More than a Headshot
With business professional portraits, you have the chance to show the world exactly what you're all about using high quality professional photography by Arielle D'Ornellas. Whether potential clients, your audience, or the community at large, your photo should speak to the viewer in a way that shows you are confident, comfortable, and capable at what you do. That’s why it is important to choose the appropriate styling, setting, and tone for your, business professional portrait, or company group photo, and to work with a photographer who is experienced in this type of photography. This kind of photography is perfect for use on websites, social media, or in print promotion, and the photos can be used very effectively in combination with graphic overlays and animation to disclose even more information to your audience in a memorable way.
How do I prepare?
When preparing to book your next professional business portrait photography session, here are things to think about:
Styling
Do you have a company uniform or branded clothing? You may want to have photos done while wearing your company's clothing. What better way is there to show pride in your company branding, and to help solidify the association between you and your business for your audience than to use the branding in your photograph?
Conversely, you may prefer to have unbranded photography or to use your company name or logo somewhere else in the photo, in which case wearing the logo in addition to other representation might be too much. You should contact your photographer if you have questions or concerns. Regardless, when choosing clothing and styling for your business professional portrait photo, things to consider include color/pattern, style, fit, comfort level, and a quality of wardrobe that we'll call "looking the part".
Wearing clothing that both fits and is comfortable will go a long way towards making you look your overall best in the final photos. Take time in the week before your appointment in order to make sure you have your outfit selected and prepared, and that it is clean and ready on the day of your photo shoot. This way you and your photographer don't have to contend with any last-minute surprises.
You will want to make allowance for the location, time of day, and weather when selecting your outfit, as you would at any other time, but you will also want to think about color as it relates to your surroundings and the ways that it can help you blend in or stand out. As your photographer, I'm happy to consult with you on wardrobe selection and help you choose an outfit that will make you look your best.
Tip:
It may help to think about it this way: What would be your ideal outfit selection for meeting with your audience in person for the first time? You may not always be wearing it in the real world, but with a business professional portrait photo, you can create an ideal first impression to have ready at all times.
Staging
Staging your photo can give additional character and context to your audience, giving them a stronger mental imprint to remember you by. What is it that you do, and where are people most likely to see you doing your job? Do you provide a service to a specific area, market a product, have a specific set of skills? Bringing the viewer of the photo into your world as a professional can provide them with the reassurance that you are right for them and for the job. It can help to include tools of the trade as background or actively used props within the photo, and can also help build recognition of your trade.
Alternatively, if you prefer a neutral backdrop, options include architectural features, outdoor parks, gardens or landscaped areas, urban centers. Don't hesitate to contact me if you have any questions about your location.
Tone
An aspect of personal branding photography that can occasionally get overlooked is tone. In my opinion as a photographer, the tone of an image is what sets apart a business professional portrait photo from your standard corporate headshot photography. The tone of the image is conveyed through all of the previously discussed aspects of your portrait, plus posing, expression, action, and more, and can really make you stand out in terms of creating a personality in the minds of your audience that they can relate to, and that differentiates you from other people and brands within your industry. Through the use of styling and staging, you and your photographer work together to craft a character in the mind of your viewer. The character fulfills a role: the consultant, the chef, the business owner, the creative, the professional, etc. The tone of the image is what breathes life into this character and really tells your story, connecting you with your ideal client, employer, or audience. Formal and elegant, casual and relaxed, humorous and outgoing, sensitive and serene, there are people of all kinds in the world, ready to relate to who you are and get connected with you and your business. Let's capture your image in a way that effectively tells them who you are.