Photographer’s Studio or Your Office?!
First think of the number of people to be photographed.
If it is just a few employees, sending them to a photographer is probably the best. Scheduled one after another, 15-20min each, they can arrive together for their session to save on travel expenses and photographer studio’s rental.
Offices with a lot of employees would rather bring a photographer to their office.
You can save money because all the headshots are done in one batch. Photographer’s travel and rental equipment fees eventually override photographer’s studio rental expenses multiple times.
And shooting in the office is convenient. People have their portraits taken without the need to leave the office and loads of work.
Decide on Headshot Style and Outfit
The main idea of company’ headshots is having a consistent look.
Figuring out company's image depends on the following:
- What is the Message: Professional and Serious or Fun and Creative or Active and Dynamic
- What is Background style: any solid color( gray, blue, beige, etc) or more of a blurry landscape
- How much of a Framing: full body or waist and up
All these decisions should align with acceptable outfits and be spelled out in the photoshoot shoot announcement email and further reminders.
Consult with your photographer. Get one’s suggestions.
Keep it Organized with Schedule
Make a list of the people - time slot, first name, last name - for headshots and print a few copies prior.
Oftentimes people’s schedule moves around during the shoot day but as long as you have enough window time between the sessions, photographers can accommodate.
Typically 20min- 30min is a good session’s duration for one person, this includes guiding, shooting and selecting images on a laptop or ipad.
Choose the Right Spot at Your Office
Talk to your photographer which space suits the best. Depending on the headshot stylet, photographers either can do one big set up or make a few for unique looks.
For a custom solid color background, the room size 10ft by 16ft should be enough. It can be set in a conference room or a hallway.
It is highly recommended to do a photoshoot in allocated space so that when photographed people feel comfortable and relaxed.
Remind of the Shoot One Day Prior
Sending constant emails to employees prior a shoot is crucial.
Start with an invitation to sign up for their shoot time slot, continue with the suggestion of what to wear and remind about the importance of the shoot 1-2 days prior.
It is incredible how with just reminding people of corporate shoot, the outcome can be exactly what the shoot planned for.
