Getting great team corporate headshots isn’t just about showing up and smiling. A little preparation goes a long way, both for the employees being photographed and for the company coordinating the shoot. Here’s everything you need to know before we arrive on-site.
Start Planning 2–3 Weeks Out
Consistently, the biggest bottleneck in any group corporate headshot session is logistics. The more employees involved, the more critical early planning becomes.
2–3 weeks before: Confirm your headcount as well as any photo requirements (background color, employee pose, etc.) and help us identify a suitable space. We offer the option of a site visit ahead of time if logistics work. Otherwise, we can easily coordinate via photos or FaceTime.
1–2 weeks before: Send a company-wide prep email with attire guidelines, grooming tips, and individual time slots. For executives specifically, consider setting aside a dedicated block of time. (Here are some easy guidelines we share with our clients.) The more prepared each person feels, the more confident they’ll look on camera.
2–3 days before: Send a reminder with the logistics, including location, schedule, and what to bring. This single step dramatically reduces no-shows and last-minute scrambles. Bonus pro tip for executive teams: give them an extra reminder and double check their schedules vs. photoshoot times.
Day of: Designate one internal point of contact to greet us, manage the flow of employees, and keep things on schedule. This person is invaluable.
What to Wear
Clothing choices can make an enormous difference in how polished the final photos look, especially when images will appear side by side on a company website or LinkedIn page.
Wear: Solid, rich colors like navy, burgundy, forest green, or charcoal. Tailored blazers, classic dress shirts, and blouses photograph beautifully. Avoid: Busy prints, bold patterns, neon colors, and anything with visible logos or branded text. Pure white near the face can blow out under studio lighting and is best left at home.
Pro tip: Ask each executive to bring a backup outfit and always iron or steam clothes the night before (or have a steamer on-site for employees to utilize).
Grooming & Appearance
Camera lenses pick up every detail, including things we barely notice in person. A little extra attention to grooming saves time in editing and ensures everyone looks their absolute best.
- Get a haircut 5–7 days before the shoot, not the day before. Freshly cut hair often needs a day or two to settle naturally.
- Hydrate the day before and day of the shoot. Hydrated skin photographs more evenly and looks healthier under studio lighting.
- Makeup should be natural and matte. Go slightly more refined than your everyday look. Avoid glitter or shimmer products.
- Glasses wearers should have lenses cleaned beforehand. We can adjust angles to minimize glare, but clean lenses help enormously.
- Get a full night’s sleep. Tired eyes are difficult to retouch convincingly. Rest is the best prep of all.
What to Expect on Shoot Day
Our team handles all the technical setup, including lights, backdrop, camera, and positioning. Here’s how to make the day run smoothly on your end.
Scheduling: Plan for 5-7 minutes per employee. But, we know scheduling can be tough, and we’re always ready to move as fast as the company schedule demands.
Setup time: We’ll coordinate our arrival with our point person and will plan to arrive 60–90 minutes before the first scheduled employee. Please ensure the predefined headshot space is clear and accessible before we get there.
Prep area: We suggest reserving a nearby area or room where employees can touch up hair and makeup and check in for their slot. A mirror and decent lighting make a real difference in how settled people feel when they step in front of the camera.
Keep the shoot area quiet. Open doors, background chatter, and foot traffic through the set may be distracting for both the subject and the photographer.
Relax (that’s our job too). We coach posture, expression, and positioning on set so every employee feels comfortable and at their very best.
What if problems arise? This isn’t out first rodeo. We’ve compiled a comprehensive list of concerns we’ve heard from corporate teams throughout the years – and how we handle them when they crop up, whether it’s the day of the shoot or afterwards. Read it here.
After the Shoot: Delivery & Usage
Edited images are typically delivered within 7 business days via a link shared with the company point of contact, though we can always adjust to deliver sooner with prior coordination.
Individuals will see their images and choose their favorite prior to leaving the session.
All images are licensed for commercial use across your company’s digital and print materials, including your website, LinkedIn company page, press kits, and internal directories.
Ready to book your team corporate headshots session?
Whether you have 10 employees or 200, we’ll build a custom shoot plan around your schedule and space. Though we’re based in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, we travel easily and are happy to come to your location, wherever that may be. Reach out to get started — we’d love to work with your team.