What’s the first thing you think about when someone says corporate headshot photography? If it’s like 99% of people, you probably think of a boring photograph of a businessman in a suit in front of a white background.
This may have been the case a a few years ago, but headshot photography has grown into different headshot photo styles that work for more than just a business headshot. The world we live in today is more digital than ever. We now have a digital version of ourselves that lives online and we use that version of ourselves to interact and perform functions we used to do in person.
Because of this, we need to make sure that this digital version of yourself is exactly what you want it to be.
Firstly, let me address something I hear every once in a while. “I don’t have a digital presence” or “I don’t even have a Facebook profile” Although this group of individuals is getting smaller and smaller, there are still some that believe in not having any precense in the online world. It’s treated like some kind of purity by not being on Facebook. Everyone has the right to either engage or not engage but they should be aware that by not being online they are, in fact, playing a political game of sorts. Let me explain.
As someone who has been responsible for recruiting people, my job was to determine the best person for a job. When doing so do your best to evaluate two main components that can qualify someone for a job. Firs, there is the skill itself. Does this person know what is required to do the job? The second one is a bit more difficult to determine. Will this person be a good fit in our organisation? This one is a lot harder because you are now trying to determine how that person conducts themselves. Will they represent the business are you need them to. In comes social media. Right or wrong, most recruiters will look up someone in social media before making a decision. A social media profile can tell a lot about you. Is it acurate? Not always, but in the absence of anything else, you’ll go with it.
This is where your headshot photograph can play a part in sending the right message. The right photograph can tell a great deal about you. Things like, expression, what your wearing, where the photograph is taken, your hair, etc.
Understanding this, I craft each headshot photography session differently for every client so that we are getting exactly what they need.
So what are some of the most popular type of shots? In this article we are going to cover some of the most popular types of headshot and business photographs.
- Corporate headshots
- Environmental portraits
- Group shots
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Corporate Headshots
These type of shots are really useful for sites such as LinkedIn. In case you don’t know, LinkedIn is a social media platform for professionals to interact and build a network to engage and communicate with others. This is a professional site and so the image needs to look professional. A simple grey, black or white background is ideal. These photographs need to make others want to work with you. They should be lit correctly and cropped accordingly.
Environmental Portrait
These images are a little more styled. The idea here is to make you approachable and friendly. At the same time, the photograph also says a little about what you do. We often incorporate props into the photograph. It makes the photograph more interesting, whilst also giving more information about what that person does. An environmental portrait is often a good way to add extra credibility to the person in the photograph. Just seeing someone in a specific environment, adds authority that the person in the photo knows what they are doing. This is a subconscious thought and really powerful way to convey a message.
Group Shots
These are excellent ways to show the culture of a work place. You can often tell from photos like this if someone looks like they enjoy working there. Images like this from previous positions are also a great way to provide you with authority. Being in a photograph with team mates or senior members of a business automatically lift your status.
As you can see, an image really can speak a thousand words. We’ve only covered a few of the different types of headshots that can be created. There are countless types of ways to style headshots to make different variations. At the end of the day we are trying to make the right impression from the start. Below you will see some samples of how the background, lighting, posing amongst other things, can change the look and feel of the image. If you need help creating the perfect image for yourself or your teammates, make sure to get in contact to find out how I can get you the perfect headshot photograph.
Dan Cantero is a headshot photographer based in Sydney. Specialising in headshot photography, actor headshots, business portraits.
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