Corporate Portrait Photographers London

If you are looking for the best in corporate portraits, then you have reached the right place. Photographic  work for corporate portraits is often carried out where new members of team join a company, and photographs are used to help keep or promote a corporate style. Pictures are used to enhance identity for emails, LinkedIn etc. and in other areas, such as to identify the person in company annual reports and financial summaries.

Richard will discuss the style of corporate portraits you require and then get the best photographs for your needs. Contact Richard to discuss your project.

Portraits are also used where a company member writes an article and they need a picture to go with it. Seminars and conferences often require headshot photographs. Our work also incorporates photographing keynote speakers at events and in the corporate style for PR use.

Board room portrait

Board room portraits

City portrait

Senior Management corporate portraits

Professor Brain Cox

Portraits at Nestle

Group portraits

Group of senior teaching staff

Portraits for Darphin

UCL lecturer

HRH Duke of Edinburgh at awards

HRH Duke of Edinburgh at awards

New Business start London

City portraits

On location portrait

Group around table

Young apprentice at Kier

Kier services team

MD of Kier London

City portraits

Professor Brain Cox portrait

TV Chef Tom Kerridge

City portraits

City portrait

Portraits for CV’s

Winner of WIF. prize

City portrait

CEO in his London office

Group portraits

Dartford Mayor

Marketing Director United Glass

Artistic close up portrait

Managing Director in London office

Business potrait Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Click on the links below to get to the answers:

What are corporate headshots?

These are individual photographs of a member of a company, for use in corporate promotional or marketing material, or as something for a LinkedIn profile, social media presence or website, etc.

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How much do professional corporate headshots cost?

Charges are by the hour. A one person session would be the £175 min for the hour. It is not therefore as efficient for one client, but as you get to half a dozen it starts to come down to around £30 per head equivalent.
A two hour slot usually ends up costing around £15 per head, depending upon how many people are having their photographs taken.

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Why are headshots so expensive?

If you’re having just your own photograph taken, they can be a higher cost, but for quantities, the price is relatively cheap, especially given the fact that you’re hiring a professional photographer who will get you the best results.

Remember, the cost is higher per head for fewer people as there is travel and set up time involved, so if you’re only having one or two done then that initial set up cost is more per person.

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How should I pose for a business headshot?

The photographer should take care of this aspect, but generally you sit at a slight angle, unlike a passport, where you will sit square on to camera.

Camera angles are important and having a shot at an angle is best and slightly up and down give the best dynamic effect. Shots can be from the side, with a shoulder to the front and always making sure to do both sides to get best angle.

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Should you smile in a professional headshot?

Yes. These days, professional headshots tend to be used a lot on Linked In and Facebook profiles. You want a pleasant smile that makes you look professional and approachable.

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What makes a great headshot?

One of the most important considerations is to look fresh. Consider your photo shoot to be like an interview and make sure you’re prepared before you get there. Flaws and issues will be reflected in the photograph, so to give yourself the maximum probability of liking your photo, by making sure you look your best! Don’t come in having had very little sleep, with bloodshot eyes from a late night party. Make sure you’ve shaved if you need to, you’ve brushed your hair, your clothes are neat and in order and your tie is on straight if you’re wearing one.

It is surprising how often people sit for a pose and aren’t prepared, with their shirt undone, no tie, hair not combed etc.. Remember, this is a picture of you that’s going to last perhaps three years or even more, and that’s often going to be on your or another website or profile. People make a judgement the moment they see that picture; it’s all over in half a second. So if you turn up to have your photograph taken looking rough, then that’s your portrayal for the next few years.

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Dressing for a corporate headshot portrait.

How should you dress and what should you wear for a headshot?
You should always dress smartly for a corporate headshot – with a shirt and tie as minimum and a smart top for a female, preferable with a suit jacket.

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Can you wear black in a headshot?

Yes, most suits are dark to black. With women, colour often works better, as men usually have a white shirt that breaks up the photograph. So the same applies for women if they were wearing a suit and light blouse or shirt underneath.

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What is the best colour to wear on camera?

Reds and blues are always quite vivid. Avoid green when you can as it tends to reflect onto you and makes you look a little unwell.

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How do you look professional in a headshot?

You want look good and to be seen in the same way as your colleagues see you. If you take yourself seriously, then dress seriously.

Attitude of mind for the photograph

People who immediately say that they hate having their photographs taken, and treat it like they’re going to the dentist, will often look like they didn’t want it taken in the finished shot. They’ll put on a big pretend smile but you can tell they’re not enjoying it at all. It comes across in their face, how they have their hands and they’ll look stressed. Often they will sit and ask to get the job done quickly so they can go. It’s our job to make it look professional and the quicker they relax and accept that they’re having a photograph, the quicker they are out of the door.

Remember, people who are reticent about having photographs will often be the ones that want it done again.

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Can a selfie be a headshot?

No, never. Selfies usually look quite poor quality, plus they will often be taken the wrong way around, like they’re in a mirror, or at a funny angle or close to. Normally portraits are taken from a little distance away.

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Headshot backgrounds

What colour background is best for headshots?

For a corporate image, normally white or off white is best for the background. Sometimes clients like something more abstract, like the view out of a window but with the view out of focus.

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What is the best background for portrait photography?

The most dynamic portraits are those with something striking in the background: St Pauls or Big Ben, or something like that. It’s difficult to pick out the best portrait from those on a white background, as it comes down to the best, most photogenic person, rather than the composition. White backgrounds are all the same, so a good background will help give you the edge and you can exploit that, if you need to.

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Should headshots be glossy or matte?

The trend has been less for glossy and more matte, like a magazine style. However, we supply photographs as a digital image, so you can print them the way that best suits your requirement.

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Female corporate headshots

We treat female headshots in the same way as with men. Follow the guidelines above – the best headshot photographs are ones where you’re relaxed. A good photographer will try to break the ice with you and find some common interest or something about you that they can ask about. Be open to the discussion, as this is a method for getting you to relax and look better in your photograph.

Certain clients have a high proportion of male and female intakes, many of whom have flown in for the new job, and it can be difficult to find that common ground, even though their English is excellent. At this stage it becomes more about where they are from, where are they living, etc. in order to relax them for the shot and this applies to both sexes.

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Setting up a headshot

We take an initial 45 minutes or so at the beginning, arriving early to get the lighting ready and the camera set up.

There will then be a standard lighting set, background etc. and when the person comes in, it’s already set up and ready for them to focus on being relaxed.

We try to get the best expression for the person, show them right to left, left to right etc.. Some people want a more ‘business like’ look, where they are standing – jacket on, jacket off etc. Fashions change in this respect, as years ago it was fashionable to be sat behind a desk with a pen in your hand, etc.. These sorts of shots haven’t been popular for a while. There are trends in how people like their headshots – at present people like very clean, white backgrounds, very start, clear, sharp lines. No clutter, abstract backgrounds, no desk, or papers on the desk, so that the headshot is just the person.

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I need a corporate headshot – what can you do for me?

We initially ask what your picture is for. Is it for a company brochure, a LinkedIn profile, job interview, for example, in order to give us a rough idea of the style.  We check the style of the business and portrayal of others in the business to see if it matches the style of the business, which is a good starting point. If the client just wants a nice portrait without any particular style preference, then we make sure it’s a strong image with a clean background and nicely lit. The aim is to make sure they look prominent, official, and approachable in the picture. We make sure we’re there early so that we don’t keep the person waiting and they have a good experience to keep them relaxed.  If it’s one person, then we usually spend around 15 minutes for the actual shoot. If it’s batches, it usually takes around ten minutes per person, as the process becomes more efficient.

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How far in advance do people have to book?

A few days is the minimum, assuming that there are bookings available, but a week’s notice is best. Clients need to think about the venue and to book the space out in their office etc. to make sure that they are ready for a session without interruption.

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What space is needed for the photo shoot?

Preparation for the session.

A reasonably sized room is required. We are often given quite small rooms to work in or even large storage cupboards – it’s surprising how often this is the case. Our biggest issue is where people expect us to work in small storage cupboard spaces. If a room is no more than 8 feet by 8 feet, by the time the lighting is up, each of the lights, with a diameter of 3 feet each and umbrellas are a good metre across and so the more space, the better the pictures look. Once the light is on, it is all a big blanket of white light. You cannot direct it anywhere as there is no movement or form in the picture. You cannot change the mood of the lighting as there is so much white light going everywhere.

The same issues of space apply with the camera. If we are given too small a space, we end up in the corridor in order to get some distance.

Space to take the headshots is also important as you want privacy during the shoot. Peace and quiet is always good.

A rule is to never let your friends and colleagues watch as that is always very distracting. Business colleagues often seem to arrive in groups of three and we will ask the colleagues not involved in the immediate photograph to leave for ten minutes until it’s their time, as it makes the subject uncomfortable knowing that they are being watched. An open office where other people can watch is also distracting for the subject.

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How long do photographs take to send over?

Generally, people opt for next day service. The images will be sent over by the next working day via electronic transfer.

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What if we don’t like the headshots?

In general we don’t come across this. You may find that in a large corporate shoot over a couple of days of headshots, you may get a revisit on the second day to do this. The person will often come in looking totally different – for example they have had a haircut and come in in a red top. It generally comes back to the above points where people have not previously been in the right frame of mind and so have not relaxed, and as a result are not happy with the outcome. They generally look happier and better as a result of the changes that they have made, where they were in the wrong frame of mind beforehand.

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When will I see my photographs?

People will often ask their photograph at the time, and we show them the shot on the back of the camera. This gives time to get into the right frame of mind if they weren’t the first time or if they want to try again. Alternatively, if the shoot is more than one day, they will often come back the next day, having made an adjustment to how they look as a result and we can reshoot their photograph then.

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Are there any guarantees for the photograpic work?

We will provide an accurate portrait of you and you are able to look at the resulting photographs on the camera at the time and have them redone at the time if you feel the need. You need to be prepared for the photograph, so the above suggestions apply in terms of coming in to the session neat and tidy, well dressed, smart hair, etc. and having been well rested so that you get the best out of the shoot.

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Use the contact form for more information or call now on 07774 689 530.


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Last update: 13.09.2021