Photoshoot Planning
Planning Advice for Coordinators and Marketing Managers
Shooting space:
A space offering about 12ft by 9ft floorspace and privacy is a good option. In most cases the boardroom works best if available. Smaller conference rooms or mid sized offices can suffice as well. I have set up in common areas, front foyer, even office kitchens before. They can work if in a pinch but I find closed off rooms the best if possible. The main common lobby of a building is not advised, there are just too many distracting elements and other pitfalls.
I consider quiet and privacy a key aspect to help keep the executive at ease. Passing colleges, or worse loitering college (especially offering humorous remarks) does not help the photo session. Even if people claim that they don’t mind if coworkers watch while they have their headshot taken I can assure you their expression and body language says otherwise. Also when a college is onlooking a headshot shoot, the sitter, feeling self conscious will almost always want the photoshoot be over quickly thus reducing the quantity of photo options I can provide.
Do you need window light?
No. I bring my own studio lights to ensure a reproducible continuity in the lighting. Using office window light can work if the client requests and really wants a natural light look but one thing to consider would be shooting additional persons at a later date. If it is early morning mid winter in Vancouver as opposed to afternoon late summer on the next shoot the quality and angle of light will be quite a bit different so there may be a gap in the overall continuity of the staff shots. It’s not always that noticeable depending on the window position (north facing is best) but it is something to consider.
We want an outdoor natural light shoot:
Yes this is possible. Outdoor corporate photos can look great and give a natural open feel to the image. Usually a suitable place can be found somewhere close to the office. I find that there are usually less usable shots per shoot and it takes a bit longer to get the lighting correct but the payoffs can be great.
A couple things to consider when shooting outdoors: If it is raining it can drastically reduce the lighting or subject placement options usually pushing the shoot indoors or underneath cover. The wind effects straight long hair much more than anticipated. It is colder than out than it seems when standing in one spot for a photoshoot especially in Vancouver. I would say drop about 4 degrees celsius to the current temp for anticipated perceived outdoor comfort level. Random people on the street are watching the shoot at all times. It does take longer overall for the shoot to happen if it is outdoors so a bit more disruption to the days workflow. Usually there is no additional cost though for time spent.
Can we come to your studio?
Yes the studio is located just outside downtown Vancouver. I find that if the amount of persons to be photographed is 4 or less then it is worth it. If more than 4 then the disruption to the workflow of the day due to travel and such might exceed the benefit of coming to the studio and better for me to set up in your office. For pickup shots or someone that missed the main shoot certainly it can be beneficial to pop by the studio
Time allocation Per Person
In most cases 15 min is a good time slot per person. It can be as little as 10min or even less if the schedule is extremely pressed, usually no more than 20min per is necessary to achieve an excellent corporate headshot.
Depending on the flexibility of your firm's schedule a very time efficient method is for the executives to wrangle up the next person on the list after they have completed their session. This is for maximum time efficiency but not always feasible if the executives are on set scheduled on that particular day. In that case a time slot schedule is preferable.
The most corporate headshots I have photographed in a day is 34, it was a long day and I was almost delirious near the end but it is possible.
Estimated Timeline Photoshoot to final Retouched delivery.
The usual Timeline is as follows: - 2 days after the photoshoot day the client receives the web previews (proofs) - amount of time that it takes to select photos: This can be one day or one month depending on how dast you select. - 4 to 5 working weekdays to receive the retouched finals.
If the images are selected very quickly then the turnaround can be just over a week or possibly within a week if really pushing. Please note that the 4-5 retouching days are from the time that the selections are provided to me not the day of the photoshoot. The delivery date is very much dependent on how fast the client chooses the images to be retouched. The selection process can be given to the photographer but it seems most clients want some input from the executive or else photo shoot planner.
Who chooses the photos for retouching?
There are three scenarios for image selection. These are listed in the order of most popular to least popular with my clients.
1) The executive chooses and relays the selection number or numbers to the photoshoot coordinator (you)
2) There is a collaboration between coordinator and executive. Coordinator selects top 3 and lets the executive choose the final or Visa versa.
3) Let the photographer choose. It is rare but it does happen. I am happy to choose and believe I have good taste but probably it is best that the executive or coordinator knows the expression that best represents the company.
Pre Planning:
Energy Level and shaping the mood:
As a photoshoot coordinator you can positively effect the outcome of the photoshoot. Most of the executives and team members will not be overly excited to get their photo taken. Others will have a tight schedule to work around and still others will be wondering if their wardrobe will be suitable. Some will be stressing about giving a nice bright expression on a rainy Tuesday morning or distressed about that one surprise pimple that somehow showed up in their mid thirties. For most it will be a slightly stressful event to look forward to that will moderately disrupt the workflow of the day and cause some doubt and apprehension. This is normal but we need to turn it around and prepare the best possible groundwork for the photoshoot day.
Focus on the positives.. some encouragement could be:
It will not take long and the results will be great You will not have to take photos again for at least 3 years You will finally have a great clean shot for your linkedin profile You can choose your own photo out of the shots he takes. He will retouch the photo, he can fix it You look great in the suit / outfit This colour suits you He is easy to work with
Just stay positive and usher some gentle reinforcement to help them along and I will do the rest. Even if they absolutely hate having their photo taken regardless I will still manage to extract some positive energy and radiance. Having a positive reinforcement from a college or friend before hand can go a long way to set the groundwork.
Retouching
Retouching is a very important element and gives a final polish and professionalism to the final photos. All photos on this website have been professionally retouched. I can safely say without any vanity that Vancouver Headshot Photographer delivers the most vibrant and naturally retouched corporate images out of all photographers in the lower mainland.
Below is a list of common retouching elements that would be completed on a given portrait. It is not necessary to request any of the below as it will be applied on a case by case basis. Some persons need more in certain places and less in others or sometimes nothing in others. The main goal is to apply the retouching in as subtle a way as possible as to enhance the beauty and vibrance of the image while still looking as though no retouching has been done.There is no additional cost for the retouching listed below.
• Extra sleep under the eyes
..and various other things that might need addressing for a particular photo.
If anything is required over and above what is listed above feel free to let me know and I will do my very best to apply the modification. To avoid overly complicating things for the executive having their photo taken, I would say it is advisable to only bring up the retouching above if a person has concerns pre-shoot. Retouching requests notes are only necessary if the person is concerned about a certain element of their appearance on that day.
The only things that are found to be difficult to fix in the retouching / Post production for individual portraits is hair falling across the neckline in an unnatural way (I try to look out for that while shooting) . Some parts of weight trimming can be difficult depending on the arm positions and particular garment. It is a bit difficult to anticipate if it will hard or not but in most cases some weight trimming and be completed in a a natural way.
Clothing Advice
This information below is directed to the sitter / executive having their photo taken (can copy and paste):
Clothing for Corporate Photos:
The most important factor is the fit of the clothing. Ill formed garments can distract and diminish the crispness of the final image. Make sure any suit jackets are well fitted and ironed / steamed. Blouses should form nicely and not feel boxy or too tight in areas. Likewise the midriff should not be overly baggy as to appear larger in the mid section than reality. If in doubt bring an option, this goes for tie selections and glasses as well. You can option them on the day.
Consider how you as the sitter want to be viewed by the public. The degree of formality is something to weigh. Do you want to feel like the ultimate professional at the top of you game or a little more relatable and personable? Darker jackets seem to convey authority. Looser fitting shirts/sweater or blouses can give a more approachable feel. I find that simple is best.
When viewing a corporate image the eye should take in the portrait as a whole and focus on the expression of the face while getting a feeling a professionalism and success. If the garment is overly flashy or too many mixed colours the eye will linger on the clothing instead of the energy conveyed in the facial expression.
If in doubt for Females: A very nice fitting top/ blouse or possible jacket.
If in doubt for Males: A very nice fitting dark Jacket with solid colour shirt (we can option ties)
• for shirts (male / female) solid colours and pastels are best • avoid contrasty or loud patterns or distracting logos • Men avoid herringbone suit jackets at all costs, they really do not turn out well especially if your website has dynamic image sizing. • Avoid time sensitive fashion statements, the look should inspire timeless class and confidence. • avoid dressing or accessorizing outside of your comfort zone as it may come off as false. • avoid pure turtleneck with no jacket • general colours to avoid for shirt or blouse unless you are sure: Bright green, bright yellow. This is only if the colour is taking up the whole shirt or jacket. A bright accent can be nice.
If you have any questions at all please feel free to reach out.
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