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Business Portraits: How to choose a photographer to capture the best version of you 

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When it comes to business portraits, many people wait until the last minute to get their photo taken. We all put off getting these headshots, making excuses that today is not the best day. But in reality, the best day for those headshots was yesterday.

I want to share Aashish’s story with you in this blog post. I have realized that we often spend a lot of time searching for a business portrait photographer. We may wait for a photographer who comes highly recommended by people we know and trust. However, we should pay more attention to the possibility that our family photographer could be the best fit for our headshot photos.

It doesn’t mean you have a family photographer, or you may find out your family photographer doesn’t take these types of photos. However, it is worth checking first with the person with whom you have already worked in the past.

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From a Family Photographer to Business Portraits

I had the privilege of working with Aashish, Farhana, and their twin boys for many years. We have been doing photo sessions since the little ones were one year old, and now they are so grown up at 13 years old. Our long-standing relationship allowed me to understand their personalities and capture the best in each of them. This is a testament to the benefits of working with a photographer who understands your personality and professional needs, as it can result in more authentic and impactful business portraits.

One day, Aashish reached out to me about his business photos. Usually, all inquiries about their family were coordinated through Farhana, Aashish’s wife. I was thrilled to collaborate with them again, this time working solely with Aashish.

Business Headshots on a Location

We scheduled a day for the session and were all set in no time. If you have worked with me, you know that I highly recommend and often do business portraits on locationThe location can be your office, headquarters, living room, or some outdoor place that perfectly represents yourself and the message you’d like to communicate with your clients. 

In Aashish’s case, I visited his place, where he had the opportunity to try on as many outfits as he wanted. We could work in an area that was preferable for him. When it comes to their family photos, Aashish has always been smiley and eager. This time, I sensed some reservation in his behaviour. Before we started working on his business portraits, I had to find out what was worrying him.

Aashish is currently in the process of transitioning from his long-time job to a new one, which is still pending finalization. As part of this transition, he must update his professional image and present himself to unfamiliar people and potential employers. He reached out to me to discuss his business photos and better understand what to expect from a professional business portrait session.

I knew that Aashish was not entirely comfortable with the idea of having his portrait taken. So, I set a personal goal to work with Aashish for the next two hours to create photos that truly represent him and his personality, regardless of the situation or position he was in at this stage. This involved using my skills and understanding of Aashish to create a comfortable and relaxed environment, which allowed his true personality to shine through in the photos.

How I Take Business Headshots

My approach and style for business portraits are unique. I spend about 50 percent of my time learning from my clients about their photo needs and their business plans. I don’t rush them, and I only start when they are ready. With Aashish, after a good 45 minutes of chatting about the kids, life, his business, and everything else, we finally felt it was time to start working on his photos. This approach allowed me to understand Aashish’s needs and preferences and to create pictures that truly represented him and his personality.

Initially, Aashish chose a grey background for his outfit, as was his preference. However, I personally believe that he had a much stronger personality that required a darker background, especially because of his complexion. I did the photos and did not suggest anything from my side. I wanted to sense Aashish’s feelings about the session and what made him stressed, worried, or uncomfortable.

While we were working, I took all the photos he had envisioned before our session began. With almost two-thirds of the session completed, I felt that he had become more comfortable and was back to being the same person I had known for the last ten years. I thought that now was the time for the best photos.

Why You Should Try Every Single Scenario and Option for Your Business Portraits

When it comes to business portraits, I encourage my clients to explore different options. Whether it’s multiple outfits, backgrounds, or locations, the more variety we capture, the more options you have to choose from. This flexibility is what makes business portraits versatile and adaptable to various needs.

I also offer collections of business portraits for you to choose from after viewing the photos. This way, you don’t have to commit upfront and can make an informed decision once you see our work. You can select anywhere from three to sixty photos based on your needs. The choice is yours.

In the next 30 minutes, I worked with Aashish using a full black background and my favourite warm brown background. I knew those photos would be amazing, but I needed Aashish to get into a mood that would elevate them to the highest level.

When I showed him the photos straight from the camera, I could see the sparkle in his eyes. His happy personality, smiling face, and approachable persona were all captured within those portraits. He knew it, I knew it, and it was just a matter of time for us to arrive at that point.

The Beauty of Headshots Taken When You are Ready

I was thrilled that we reached a point where taking photos with Aashish became enjoyable for him again. In the last five minutes of the session, before we wrapped up, I could tell that Aashish was getting tired from working with me, so we called it a day. We didn’t want to end up exhausted, leaving us with sour feelings about a future session.

Farhana, his wife, was working from home in her HR role at GE, and she came to see me several times during the session. It was short enough not to interrupt the shot but still long enough to catch up with her.

“I will be calling you in a couple of months,” she said. “It’s time to pursue a career that gives me more joy that I deserve.”

Fast-forward a couple of months to our photo session together. However, that is a story for another blog post. I was thrilled to provide my clients not only with family photos but also with business portraits, capturing their best selves.

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Dragi Andovski

My passion and biggest asset is taking the time to make every client comfortable and relaxed before I even pick up the camera. The result? Photos of you that actually look like you at your best! I can prove to you how much you can enjoy having your picture taken. Lifestyle photography is about the experience that happens to be served up along side of some great photos. Specialties: Family Photography for families that like to move around and enjoy their photo time, Wedding Photography for couples looking for a mixture of photojournalistic, contemporary and traditional images and Professional Corporate headshots that are far from cheesy and stiff.