As a headshot photographer in Indianapolis, Violet has developed a unique technique, which is based on 3 points:
The goal of our headshot photos is to create the most beautiful portrait of the subject and to sublimate his face, by relying on a light technique that Violet has developed and by allowing the person photographed to communicate a specific feeling: self-confidence.
For us, this feeling is essential to the success of a professional photo, the purpose of which is to make the first impression.
This is why, for each person, we offer pose training in order to develop, together, a posture that allows this feeling to be transmitted to the viewer of your headshot.
1 – COMPOSITION
A classic portrait does not have a specific frame.
Usually this is a vertical photo, framing the head up to the waist. Other corporate portraits include ¾ of the person, or even the whole body.
The headshot, on the other hand, offers a horizontal and much tighter frame. It only includes the head and shoulders. A wise choice: only the face can identify a person, the stomach, arms (etc.) are only a distraction.
Today, the headshot is used everywhere: websites, brochures, magazines, books, etc., although its name is still unknown to the general public.
For several years, for example, all social networks have displayed your profile picture in headshot format.
It is therefore more efficient and coherent to create a beautiful corporate headshot, rather than working with another photo format which will ultimately be reshaped into a headshot.
2 – LIGHT
A professional portrait uses the environment around the subject to create its universe.
Indeed, a corporate photographer uses natural light to also highlight the background, behind the subject being photographed.
The headshot offers another value proposition: it is about showing the best possible version of the person’s face. To create it, the photographer uses flashes to control the light very precisely and highlight the subject. A sober background, in a single color (gray or white), allows the face to remain the hero of the photo.
A sober background, in a single color (gray or white), allows the face to remain the hero of the photo.
3 – EXRESSION
Originally, the headshot was created for the world of cinema, so casting directors could select their actors. Indeed, thanks to this technique, the expressions are put forward, offering a composition identical to that used in the seventh art.
In the professional world, the headshot allows you to communicate a strong message: that of trust. This is the key to a great photo! As an expert corporate headshot photographer, Gabriel will share with you his tips for conveying this feeling. Depending on your role, accessibility can also be worked on.
In view of these major differences in terms of composition, light and expression, it is understandable why the headshot is attracting more and more companies for their corporate communication and marketing operations, while the portrait no longer finds its place.
Headshot photography is used by companies, large and small, all over the world, to promote their brand and set the visual tone of their identity. The most common types of images used for corporate photography are professional portraits and company staff portraits. They are used on websites, for brochures, stationery, advertising / marketing materials, annual reports, social media, etc.
These images tell customers or investors a lot about the people and the culture of the company. Large corporate photos showcase the quality of the service or product offered and, when done well, help promote the standards the company adheres to in its day-to-day operations.
An experienced headshot photographer in Indianapolis approaches a headshot photoshoot with great precision and execution. With a detailed agenda and a schedule prepared in advance, they can perform at the highest level on the day of the session. Absent employees and resources from work is costly for companies, so it is important that the headshot photographer stick to the set schedules – often executives and company employees have a very short window for their shoot. and the photographer should make sure they are on schedule.
When taking headshot portraits, it is important to understand the aesthetic style, culture and clients’ demands for photos. Will the images be used on a website? How will they be displayed on the site? Does everyone have to face a specific direction? Should all images be uniform in terms of height or cut, tone (serious or playful)? This needs to be seriously considered before the shot and these details should already be known to the headshot photographer.
Experienced headshot photographers have a variety of lighting and pose settings that they use that can vary widely from photographer to photographer.
Here are our proven tips on how to get the best results from your headshot portraits – keep in mind that you will always be under great pressure to deliver great images on time:
Posture – Body language is an important aspect of corporate photography. Body language for corporate images should convey confidence, confidence, self-control and authority – all qualities that are important in business. The subjects of corporate photography are often senior executives who will need you to bring out these qualities during their shoot. We encourage subjects to stand or sit upright. Have them put their hands together firmly or adopt a puffy posture – such as having their hands around the waist or elbows a little splayed out. You also need to determine if their posture is tilted forward or backward. A forward lean posture is synonymous with confidence, ease of approach and works well. A backward slant posture conveys the opposite, that is, qualities such as shyness, rigidity, distance and lack of accessibility. These postures should be avoided at all costs in corporate portraits.
Lighting – We personally use a three light setup, with stripboxes for precise light and shadow control. A corporate photographer must know the qualities of light of his devices. Softboxes create soft lights and shadows, while most flashes produce hard / intense lights. The distance from your flashes, as falling light can produce drastically different effects. Additionally, different skin tones may require slight lighting adjustments between subjects. We avoid photographing hot spots – pure white spots on the skin, which are the result of too bright or too bright lights.
Reflections, Shadows, and Other Optical Anomalies – We always consider reflections in our corporate images, such as glare on glasses, and we know the best angles to position flashes to eliminate glare and achieve excellent lighting. Many people in the business world wear glasses and you need to be able to make the right adjustment quickly. When taking group photos, we are aware of the shadows that are created when one subject is standing in front of another – it may be important to space subjects properly or change the angle of the flashes. Depending on the strength of the lenses and the angle of your subject, this can also create optical illusions in the lenses. We keep an eye out for these illusions as it may be necessary to recommend a different angle or a pose that lessens the effect.
Details – We make sure to check the images individually after each batch shot to be sure to catch the tie askew, the irregular collar, hair covering the eyes, or anything that could spoil an otherwise excellent shot.