Corporate portraits or corporate headshot photography is the shooting of photos of employees for use in their websites, promotional activities, annual stockholder reports and corporate publications.  Portraits of corporate officers can also be used for the profiles the corporation gives to media establishments when such is requested.

Corporate headshot photography is very similar to taking portraits in a studio.  One just often has to recreate the environment of a studio at the place where the photos are to be taken.  Here are some tips on how to take corporate photo portraits.

More often than not, corporate portraits willtaken inside the office or building.  Thus, one has to be prepared for adequate indoor lighting.  The problem is that offices are often illuminated by fluorescent and white lights which can be harsh and unflattering.  Be prepared with your own portable lighting equipment which you can assemble and dismantle quickly.  If the office you are in has a lot of windows, it may be possible and more desirable to use daylight.

Allow your clients a little corner where they can do some last minute grooming.  A mirror where they can make a last minute check on their appearance before posing in front of your camera will be much appreciated.

Take numerous photos of each person from different angles.  This is not a one shot deal.  You do want your clients to look their best.  Taking photos from different perspectives will allow you to find the angle which is most flattering to the subject you are photographing.   Digital cameras have the advantage of your being able to see the photo that was taken instantly.  Take advantage of this feature and allow the client to look at his or her photos to see which he or she likes best.

Sometimes, a studio background can get monotonous.  Try to vary the background a bit by getting portraits of your subject in his or her office, at the lobby or in front of the building with the corporate logo.  If this is not possible and you are skilled at photo editing, you can try a trick that some wedding photographers use by superimposing the subject on other photos of various backgrounds.