During a couple of recent events my clients have asked me if I could take a few headshots of some key staff members for their websites. I wasn’t expecting to be asked and so lack the sort of lighting rig that one would normally want to use for corporate headshots.
My top 5 tips as a Headshot Photographer;
1) Be prepared for unexpected requests by carrying around a really decent portrait prime lens. I have two – a 50mm 1.4 and an 85mm 1.4 that are fast and fabulous with unctuous amounts of bokeh.
2) Be flexible when it comes to light source and use all the natural light you can 3) Find a neutral background which is sometimes easier said than done in hotels where the kinds of events I cover normally take place.
4) Make it fun. Your subject is taking time out of his or her day to spend a few moments with you. They may not be in the most relaxed mode anyway so its up to you to bring the best out of them in the short amount of time you’ll have together.
5) Remember that black & white works great when it comes to the edit. Linked In profiles in black and white really tend to pop and portraits almost always seem to lend themselves to the amazing gift that B&W is.
