The Background Challenge - Corporate Headshots
When we work with clients, we want a clear understanding on what they want out of their final professional headshots. Our strategy is to break down down the elements of the shot. This can include background, crop, style, environment, etc. This helps us zero in on how we can construct an image that the client really wants.
Looking at background, we find that clients are pretty clear on the general category or style they want from their photo. The professional headshot subject will either be on a setup background or situated in a specific environment. It is our job to tune in on exactly what that means for you, stylistically. But we would be remiss if we did not also help you understand how that type of background will work with your company.
We have discussed background consideration in previous posts. The two main choices are environmental backgrounds and solid backgrounds. An environmental corporate portrait means we are taking a photo that features the subject using the space (or environment) as the background. The idea is that the room or location will be part of the image and will feature surrounding elements that add context to the image.
Think of an attorney photographed in a boardroom or library, a business person in a conference room, an actress photographed in a theater. Each of the locations and backgrounds give the image depth, adds professional context, or signals something about what the subject does professionally. There is consistency in feel but because no two people are the same, they will fill up the space differently.
Here is an example of a subject that was photographed in an available space. In the end they wanted that corporate headshot against a shifted background.
If you are using a solid background, you are shooting against a backdrop or wall. There might be some texture or variation in hue, but in this case, you are looking for a clean and consistent look. No matter how tall, small, large-haired or bald this person is, the background is a unifying factor.
This is great for a company that wants every shot to feel similar. It is an easy solution for large companies and companies with multiple locations where it is hard to get all staff together in one place. It can easily be duplicated in different locations.
Creating consistency with backgrounds.
So you want to use your office environment for New York business headshots but you have staff working in Atlanta and Chicago. What do you do to for corporate headshots in those other locations? There is a workaround that takes a bit more planning and post-shoot time, but is easy to pull off.
Here's the trick. When we photograph a team in front of an environmental background, we also capture an image of the background without anyone in the frame. It is a photo of just the background. When someone from a different office needs those same professional headshots, that person can be photographed against a solid background. We then clip the image, (imagine using a pair of scissors to cut around the outline of that person) and then paste them onto the company background. Yes, it is more complex and might require a bit more budget for post-production work, but it works and is certainly less costly and more convenient than getting that person in for a photo.
Another option for environmental corporate headshots is to choose 2-3 different options for backgrounds. There can be a background choice for each company location. Keeping in mind your company's overall design choices and branding guidelines, pick a spot in each location where your employees can be photographed.
Multiple environmental backgrounds, thoughtfully chosen, can work beautifully together on a company website. There will be no images that feel jarringly different, should you hire someone new. Already the staff roster page will be filled with professional headshots using different backgrounds.
Solid backgrounds can sometimes also require additional background work. Tonal shifts can happen even when subjects are all shot on the same exact background. Variation is less likely when everyone is shot the same and lighting plans are created for the most consistent outcome when a second day of different cities need covering. Still there are factors, such as slight shifts in light placement, different cameras, different computers processing, etc.
We get around this and aim for consistency using the same strategy as with the environmental background. When we are doing the original professional headshots in your office, we shoot the original background without a subject in front of it. In post-production, we compare the backgrounds of those professional portraits. If necessary, we can clip the subject off of the background they were shot in front of and place it onto the company background.
Here is a different kind of example of how a we had to shift professional headshots from one solid background to another. The company business headshots to blend into the overall basic white webpage background.
Now, anyone who has ever walked into a paint store to find a can of white for their walls, knows that there are more than a few shades of white. When you start to put those white paint chips together, you see that while some might be similar, you can still detect differences.
The same is true for photography. Our white background might be a warmer (think yellow tones) or colder (think blue tones). The light we are using might have it's own cast to it and the file processing might add it's own shift. There could be a some light fall off making the edges a little darker. To the eye, the background might appear to be a clean white on the screen but when we get it onto that white web page we will see a clear line differentiating between the two. There is a clear difference.
So we take the same approach. We clip the image from it's original photo and place it onto the white that matches the website from edge-to-edge. Voila, it blends in perfectly!
There is a lot to think about when you plan for your business headshots. Hopefully these ideas around background solutions help you feel more confident that your headshot page will pull together beautifully.
