Telling Your Company Brand Story With Corporate Headshots
Ask someone about a company’s brand and they’ll likely talk about the colors, the logo, and maybe the tagline. But really, it goes much deeper. The brand is how a product or company is perceived by those who experience it. Is it a fun brand? Serious? Reliable? There are clues about it everywhere from the website to the greeting on the phone.
What some people fail to realize is that their company has a brand whether or not they’re paying attention to it. The key is to recognize that people are making decisions about the brand with every interaction they have with the company, whether it’s in person or online. Knowing that, you can take charge and decide what your brand is. This is where my discussions with companies about business headshots start.
Why having an inviting corporate headshot feature on your website matters
While your business headshots may seem unimportant in the big scheme of things, that “meet the team” page with employee professional headshots is actually a significant tool in telling your brand story. Those business portraits says a ton about who you are and what you value. It’s a reflection of the company, and those photos send a message to current and potential customers, partners, and employees.
This collection of professional headshots is an opportunity to let your target audience get to know you. Having a similar style and using photographs that capture the subject's personality signals confidence and competence. When a viewer sees a well done headshot, they feel like they’ve gotten to know the subject. It makes such a difference when they can feel that way about everyone in your company.
These are corporate headshots that you can use for things like your About Us page on the website, displays for conferences, announcements for corporate events, marketing materials, board books, or features on social media. The individuals can use them for their own profiles, personal branding, or reports, too. One client of mine suggested using the executive portraits on emails. That’s a great way to add a personal touch.
Planning for your company’s corporate photo session. Let’s talk about your brand guidelines.
To get the ideal cohesive look for your corporate headshots, you can set up guidelines that everyone can use for their own photo shoot, i.e. what clothing to wear, brand colors, etc. or set up a company-wide photo session to take several at once.
There are two parts to the planning for a company-wide photo day and making sure everyone gets their best headshots. The first involves the logistics and the second is prepping the subjects. I know from my extensive experience in taking professional photographs that people have varying levels of comfort in front of the camera. I take the time during my photo sessions to help each person feel good about the process so they will feel and look their best in the pictures.
The Logistics of a Headshot Photo Shoot with a Portable Photography Studio or in My NJ or NYC Studio
Just like when you used to line up for school photos, there will be a single set up so the photos are cohesive, but that’s where the similarities end. When on location, I recreate a version of my photography studio.
Once you've got a shoot scheduled, each person should expect to spend 15 to 20 minutes so they have enough time to relax and get comfortable. We will adjust the lighting and take several different angles to capture the individuality of each person. My goal is to make a personal connection that will come through in the headshot.
The first consideration when scheduling the photo shoot is the availability of the team. You want to leave enough time so no one feels rushed. If you have a large team or people have scattered schedules, you may need to have multiple times for them. We can schedule days for your team that work within their schedule. No worries. there.
Prepping the Team for a Photo Shoot
While it’s good to have some uniformity to your executive headshots for use on the business website, you will want to consider your brand when determining how much. Set the expectations and let your team know ahead of time. Consider such things as whether you want everyone to dress formally or casually or whether it matters.
You could have a styling consultation ahead of time to help people decide what to where for their headshots. Some companies hire a make up artist to come in for the headshot sessions.
Some general guidelines to follow when it comes to dressing for a photo shoot:
Color doesn’t matter as much as people may think. Wear the colors that make you feel good.
Fit matters more than most people realize. Clothes that are too big or too small will distract from the subject.
Prints are okay, but big patterns can distract. Keep proportion in mind.
Glasses are great. Bring a few pairs with you. We can adjust the lighting to avoid glare.
Go light with jewelry and accessories. They can provide a personal touch, but they can also distract from you.
Final thoughts on Getting the Best Business Headshots
For your corporate headshots, choose a neutral background with no distractions. This will put the focus on the subject and give you more versatility in using the photos. If you want to have a logo or other visual branding, that can be added later.
Encourage your staff to relax and have fun with the photo shoot. This shouldn’t be a high-pressure experience. As a headshot photographer, I want people to be comfortable so they will feel and look their best in their business headshots.
About Alissa
Alissa is a professional headshot photographer who creates photos that capture your essence. Alissa is based in New Jersey and NYC and provides her headshot services in NJ and NYC. Check out more of Alissa’s portfolio on the homepage, and read more photo stories on the blog.