Choosing a style for your company’s headshots is more than just planning a photo shoot. These photos should represent your brand as much as your logo, your website, and your marketing collateral do. The style of the photos should be consistent with the style and personality of your website and the rest of your design pieces. If you’re not sure what type of photography you need for your brand, consult with your marketing agency.
Indoor / Studio
This type of photography is polished, clean, and uber professional. Many law firms, construction companies and engineering firms will choose this style of photography. It works especially well with the simple yet classic website design of these type of firms.
Outside
Outdoor, on location shoots bring an element of nature or urban environment into your portraiture. These are often shot with natural light so they have a more natural, free feel. Restaurants, real estate agencies, and young startups may choose this style of photography to go with their company culture and branding. The options with outdoor shoots are endless – if you live in a city like St. Petersburg or Tampa, you have a variety of public parks and green spaces to choose from, in addition to the many beautiful murals, skyscrapers, and waterfront views! There are many options – consult with your agency to determine what will look best on your site and other marketing materials.
Black & White
Black & white portraits are not as commonplace as studio portraiture or outdoor headshots, but we’ve seen some really cool websites that showcase a black & white portrait as the main headshot, and when you scroll over the photo, a funky, fun color portrait appears. This is a great way to show off the creative personality of your company and the individuals that make up your team.
Fun
Like the example above, “fun” photos can be anything from teams collaborating, portraits of each team member working on their hobby, or even colorful studio photos of each team member with a different facial expression. These would obviously not be appropriate for a law firm or doctor’s office, but many creative companies use this style of photography to showcase their creativity and unique personality.
Environmental
Environmental portraiture is similar to editorial photography. The person in the photo is a small part of a larger image that tells a story. Environmental portraiture could showcase a construction project manager on a job site – the construction manager is the focal point of the photo, but the job site and activities on the site would be in clear view rather than fading into the background. Another type of environmental photo could showcase a painter sitting in her studio surrounded by finished and current paintings, brushes, paints and her palette. The viewer’s eye moves around this photo and is delighted by all the details and this “backstage” view of the painter or construction project manager at work. Environmental portraits are beautiful and dynamic, and should create a sense of atmosphere and place. These are photos that really showcase the personality of the person and the story of their activity.
When it comes to photography for your brand and marketing collateral, there are a lot of decisions to make. If you need help planning your brand’s photo shoot, send us an email and we can help you plan and execute the perfect shoot.
