Corporate Headshots — Be Ready Before You Need Them

When media opportunities, award announcements, or speaking invitations arrive without warning, companies with professional headshots on file can open a folder and respond with media-ready images. Companies without them scramble — paying premium last-minute rates, losing days to logistics, and sending images that might not have the planning to reflect their brand.

What Are Corporate Headshots Used For Beyond a Company Profile Page?

Corporate headshots serve as professional portraits across a wide range of business contexts: media coverage, conference speaker bios, award announcements, LinkedIn profile photos, pitch decks, telehealth platforms, and internal communications. For businesses in financial services, private equity, healthcare, and professional services, staff photography can end up in industry publications — sometimes on very short notice.

The Hidden Cost of Outdated or Missing Staff Photography

Most businesses treat staff photography as a "want to have" rather than a "need to have." It's an expense not directly tied to a sale, easy to deprioritize. Maybe you did corporate headshots five years ago. Maybe one group photo went on the website. Here's when you'll wish you'd made updates:

• Media deadlines: A journalist requests a high-resolution image for a feature story by end of day. Existing professional headshots are low-resolution or years out of date.

• Speaking engagements: A partner is invited to a conference, and the organizer needs a headshot photography file for the event registration page.

• Award recognition: A team member wins an industry award. The publication needs a publication-quality corporate headshot immediately.

• LinkedIn visibility: A senior leader updates their role, and their LinkedIn profile photo is a grainy crop from a company event three years ago.

• Investor and client materials: A pitch deck goes to a major prospect. The staff photography looks inconsistent across the team.

In each scenario, companies without a current photography library face the same two problems: time pressure and cost. Last-minute single-person headshot photography sessions cost significantly more than a planned team session.  You are producing results under pressure, not under ideal conditions.

What Happens When Your Professional Headshots Are Ready

One of our private equity clients called us because a senior staff member was being featured in the Wall Street Journal. They had their photos. All they needed from us was how to credit the photographer. The corporate headshots were already retouched, professional, and publication-quality. No scramble. No compromise. The team looked exactly the way they deserved to look in a high-profile moment.

That outcome isn't luck. It's preparation.

What to Look for in a Headshot Photography Provider

When evaluating headshot photography partners for your team, consider:

• Consistency across the full team — professional headshots should look cohesive, not like they were shot by five different people over five years

• High-resolution files — corporate headshots must hold up in print, not just on a website or LinkedIn profile photo

• Brand alignment — lighting, background, and style should reflect your firm's positioning

• Efficient session planning — location scouting, wardrobe direction, and scheduling should be handled upfront, not improvised on the day

• An ongoing relationship — as your team grows, adding new staff photography should be a simple call, not a new vendor search

Frequently Asked Questions About Corporate Headshots and Professional Headshots

How often should a company update its corporate headshots? Most businesses should refresh staff photography every two to three years, or whenever there is significant turnover, a rebrand, or a major change in the company's public profile. Individual professional headshots should be updated when an employee's appearance changes noticeably or when they take on a more public-facing role.

What makes a corporate headshot media-quality? Media-quality headshot photography is shot at high resolution (300 DPI minimum), with professional lighting that eliminates harsh shadows, on a background consistent with the company's brand. Images are retouched for skin tone and clarity without appearing artificially altered, and delivered in formats suitable for both print and digital use — including LinkedIn profile photos.

How long does a headshot photography session take? Individual corporate headshots typically take five to fifteen minutes per person when the session is well-planned. For a team of ten to twenty people, expect an afternoon. Larger teams or multi-location companies may require multiple session days.

Is it more cost-effective to photograph the whole team at once? Yes, significantly. A full-team staff photography session distributes fixed costs — travel, setup, equipment — across every portrait. Calling a photographer in for a single last-minute professional headshot is the most expensive way to build a photography library.

What industries need professional headshots most? Any industry where employees appear in public-facing contexts benefits from consistent corporate headshots and staff photography. This includes financial services and private equity (media coverage, investor materials), healthcare (telehealth platforms, practice websites), professional services (consulting, law, accounting), and real estate.

What is the difference between corporate headshots and LinkedIn profile photos? Corporate headshots are high-resolution, brand-aligned portraits built for a wide range of uses — media, print, websites, pitch decks, and publications. A LinkedIn profile photo is one specific application of that same image. Strong headshot photography serves both purposes: it meets the technical requirements of a LinkedIn profile while holding up in higher-stakes contexts like press coverage or investor materials.

What should employees wear for corporate headshots? Subjects should dress as though they are meeting their most important client. Avoid busy patterns and logos. Clothes should be clean and pressed — the more time a retoucher spends on fabric wrinkles, the more the session costs. Solid colors photograph cleanly and keep the focus on the person, not the outfit.

Corporate Headshots and Staff Photography in the New York City Metro Area

We specialize in headshot photography, professional headshots, and staff photography for companies across New York and the greater tri-state area. Whether your team has five people or fifty, we offer polished, publication-ready corporate headshots and LinkedIn profile photos your people will actually want to use.

Reach out to start a conversation.

Lead Generating Photos? Yes, please!

 In a client-facing company where image and branding matter?  Here's some perspective on why headshots are an unquestionable asset when it comes to lead generation.

When a potential client does a LinkedIn search, their's a snap judgment made in less than 3 seconds. It's not based on credentials, reputation, or investment philosophy. Sure, that research will happen.  But that first impression, the thing that makes them want to click further?  The photos.

If you're a Marketing or Communications Director and one of these firms, you know this problem intimately. You're responsible for your firm's brand—but your teams' profile pictures and linkedin profile details can often be uncontrolled brand touchpoints. And right now, they might be costing you clients.

We have all seen the #'s. Those with optimized business headshots on their “team pages” and Linkedin profiles get 15-20% more profile views. 

Research from Princeton University shows that people form impressions of “trustworthiness, competence, and likability within 100 milliseconds” of seeing a face. That's faster than conscious thought.

Your clients are asking for trust in a high-stakes domain. Someone considering you is thinking:

-Can I trust this person?

-Do they understand people like me?

-Are they professional?

-Would I feel comfortable being candid with my questions?

Your photo answers these questions before they even read your headline.

This is not about vanity. It's about building a pipeline.

The typical buyer journey:

1. Prospect is referred to your business. 

2. They land on your beautiful website (that you spent months perfecting.)

3. They click through to your "Team" page.

4. They click on an advisor's LinkedIn profile to learn more.

5. They see an inconsistent, outdated, or unprofessional photo.

6. They might stay.  But they also might clock the fact that you didn't see the need to professionalize this detail.  The math might happen unconsciously but they are definitely registering a disconnect in professionalism.

What Does "Lead-Generating" Actually Mean When It Comes to Photography?

A corporate headshots does three things simultaneously:

1. Stops the scroll - When someone is browsing search results or their feed, a polished, current, and professional photo in a sea of mediocre selfies and decade-old headshots will stand out.

2. Builds immediate trust - Financial services and real estate are trust businesses. Before someone invests they need to feel like you are credible, competent, and approachable. A professional headshot is your first trust signal.

3. Differentiates you from competitors - When a prospect is comparing three potential vendors a rofessional headshot photo could be the tiebreaker.

We look at photos all day – both good and bad.  Here is our experience on what works:

1. Your headshots should be recent (Within 3 years).

If your staff photos were taken before the pandemic, it's hurting you.

Prospects can tell when a photo is outdated—the styling, the jewelry, the background, even the image quality gives it away. An old photo subconsciously signals: "This person doesn't keep up – with change, with market updates, with data they need to make informed decisions." 

2. Professionally Shot (Not a Cropped Wedding Photo.  But you knew that)

We have seen it all: grainy iPhone selfies, cropped vacation photos with someone's hand still on your shoulder, screenshots from Zoom calls. It's honestly better to have nothing than this.

3. Appropriate Attire That Matches Your Client Base

Do you dress for your firm culture or for your client?

- Are you serving high-net-worth individuals or institutions? Traditional business attire. Suit and tie for men, business professional for women. This signals you're serious and sophisticated.

- Serving younger professionals or tech entrepreneurs? Business casual can work.  Clients know that t-shirts and jeans are the common dress code at some companies.  But don't be fooled.  Clients very much want to see a level of polish and professionalism if they are spending their money with your company.  Think blazer without tie, elevated but approachable. If this feels like too much, a nicely pressed button down.  Always choose sophisticated over casual.  Clothes should be pressed and tidy.  

These things can really tank a photo:  A wrinkly shirt, a sweatshire or something way too casual, a neckline that is overly revealing.  The only thing that fixes these things are out-of-scope retouching and/or reshoot.

The rule: Dress one level more formal than your typical client meeting attire. You can always dress down in person, but you can't dress up a casual photo.

4. Genuine, Warm Expression (The "Approachability Factor")

This is where most struggle and where we come in.  Find a professional photographer that can guide his or her subjects into different postures so as to find the look that is most natural.  Your team's most approachable look might not be a smile and so options with different expressions are important.  The goal is to have a gallery of images that help you hone in on an image that is  confident and competent.

5. Clean, Professional Background

Your LinkedIn profile picture should have a neutral background that is non-distracting. The focus needs to stay on your subjects

What works:

- Soft, neutral backdrop (gray, blue, white)

- Subtle office environment (bookshelf, window with natural light)

- Outdoor professional setting (building exterior, clean architectural background)

What doesn't work:

- Busy patterns or colors that compete for attention

- Home settings

- Obvious stock photo backgrounds

- Anything that looks like a driver's license or passport photo

6. Looping your photographer in with your website designer or the in-house design team.

Make sure you communicate the specifications you will need for your photos.  This includes proportions, framing (how much of the body is in the photo), file size, negative space (if you need room for text).  

*LinkedIn crops photos into a circle, so for this, framing really matters.

7. High Resolution and Proper Lighting

Technical quality matters more than you think. Any photographer you choose should be demonstrating their knowledge of this on their website in their socials.  Also, see #6.

The Biggest Mistakes We See (And How to Fix Them)

Mistake #1: "My photo is fine—I took it 5 years ago."

If you look noticeably different now (gray hair, glasses, weight change), your photo is creating a disconnect. When you show up to a first meeting looking different than your photo, it creates subconscious distrust.

Update your team's business headshots every 2-3 years, or whenever your appearance changes significantly. We all age and we all loved that photo of ourselves when we were 28, 32, 42 (!!!), but a current, beautiful headshot photo emotes confidence and authority of experience.

Mistake #2: "I'll just crop a photo from a company event or a group photo.”

Group photos, conference photos, and candid shots are not professional headshots. The lighting is wrong, the angle is wrong.  Clients want to know your team professionally before they want to know about their after hours fun.

Mistake #3: "I don't photograph well."

We hear this constantly. Here's the truth: everyone photographs well with the right photographer and the right approach. Are you uncomfortable on camera?  If yes, this is exactly why you need a professional who knows how to direct you and make you look like your best self.

Mistake #4: "My photo doesn't match my firm's other advisors"

Inconsistency looks unprofessional. If half your team has professional photos and half have random snapshots, it signals a disconnect in the organization as a whole.

How do I know If It's Time For Professional Photos?

1: Open LinkedIn and honestly assess your team's photos against the 7 elements above.

2: Look at your top 3 competitors' LinkedIn profiles. How does your photo compare? Are you winning or losing the first impression game?

3: Audit your entire team's LinkedIn photos. If there's inconsistency, schedule a team session.

The Bottom Line

Your company profile photos aren't about vanity. They are about revenue.

About us:

We specialize in headshot photography for financial services firms, law firms and corporate clients in the New York metro area. Over the past decade, as a premier New York photographer, we've photographed over 10,000 professionals, helped companies align their marketing, and turned their LinkedIn profiles into lead generation opportunities.

If your team needs updated professional headshots, or you're a Marketing Director looking to create visual consistency across your firm, let's chat. Feel free to connect with me here on LinkedIn or reach out directly.

What It Really Takes to Plan a Corporate Headshot Day

Does the idea of booking corporate headshots seem hard? Not sure what you will need or how it's done? Wondering what you don't know?

Whether a client needs to cover 20 or 200 employees in a single day, they need more than just creative talent—they need a professional photographer who is reliable and uncomplicated. They already have a full inbox, last-minute fires to put out, and a long list of stakeholders with competing demands. The headshot experience needs to be the easiest part of their day.

Here’s how we make that happen.

Reliability Above Everything

To be reliable, your corporate headshot photography crew must be prepared. It requires an experienced team that:

...has someone on staff dedicated to client logistics. It's that person's job to set up a smooth, professional photoshoot by locking in key details efficiently.

...is early for setup and ready 15 minutes before the first .

...has mandatory insurance that is submitted and building-approved, well in advance of the shoot.

...can navigate NYC buildings and a complicated loading dock process.

Reliability isn’t a nice-to-have. It’s the foundation of the entire experience and will give you confidence for a good shoot.

A Shot That Matches Your Brand Identity — Every Time

A corporate team expects corporate photography that match their brand: clean, polished, and consistent.

Creating consistency at scale means:

• Awareness of brand guidelines, current or new.

• Location and lighting plan and workflow where the photographer can make sure every subject gets the same shot.

• A plan for how to consistently cover those who are not present on headshot day.

• Backup equipment.

The end result? Every department—from interns to executives—gets a flattering, unified look that aligns with brand identity and elevates the company image.

Make It Easy

The photography should be 'high-end professional'. The process should feel 'turn key'.

Our process includes:

• Scheduling software that allows employees to select convenient time slots for their headshots.

• Instant image sharing, so team members receive their professional photos immediately

• Easy retouching options, keeping quality high and turnaround quick

• Real-time monitoring, making sure everything is backed up and secure

With the right tools, 200 people could move through the headshot station(s) efficiently at a scheduled time, receive their images instantly and make a selection without limited client involvement. You will hear team members say, “Wow, that was easy.”

A Friendly, Confident Photographer Makes All the Difference

Even a prepared executive might wonder how to pose for a photoshoot. A photographer who can connect quickly, give clear direction, and adjust to different personalities ensures everyone feels comfortable—and looks their best.

Efficiency doesn’t mean rushed. It means professional, confident, and skilled.

An experienced photographer can get a client 20+ good frames in under 5 minutes. He or she should be a master at optimizing each shoot, adjusting for skin tone, body type, height or even confidence level.

The Packages Should Be Clear and Easy To Book

Most clients only need to:

• Take the time to share their needs

• Pick a package

• Lock in logistics

Done right, a client can plan on spending an hour or less on the entire process with us.

We handle everything else: insurance, building access, equipment, scheduling tools, setup, breakdown, and delivery.

In Summary...

Your photography has to be good. Of course. But we know that high-volume headshots are about more than a good shot. They’re about creating a system that is reliable, efficient and, of course, enjoyable.

If your company is planning a large hiring push, a sales meeting or other need a good headshot day, let’s talk. We make good headshots easy.

How To Photograph Large Attendee Conferences — Without Rushing the Experience →

If you know us, you know we care a lot about the photos we take.

The conference planners that come for us want:

A high-quality, human-centered experience where each attendee gets attentive posing guidance, a quick confidence boost, and professional headshots that feels genuinely personalized — even within a 5-minute session.

We are efficient, yes. But we are far from a “next-in-line” model.

WHY would a client want this? More people = more contacts, right?

Sure, but a conference is a place to impress. It's quality of leads, not quantity. A quality experience reflects better than a “next-in-line” model. It generates buzz (“I got the best headshot of my life at Brand X's booth!”) and creates positive associations.

If that’s the experience you want for your attendees, here’s what it actually takes to deliver professional headshots in New York—or anywhere else—without cutting corners.

1. Efficiency Built Around Quality, Not Speed

Efficiency doesn’t always mean fast. For premium activations, efficiency means structured, predictable timing that gives each attendee enough attention to feel comfortable and be photographed at their best.

That requires:

• A refined, repeatable micro-session flow

• Adjustable lighting to flatter a wide range of faces and skin tones

• Quick rapport-building techniques

• Natural, confidence-building posing guidance

• A balanced pace that prioritizes quality

The goal isn’t to move people through quickly — it’s to ensure every attendee walks away feeling seen and supported and happy to use their new business headshots.

2. Queue Management That Supports a Calm, Confidence-Building Experience

When each subject receives dedicated attention, queue flow must be intentional. As an experienced headshot photographer who know's NY Client, the line can’t feel rushed — and the experience can’t feel chaotic.

We use:

• Pre-event scheduling tools. Guests show up for an appointment.

• Friendly guidance and clear signage so they know where to go.

• A drop in line that is heavily managed and kept short.

• A warm greeter to set expectations

A calm flow supports a calm experience.

3. Registration Integration That Personalizes the Process

High-touch experiences benefit greatly from smart pre-planning. Integrating headshots in New York and the area with your event registration allows you to:

• Offer time slots or priority windows

• Allows follow-up communication with information about the session

• Pre-schedule VIPs and speakers as needed

• Create a seamless path from check-in to photography

This sets the tone for a thoughtful, premium experience. Attendees know they are in good hands before they arrive.

4. Equipment Redundancy to Maintain Quality All Day

It's a very 'behind-the-scenes' topic, but back up equipment is key. Computers crash, cameras malfunction, and lights blow out. We maintain the high standard of professional photography by having backup equipment on hand—meaning the show goes on, even if a camera decides not to.

We bring:

• Backup cameras and lenses

• Extra lighting.

• Extra tethering gear

• Additional computers for tethering.

5. On-Site Team Coordination That Creates a VIP Feel

A premium experience requires a smooth, coordinated team. Our staffing model supports a calming, confidence-building environment.

We typically include:

• A lead photographer focused entirely on the subject

• Additional photographers if the job is too big for just one.

• A guest experience coordinator

The result is a booth that feels warm, organized, and fully covered.

6. Sponsorship Value: The Difference Between a Freebie and an Experience.

A premium headshot experience is one of the most reliably successful sponsorship opportunities at conferences — and planners love that. Make your goal elevated, high production value headshots to connect every branding opportunity to that experience.

Attendees value their headshots (often more than swag or giveaways), sponsors get unusually strong, long-lasting visibility. Making that a premium headshot experience will elevate your sponsorship ROI at every level:

• High-traffic branding opportunities before and after the event.

• Direct, in-person engagement.

• Data + Follow Up Opportunities

When planners want headshots to feel like an upscale experience — not a high-speed utility — they choose partners who can balance scale with quality.

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Get Ready For Your Headshot!

Dressing For Your Corporate Portrait

We get this question all the time: How does one dress for a corporate headshot?

Our answer: Dress like you are going to meet your best client.

What does this mean? It can mean many things.

A lawyer or financial services professional might wear a suit or blazer to signal a coherence with industry norms.

A therapist might choose a well-styled blouse or sweater for their business headshots to signal competence, warmth, and comfort.

A graphic designer might lean into a sharp pair of glasses and a shirt with a creative flair to signal a link between their personal/professional style.

General rules:

1. Start with something that is clean and free of wrinkles. You want your best client to think you are professional in every way. Looking well-kept is a baseline signal.

2. Avoid branding and logos. Logos limit you. You might not always want your company name (or someone else's) in your headshot.

3. Solid colors work well, but stay away from all black and/or all white. Patterns are okay, but remember, a pattern that looks great full length can be distracting, or it might not read well when it's cropped down to a headshot view.

4. Avoid sleeveless looks. Short or long sleeves are more neutral for all seasons.

5. A well-fitted boatneck or button-up always looks great, but you know your body. Wear what looks good on your shape.

6. Consider structured clothes (suits, blazers, clothes with clean lines). They hang straight and look polished.

7. Avoid drapy clothes that need to be styled in a specific way. They might look great in a room, but our professional photographer will be moving you around to capture your best on-camera angles. This could create awkward fabric bunching. Bulked up and awkward creases are never the best look.

8. Jewelry and Accessories. As Coco Chanel said, “Before you leave the house, look in the mirror and take one thing off.” Less is more.

Most importantly, if you feel good in it, wear it. You will come feeling confident, which always looks great in a photo!

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Booth Letter 7: Summer Trends - Corporate Headshot Photography

Summer Business Trends: Embracing the Seasonal Shift

As we enter the middle/late end of summer, we are still noticing some unique, summery things about the business photography landscape. From innovative marketing strategies to shifts in consumer behavior, here are some key trends shaping how we think about business and headshot photography.

Trend 1: Digital Engagement is Soaring.

With more people taking vacations and spending time outdoors, digital engagement becomes paramount. People are away from their desks but not from their phones. Businesses are leveraging social media, interactive content, and mobile-friendly campaigns to stay connected with their audience.

Ease of digital engagement via mobile device is paramount, especially if you have kids you are trying to keep busy before school starts. Chances are, you are running around, dropping off, pickup up, taking the dog to the vet, etc. During those five minutes of waiting in the car or hanging at the dog park, you can squeeze in time to answer an email, look up a vendor, review a resume (do they have a professional corporate headshot???). It's not ideal, but it is nice that phones help you check these things off the list, especially when looking for where to get professional headshots or LinkedIn profile photos.

And this is on top of the fact that a large part of the workforce is still working from home. Whether we can swing it during the cooler months, a more lax summer schedule that allows us to stay at home drives more digital engagement. Work from home means work outside, maybe, means knock off a bit early and take the kids to the pool, maybe? Hey, as long as you are getting that day-to-day work done, maybe you can hit that Barre class late morning.

When we are not together, digital engagement soars. Your business is probably leveraging social media and remote connections. As we always say, the first thing someone sees is your headshots, so make sure they are professional photos that look appropriate and high-quality.

Trend 2: E-commerce Innovation

Online shopping for that new pair of Birkenstocks or that new office hire, doesn’t slow down in the summer months. Businesses are enhancing their e-commerce platforms and summer outreach with personalized experiences, quick delivery options, and summer-themed digital marketing and outreach campaigns that feel a little lighter in style.

Think about how you can produce images and leverage them to communicate a current feeling. You want the images you put out into the world to feel consistent and responsive to what people see outside their window.

Trend 3: Product Photography in Seasonal Context

With summer comes a shift in consumer preferences towards seasonal products like outdoor gear, beachwear, and refreshing beverages. Businesses invest in product photography that not only showcases the features and benefits but also evokes the feeling of summer. Whether it's a vibrant beach scene or a refreshing drink under the sun, photographers adeptly frame products within their seasonal context.

In the context of corporate headshot photography, this might mean adding a shot that has a fresh, bright feel to it. More and more, we are asked to provide options for a shoot—maybe one executive headshot against a solid background and one that is more environmental. Sometimes this is in the office, but it can also have a natural background. Something with natural light that evokes a beautiful day.

And here's the thing about summer shoots. We all look a little better in the summer. Whether it is some kind of outdoorsy glow or a bit of the tan that makes it through your sunscreen, it's a great time to jump in front of the camera for a professional headshots session.

Trend 4: Event Coverage and Documentation

Summer is synonymous with outdoor events, festivals, weddings, and corporate retreats, making event photography—and the work of a skilled corporate candid photographer—skilled in event coverage, capturing candid moments, emotions, and the essence of gatherings, more important than ever.

This kind of coverage is very important for businesses. Clients want to see their vendors as a collection of people. They want to get to know the vendors with whom they are spending time and money.

Social media platforms thrive on visual content, making them essential for businesses during the summer. Photographers play a pivotal role in creating Instagram-worthy images and stories that engage followers, enhance brand visibility, and drive traffic to businesses' online platforms.

Businesses can leverage these images in so many ways. Use them in social media feeds, in commercials, in emailers, and as press releases. Covering a corporate event with candid photography is a no-brainer. It's a low-cost way to generate a ton of content that could last several months of the year.

In Summary

In essence, the convergence of summer business trends and photography creates a dynamic landscape where visual storytelling flourishes. Businesses harness the power of photography to use across digital media. They tell a story that feels timely with the summer light and feeling. Using high-quality corporate headshots and candid event photography is a great way to reach people who are digitally connected while enjoying their summers.

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Booth Letter 6 - Making the Parmesan Vs Making the Photos

We just got back from Italy, and it was a joy – art, food, culture. We hit it all.

One day, we took a tour of a Parmesan factory, and I hope it doesn't sound cheesy (sorry), but I found some everyday business parallels to our professional photography business.

We visited a smaller farm, but it was no small operation. They had modern and age-old equipment. Their cheese was certified by the region and is a resource for both the region and as exporters.

Every day, they took the milk of over 200 cows who had been feasting on only grass from the region and turned it into 8 (or so) wheels of parmesan cheese.

I gleaned some important takeaways and similarities to how we run and are tied to our portrait photography business.

Takeaway 1 – 365 days a year.

They have over 200 cows on the farm, and those cows produce milk every day. The cows don't know that it is Christmas or the weekend. They make the milk, so the milk has to be made into cheese.

We don't work 365 days per year, but you better believe that we are open for business, no matter when the client needs us. If a client needs professional headshots on a Saturday or requires event photography during a birthday or holiday, we do it or find a way to support it with our team. There is no way around the fact that we are on someone else’s schedule almost entirely when it comes to taking business headshots.

Takeaway #2 – It can take as few as 2 people to make the cheese.

For those who know us, our headshot photography business is a partnership. It's the Laura and Ian show. Now we are supremely lucky to have a team of portrait photographers and assistants and designers and bookkeepers and accountants and everything else you need to run a business. They are all integral to making the dream of shooting headshot photography for thousands of people per year a reality. But Ian and I are the center of this operation, and it is up to us to make the cheese.

Takeaway #3 – This cheese has provenance.

Parmesan cheese is not just parmesan cheese. It is certified DOP from a specific factory with markings made from a mold licensed specifically to that factory. Each wheel of parmesan is marked as such with dates and authorities, and can be traced back to where and when it was made.

This one really resonates. We are very much tied to quality and style in our business portraits and all aspects of our photography. The quality has to be consistent. We curate our team, making sure they come to us with a base level of skill/talent, and we train them all the same way. While each shooter brings a perspective, there is a quality we aim for with our product that meets high production values. We care very much that people get an excellent headshot photo, and we stake our name, our provenance, on that.

Takeaway #4 – There is value to this cheese.

A wheel of Parmesan aged for 40 months can fetch anywhere from $400 - $1000. Some producers will store a few wheels at a bank as collateral for business financing. The bank has that much trust in the quality and certification that they can take make an actual loan based on the value of the cheese.

This shows that there are some intangible qualities that can support that this cheese is a good bet. It is worth the money.

For us, in photography, these intangible qualities are what help us form a strong bond wth our clients. Yes, you can say that we are using high-quality equipment. But anyone can buy a good camera. We know how to use it, we know how to make people look good in a photo. We work with staff that have skills and then continually train them to improve. We are reliable and make clients feel comfortable that we will do the job consistently and with great client service. These are the intangibles that get us our 'certification'. That make people trust The Booth for their corporate headshots, like they trust the word 'Parmesan'.

Bon apetite and, of course, say 'Cheese!'

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Booth Letter 5: Black or White?

A Client’s Choice - Black and White or Color Corporate Headshots

We recently did a LinkedIn headshot day for a client that was on the fence, creatively. They knew it would be a more serious, corporate headshot look, but were stuck on one issue – black and white or color.

They were thinking maybe they would do both, but were unsure of how these images would look together. A color image on a clean white background has a very different look than what that professional headshot converted to black and white. It's an altogether different look for a corporate headshot, and the two looks will certainly send a different kind of signal to a client.

Pre-shoot, we established trust with this new client. As a New York headshot photographer, we had clear packages to show him and examples from our galleries that were relevant to the looks he was considering. This was enough for the client to feel assured that we could do the work.

Still, we wanted the client to truly understand the choice and outcome they could expect from their new professional headshot – black and white or color. It was decided that we would build in an extra bit and do a short test shoot before the staff showed up for their professional photos.

Starting with one subject, we shot the corporate headshot photo a few different ways and then converted it to black and white. The client was able to do a real side-by-side comparison and think about how their staff photography would look like together on a page. From here, they felt far more assured of their decision.

This ended up being a really good solution for this client. This was a small-ish firm (20 attorneys) without a marketing person. One of the partners was tasked with making this creative decision. This attorney had an awful lot on his plate, as attorneys often do. While he couldn't have a better client to work with – friendly, gracious, and professional – he just didn't have time to ruminate on these creative ideas.

We knew that we could make his life easier. We reduced the pre-planning portion. We came to the job with options that could easily be executed and decided on in person.

From there, we were able commit to a look and cover the staff headshots consistently for a client confident and assured client.

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Booth Letter 5 - Digital First With Headshots

Utilizing Headshots for Digital Marketing

In today's digital-first corporate strategy, headshots are an invaluable tool for digital marketing efforts. They can be used in various ways to enhance online presence and engage with the target audience.

First and foremost, professional headshots can be utilized on company websites and social media profiles. Placing business headshots of key team members on these platforms humanizes the company and allows clients to put a face to the names they interact with. It makes the company more approachable and relatable, which is why portrait photography is so essential for your branding.

Additionally, corporate headshots can be used in email marketing campaigns, newsletters, and blog posts. Including corporate headshots in these communications adds a personal touch and helps establish a connection with the recipients. It also increases the chances of the content being read and remembered.

Really want to get the most bang for your buck – leverage your business headshots for online advertising and promotional materials. A well-craft set of staff headshot taken by a professional photographer can grab attention and make potential clients curious about the company's offerings. It serves as a visual representation of the company's values and professionalism.

And a lovely review from a lovely corporate headshot client:

Have you ever dreamed of the perfect photographer that would be able to pull the real you from their camera? The you that encapsulates the energy you want to project? Well, Laura and The Booth do exactly that. They just get me. They capture the energy I want in vivid, and sometimes fun imagery. A headshot is more than a photograph, it's the projection of you as a brand. And the Booth nails it every time. I can not recommend them highly enough.

-Rekha Gibbons, Client, friend and peer.

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Booth Letter 4

Background Switch

We have a new service! It's called Background Switch and we do just that – take a photo off of its existing background and apply it to yours.

This is the fastest way to get your new hire's professional headshots to match the rest of your staff. You might be planning a headshot day in a few months, but the photos need to match. Now.

This has worked well for clients with the following:
-New staff that needs to be online asap.
-Remote staff submitting professionally taken images.
-A roster webpage with unmatching photos.

This can be a very good, low-cost upgrade that will hold you over until your next full headshot day.

Here's a link: https://www.theboothforbusiness.com/theboothretouching.

Case Study 1: The New Hire

Our client went through a website rebranding, taking gorgeous corporate headshot photos (if we do say so ourselves) of their entire staff.

One month later, someone new joined the team.

The press release announcing this new hire was eminent. They needed a quick turnaround to get an image consistent with their new branding for the release and, in general, for the staff profile page.

We had the background plate from a previous shoot, so we clipped out the image and placed it onto it, thereby making a beautiful, consistent corporate headshot out of the two parts. Now they had something they could work with.

This is a temporary solution for this client. The photo looks good and lets them move ahead with consistency in their professional headshots. Eventually, we will be back their office to do a photo with the right light in the right background. But it's a great tool to have for when you need to move quickly.

More case studies to come!

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