How to organise staff headshots for your company

Organising staff headshots for your company can be slightly daunting. Aside from finding a professional headshot photographer who will work with your budget, you will need to consider staff availability, headshot location, and style.

Here are some tried and tested tips to help plan your staff headshot session.

1. Setting the date

Finding a date when everyone is on-site can be a challenge, especially if some of the staff work part-time or from different locations.

It might be a good idea to plan the headshot session to coincide with a company event, like a board meeting, an annual convention, or even a company social.

Give your photographer as much notice as possible so they can reserve the date for you.

Alternatively, you might need to arrange to split the shoot over more than one day to cover staff working part-time or off-site.

2. Headshot style

Does your company have a section for staff headshots in their branding guidelines? This might include guidance on the background (black/white/plain/environmental), format (landscape/portrait orientation/square), expression and dress code. There might also be existing staff headshots with a look that needs to be matched, so it’s always worth checking that first.

Have a think about where the photos will be used, and whether you just need one image per person or a selection of images with a variety of expressions and/or backgrounds.

Generally, keeping the background plain means that it will be easy to replicate on future shoots when new employees join, but you might need a wider selection for the more senior staff only, especially if they need photos for PR purposes, speaking engagements etc.

3. Briefing your employees?

Let the staff know at least 1-2 weeks in advance about their upcoming headshot in case they want to have their hair cut beforehand. Remind them again by sending them an email the day before the session.

They might want to bring a hairbrush to re-adjust their hair before the photos or bring their make-up in case they feel they need a last-minute touch-up.

Employees will most likely need a bit of guidance in terms of dress code, and this very much depends on the company image you would like to put across on your website/LinkedIn. Don’t forget to let them know if you would like them to dress in a certain way, particularly if men should bring a tie/jacket/shirt.

If some of your staff members wear a uniform such as branded polo tops, remind them to wear a clean/fresh top on the day, it might also be a good idea to have some spare brand new tops in various sizes just in case.

4. Location and Space

Some employees might be excited at the thought of getting professional headshots, while others will invariably dread it. Making them feel at ease is the job of a good photographer, but it also really helps to find a location that will give some privacy like a meeting room (remember to book it!) or low traffic area within your office building. Posing in the middle of a busy open-plan office can be daunting and will make it a lot more difficult to get a relaxed expression.

If your office is too crowded, it might be an idea to see if there is another area with your office building, empty offices on other floors (obviously, seek permission first!) or a lobby with little footfall. Don’t worry about natural lighting as your professional photographer can provide their own lighting and background but space and a little privacy are important.

Your photographer will typically require a minimum space of roughly 2×3 meters to work comfortably. We can work in smaller spaces if needed but it will affect the results in terms of lighting and getting flattering angles.

If you are thinking about getting some environmental headshots, you will need an interesting background indoors or outdoors (with a backup solution in case it rains!). Your photographer will look for interesting features in your office, building or street to get photos that are “on brand”. Environmental headshots can take a bit more time so it’s worth factoring this into your budget.

5. Timing and Budget

There are different pricing structures for professional headshot photographers. Some charge for their time, some charge per headshot, and sometimes a combination of both. I charge for my time and I am happy to be flexible with my service to suit your budget.

If your budget is limited, I simply spend less time photographing each employee and will provide you with a single photo per person. This is a good solution if you have a large quantity of staff and if the photos are mainly used internally. In this instance, I would allow 2-5 minutes per employee.

If there is more flexibility within your budget and getting great images is the priority, I will spend more time with each employee, fine-tuning pose and expression, and showing them the back of the camera to make sure that they are happy with their headshot. I can also supply a wider variety of images for you to choose from. Allow 10-15 minutes per employee, sometimes a little more if they are particularly camera-shy or self-critical.

6. Follow-up sessions

Regardless of much planning goes into it, there is usually at least one or two staff members who won’t be able to make it on the day due to unforeseen circumstances like illness or a last-minute client meeting.

You’re also bound to have some new joiners in the future so it’s good to also have a plan and budget for ongoing ad-hoc photography after the bulk of the staff has been photographed. Using a local photographer who can come back for individual headshots can be a sensible option.

Do you need staff headshots for your company?

I offer professional headshots, corporate photography, and event photography throughout Hertfordshire.