Headshots · Planning guide · October 2, 2026

How to Plan a Company Headshot Day

A company headshot day should fit into the workday. People come in, have time to get comfortable, and leave with a portrait that looks like them. The rest of the office keeps moving.

A little planning makes that possible. Before we talk about a background or a lighting setup, there are a few things worth sorting out.

What do the photographs need to do?

Start with where they will appear. Your website, LinkedIn, proposals, press materials and speaker profiles may all need something slightly different.

A square profile image is one use. A wide website banner with room for text is another. If you need both, tell me before the session so we can photograph for both.

Bring a few examples from your own brand materials. What feels right? What would you like to change? Those references give us something concrete to work with.

Choose one person to coordinate

One point of contact makes the day easier for everyone. That person can organize appointments, confirm the visual direction and help when a meeting runs over or someone needs to switch their slot.

Make a participant list and flag any fixed availability. If someone has an accessibility need or would prefer a little more privacy, handle that directly rather than adding personal details to a shared schedule.

Give people appointments, not a queue

The amount of time we need depends on the setup, the number of looks and how selections will be made. We can work that out together. There is no useful one-size-fits-all promise about how many people can be photographed in an hour.

Leave some room between blocks for breaks and small delays. Ask people to arrive shortly before their appointment, rather than sending an entire department down at once.

The reminder can be simple: where to go, when to arrive, what to bring and whom to contact if the time no longer works.

Reserve a space we can work in

A quiet room is often easier than a busy hallway. We need enough space for the camera and lighting, a little distance from the background and somewhere for the next person to wait.

If we are using the office as the setting, think about what will be in the frame. Windows, architecture and company details can give a portrait character. Screens, paperwork and people passing behind the subject can distract from it.

Reserve time for setup and packing down, too. If the look depends on daylight, we should discuss how it changes through the day and have a backup plan.

Keep the preparation note short

Ask people to wear something that fits well and feels right for how they present themselves at work. Simple colors and restrained patterns are a useful starting point, but the choice should suit your team and the background.

A quick check of collars, jackets and glasses before the appointment helps. If a second outfit is part of the plan, let people know in advance and leave time for it.

There is no need to practice a pose or arrive with a smile held in place. I will guide the posture and expression during the session. The aim is a photograph that feels natural.

For more on clothing, expression and setting, read What Makes a Great Corporate Headshot?.

Make the portraits work together

Consistency is more than a matching backdrop. Lighting, framing, camera height and crop all affect how a team looks on the same page.

We can agree on those details while still giving each person room to be themselves. Different heights, clothes and faces should not be forced into exactly the same pose.

Think about future hires as well. Recording the setup makes it easier to add compatible portraits later, especially if your team works across several offices.

Agree on what happens afterward

Who chooses the final photographs? Each employee, your marketing team, or a combination of both? Decide before the session so the images do not get stuck waiting for a decision.

We should also agree on delivery timing, file sizes, naming, crops and intended use. Make sure the right people can access the files without making employee portraits public by default.

Before the images go onto the website, check names, titles and crops. Keep a simple record of the chosen portrait and session date so the next update is easier.

Before the day

The day does not need to become a big production. Clear appointments, a suitable space and a shared idea of the final photographs give us a good place to start.

Planning headshots for your team in San Diego? Explore the headshot and portrait work, or tell me about your team, timing and how you will use the images. We can take it from there.

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