Once you have decided you needed new professional headshots – reasons why you need professional headshots -, the next step is to choose what would be the best background for them. It should be in line with the message you want to convey while keeping the focus on you.
Here are the 3 main locations to have your headshots done: my studio, outdoor or in your office / home.
Choose the right background for your professional Headshots
Background 2 - Outdoor
If you prefer an outdoor background, it will give a more casual vibe to your pictures. Depending on your profession, you can select a more urban, green or artistic location. Whatever the background you select, it should be simple and blurry so the focus remains on you.
Background 1 - My Studio
When clients come to my studio is because they want a solid neutral simple background. I usually take studio headshots in front of a white or gray backdrop. But of course it depends on your needs!
With such background, the pictures you will get are very flexible and so the most traditional ones.
It makes obvious that your headshots were taken by a professional photographer.
If you are booking for a whole team, that might be a great option to get consistency between all headshots, individual and group.
For this option you will have to be more flexible. As the light will mainly not be artificial, the time of the day and the weather will influence a lot the result you get.
Background 3 - In your Office or Home
If you have a high-end office, this can be a great and unique option to give at the same time a professional and friendly look.
Those can also be a good idea if you are updating team pictures. Taken on-site, a consistent headshot across all team members creates cohesion and unity.
How I will help you decide what location is best depending on your needs
During our consultation phone call, we will go over your expectations and choose together what background would be the best for your professional headshots. Once you book your headshots, I send you a short questionnaire to know more about you and your field of activity. You will also get a Headshot Welcome Guide that I created to answer all the questions you might have regarding your session.
If you want to know more, you can go and check the dedicated Headshot section on my website.
You can find more information here to know more about:
Reasons why you need professional headshots
Difference between headshots and branding pictures
Laure Photography
Laure Pascal-Glorieux from Laure Photography is specialized in personal branding and headshots photography. Laure lives in Atlanta GA.
People often ask me what are the differences between headshots and branding pictures. So let’s dedicate a full blog to it!
Headshots and branding photo sessions are very different, in terms of preparation, content, duration and price! They have one common thing tough. Headshots are included in a personal branding session but your personal brand session will include so much more than that.
You are going to get a lot lot of information here under but don’t worry, I have resources to help you through both your headshots and branding journeys!
HEADSHOTS PICTURES
I usually deliver 3 to 5 high resolution edited images after a headshots session. The pictures will mostly be taken from the waist up. You can select two outfits, combine standing and sitting poses, in one location. I will dedicate another blog to the different headshot backgrounds options!
BRANDING OR PERSONAL BRANDING PICTURES ARE VERY DIFFERENT
A personal branding session is 100% customized to your needs. Each element, such as the outfits you will wear, the locations we will select and your brand colors, will be carefully studied. They will help showcase the uniqueness of your brand and personality.
It will include headshots, your work environment, your business vibe, some lifestyle shots, pictures showing your personality, your creative process, details… and so MUCH more!
As your session is unique, planning is crucial. It helps me understand what you need, your business, your brand, your goals and the messages you want to share. I will also get a better view on how you will use the images, what makes you unique, who your ideal client is.
On the session day, my goal is to understand your brand so well that I can articulate everything as if it was my own.
Personal Brand session typically last half a day or a full day and include different outfits and locations.
It also includes a commercial right to the images. It means that you can use all the high and web resolution edited images for any business communication without restriction.
LEARN MORE!
As you can see, the differences between headshots and a branding pictures are huge! If you feel overwhelmed, this is totally normal. I have create, for my headshots and branding clients, two dedicated 15 pages Welcome Guide to explain the specificities, the process and what to expect. It will answer all your questions!
You can also go and check the dedicated sections on my website for more information: Branding / Headshots
And read this blog to know more about Laure Photography!
