Outdoor portraits have been increasingly popular this year with companies for their staff portrait profiles.
I think there are a couple of reasons for this.
One is that so many people work remotely these days, or that businesses have their workforce spread around the country, so it’s seldom that everyone is together. So shoots might take place in different cities, with different outdoor settings as the backdrop. Which can work, so long as the overall aesthetic is similar.
Another reason relates to the change in work culture that’s taken place in the past decade or so, and especially since the pandemic.
In the past, those days where everyone is together have been occasions where I’ve visited to shoot huge headshot sessions (and they continue to happen), but I’ve noticed the increasing trend of having a portrait with a looser, more relaxed feel – which is what working outdoors brings.
Because you’re working faster outside, because you’re at the mercy of the elements to a degree, and because the locations change each time (even if you’re going to the same place, the angles and background will be slightly different), the look is definitely less formal. Which works well for sectors where the overall feel and vibe is much looser. In other words, if you turn up to the office in jeans and a t-shirt, rather than pinstripes, this might be the look for you.
Here are a few examples from a recent shoot for a local business near me, 21 Living. They’re a property development company that want to emphasise they’re different to other businesses in their sector, and this set of relaxed headshots (which are also designed to show off their friendly nature) are designed as part of that marketing message. The shots of the guys walking act not only as a group shot, but can also look great sent out with press releases and other PR material – so double the value!
Feel like your current profile picture isn’t telling the story you want it to? Then drop me a line to talk through ideas of how to get something more up to date that works for you.
