Why Environmental Head-Shots Look Great on Business Websites
As we have discussed on the Chicago Corporate Photography and Video blog before, it is extremely important for your company’s website to make the most of “about us pages” or company profiles. More and more businesses are moving to using primarily online interactions such as eCommerce stores, on-site scheduling, and beyond—as such, your website is really a first impression and representation of your brand’s image! Being able to capture and present your staff in the best way possible is extremely valuable. In many cases when prospects are researching the companies they are considering working with, they will explore the website pretty in depth to get a sense of a company’s professionalism. This brings us to the idea of environmental head-shots and how they benefit your business.
So why take your head-shots in an environmental style? There are a lot of options when it comes to portrait photography, and it is absolutely not to say that there are not some beautiful studio portraits taken for websites—in fact, we are pretty proud of our portfolio in this respect. However, environmental shots definitely add a new dimension to your website and can present your staff in a way that is a little more original and less stuffy.
Let’s explore five of the reasons that environmental head-shots bring a business website to life:
1. Environmental Head-shots are Different
Most company websites have photos of their employees with a neutral background that is uniformed for everyone. There is nothing wrong with this in terms of photography or style, however, environmental photos are different. Again, sometimes when prospective clients look around and check-out businesses it can simply be a matter of whose site stood out the most for them to make that phone call. Anything that you can do to make your website different is a bonus—and professional photography that captures your staff in a unique environment is definitely one way to do this.
2. A Splash of Color
Environmental head-shots also have a tendency to add a splash of color that might have not found its way on to your page otherwise. Whoever said professional needed to be grey and boring clearly had no clue what they were talking about! Color is often subtle in environmental photos, but it can make a really nice addition to a webpage that is otherwise kind of drab.
When people call to inquire about head-shots we always recommend they take them in a different environment (even just outside of our studio). They often ask if we think it will look professional enough. The answer is YES! Just because the photos are not posed in a studio does not make them unprofessional at all—in fact, having a portrait taken by a photographer that knows what they are doing looks high-quality and extremely professional.
3. Photographer Creativity
When you’re working with a professional photographer, you usually don’t have to worry too much about the end result of a portrait session. In terms of creativity and style however, you know you are going to get a lot more personality, creativity, and originality in an environmental session than you will against a studio back drop—for the most part. Photographers have an eye for lighting, backdrop, and position in environmental head-shots and it really allows them to put their skills to work.
4. Play with Architecture or Office Environment
One of the main differences in corporate portraits that are shot in a studio vs. an alternative environment is that the photographer can really play with the office space or architecture in the photos. This background does not necessarily have to be the key feature, but different textures, views, and colors can definitely add a nice backdrop which still allows for focus to be on the individual.
5. Diversity of Shots
You likely have more than one photo on a staff or “about us” page. One thing that environmental photos do is allow for some diversity of portraits on these pages. This will make the page look more dynamic and interesting, and can also showcase the individuality of your employees.
The Takeaway
There are a lot of reasons you could be looking into headshots and corporate portraits. If you were on the fence about a posed studio look vs. an environmental head-shot, we hope that this post was helpful in considering environmental photos. They look extremely professional and high quality, and they are bound to bring any website to life!
