review a few frames. This builds goodwill. If you allow this, plan on how you’ll manage any image selection requests. Since not everyone will be able to choose the frames they like the best, it’s imperative to have the retouching team verify the final selections.
Once portraits have been edited, use them as widely as possible. Update the team page on your website. Your employees’ email signatures, staff directories, and speaker bios should be updated next. Brochures and other printed materials should also be updated. All employees should be photographed in the same style as their colleagues to retain a sense of consistency as your company grows. Many companies arrange a photo refresh day to help spread costs.
It can also be useful to consider ‘behind the scenes’ content. Photographs of the team at work can provide informal, ‘behind the scenes’ content for social media. They can also show potential customers who the employees of the business are. Ask your photographer to take a few of these ‘behind the scenes’ photos in addition to the formal portraits, if they are willing.
Professional headshots are an investment in your company’s first impression. A well thought-out studio day lets you take consistent, high quality photos of your team that capture the true spirit of your company, and gives you photos that will remain useful for many years. The right photo studio, a clear brief and a relaxed team can make the process quick and efficient, usually taking no more than a few hours.