Headshots are a huge part of professional and corporate photography, and they go far beyond just the conventional shoulders-up picture against a white wall. Branching out your headshot photography into different styles is a great opportunity to showcase your creativity, diversify your portfolio, and provide your clients with results that stand out.

By making smart stylistic choices, you can level up your headshots. This will make them much more memorable than the stock-standard ones you commonly see in portfolios and help you stand out in the competitive world of corporate photography.  

Here are some of the most popular headshot composition styles to provide you with some inspiration:

The Classic Black & White

Shooting headshots in black and white can give them a timeless and sophisticated look. This is a great way to add visual interest to headshots without taking a big risk, as they’ll always look classic.

Black and white headshots are also great if you’re unable to find a pristine background, as removing the colour takes away a lot of visual noise and draws the viewer’s attention away from any distractions and towards the subject’s face.

The headshots below are a perfect example of this: even though there’s a lot going on in the background, our eyes are still instantly drawn into the person being photographed. These headshots are able to show the subject in their elements and candidly while still looking sleek and professional.

Here’s another example of some excellent black and white headshots, but done in a different way. These pictures are taken in a studio, and studio lighting can often be harsh and unforgiving if not done just right. By converting the headshots into black and white, any harshness is eliminated, creating a softer effect. 

Removing the colour from the photos helps to maintain cohesiveness, ensuring that the headshots look great next to each other, regardless of what outfits the subjects are wearing.

 

Casual Headshots

The headshots taken below are taken against a textured background with a variety of wardrobe colours and poses. This style is much more relaxed than the studio-taken black and white photos above and gives the headshots a more approachable, casual feeling.

This casual style of headshot is usually shot outdoors, taking advantage of the natural light, which is often more flattering. Taking all the photos against the same background provides cohesiveness when displayed side-by-side, while the differing wardrobe colours add visual interest. The varying poses and facial expressions also allow you to showcase your subject’s personality more effectively.

Casual headshots are an excellent option if you want to build a personal connection with your audience and convey authenticity. They allow you to break away from the formality of traditional headshots and present yourself in a way that feels approachable and relatable to others.

Another pro of this headshot style is that it requires less technical skills and equipment. It’s definitely possible to achieve using a good mobile phone camera; just make sure you get your framing just right and consistent each time.

Duo Tone Studio Headshots 

Using duo-tone lighting is a fantastic way to make your headshots more unique and can be done in Photoshop during the editing process or with coloured lighting in a studio. The effect is striking, casting shadows across the subject’s face. 

Using this style is ideal if you want your photography to stand out from the crowd and convey you’re not afraid to think outside the box. This style is ideal for clients who work in a creative industry, such as design, and want something a little different. To up the creativity even more, you can use alternating colours for the different headshots. 

Colour psychology is a powerful tool in itself, so make sure you put some consideration into the colour you choose if you go with duo-tone headshots. For example, Blue is generally associated with competence and trustworthiness, whereas red is associated with love, danger and excitement. 

‘Avatar’ Style headshot

Here’s an especially unique, creative way to do team headshots. It involves full-body shots cut and pasted side by side into a white background. It creates an effect reminiscent of a video game character selection screen, which is a fun and playful way to stand out. 

This style would be ideal for a fashion brand to show off its team and products at the same time or a creative agency to show its ability to break new ground. It does require the use of a studio and editing know-how to execute effectively, but the distinctiveness is worth it if you really want to wow your clients.

Dynamic Group Headshots

Here’s another fun, artistic example to add some dynamism to your corporate photoshoots. The example given shows the different members of a team in different positions, with the ability to hover the mouse and change the direction they’re facing. You can also click on the different teams to learn more about them. 

Far from a traditional headshot, the result is a ‘meet our team’ page that will stay in the heads of viewers long after they click off. Taking a distinctive, artistic approach like this is a fantastic way to diversify your photography portfolio and attract creative clients. 

Just like the other unconventional example above, this style would require the use of a studio, as well as editing and web development skills to implement.

Classis Portaiture Photography

This style sticks to some of the traditional headshot conventions (certainly more than the examples given above) while still adding an artistic flair. The high-contrast images, taken in front of different backgrounds around the office, are reminiscent of traditional portrait photography. This style is more like what you’d see in the sleeve of a book than a standard LinkedIn headshot. 

To achieve this look, mix up the backdrops you use and let the subjects express themselves with their poses and wardrobe choices. The high contrast of the images and the blurred background still allow the subjects to stand out while still having plenty of visual interest.

The below style is another example of more ‘portrait’ style headshots, this time outdoors with soft natural light and contrasting shadows. These headshots have a down-to-earth, approachable feel while incorporating a flair of creativity. 

However, one downside of using shadows and natural light to add interest to your headshot is that they move quickly! This can make it hard to have consistent lighting throughout the headshots. Golden hour is the perfect time for outdoor portraits; however, this generally only lasts half an hour, making it a hard concept to execute in one shoot if you’re photographing a large team.

Clean and bright headshots

Below is an example of headshots in a crisp, modern style. The bright, consistent light gives the headshots a professional and polished feel, while the varying poses and backgrounds give the impression of seeing the subject in their element at work and gives a glimpse of their personality.

This style is ideal if you’re looking for the perfect balance between professionalism and memorability. 

We asked Rachel Ganim, the lead photographer at Shoott, about her favourite headshot style and this is what she had to say:

‘My favorite headshot style is more of a lifestyle look; I’ve seen more companies lean into a less formal and more approachable style where the team members’ personalities can shine through. This translates into photos where the body is cropped a little wider (you can always crop in tighter, but I like to incorporate more of the body) and more angles where the body is more relaxed and casual. So, while I’m directing my clients, there’s more movement and opportunity for them to relax, which comes through in the photos nicely.

‘In terms of camera technicals, any prime lens works, but my favorite is the 35mm, and I always work with a Canon Mirrorless R5 or the 5D Mark IV and use a wider aperture (f/1.8 – 2.0) for a very blurred background, which highlights the subject’s face.’

What Clients Should Wear For Headshots 

What your clients wear to the photoshoot can make a huge difference in the impression the end result gives. Here’s some guidance to give your clients to ensure their headshots turn out exactly the way they envision:

• Avoid anything that draws too much attention away from the main focus: your face! This includes ultra-bright colours and loud prints. Solid, neutral colours are always the safest choice.
• Don’t wear ‘tight’ prints, like a shirt with a small checkered pattern or a tweed skirt. While these clothing items might look great in person, they can show up as wavy on camera and strain the eyes. This is known as the ‘moire’ effect:
• Make sure your clothing is ironed, well-fitted and isn’t see-through. Sometimes, the smallest imperfection or crease in your outfit is much more noticeable on camera than in person. To avoid anything that might interfere with your perfect headshot, wear something that doesn’t crease easily, is completely opaque, and fits like a glove!
• Dress like you’re going to meet your most important client. While some industries have a more relaxed dress code than others and have a bit more leeway, it’s best to play it on the safe side and dress as professionally as you can.