corporate-photography-in-london

HELPING YOU STAND OUT

Corporate Photography for large corporate firms, motivated individuals and entrepreneurs

We are a team of professional photographers, based in London and operating throughout Europe, with an extensive experience in corporate headshots and portraiture. We help business people like you, whether in a one-man-band or part of a big corporation, getting their image right by providing the highest production value possible at a fair price.

For some, that image is a slick studio portrait against a plain backdrop. For others, it’s what we call an environmental portraits. And sometimes, it’s just a tight headshot. Whatever your need, we have an option to fulfil it.

After the shoot, we deliver high end, ready to print files. But we also provide you with web-optimised versions both for your online media, linked-in and other professional platforms. Just take the opportunity of the initial consultation to tell us what you need, especially if you haven’t seen any mention of it in this document.

WHY SODA VISUAL?

Living in a “Digital” world where first impressions are important, having a clear visual identity is a must. We, at Soda Visual, believe we can help take the pain out of that journey for you. We’re a close knit team of professional photographers who work collaboratively with you to understand the image you’re trying to portray.

Proper planning, professional images and friendly support through each step of the process leads to great images that help improve the image of your business. And we have loads of fun doing it!

We’ve seen firsthand how the power of imagery can elevate a company and help you reach new grounds. We provide you with a full fledge solution to keep this process consistent and painless. But don’t just take our worlds for it, ask our previous clients!

OUR OFFER

Whether you’re looking for a natural setup or a more studio type of scenario, we have a solution for you.

Studio Portrait

Whether at a studio or in a location of your choice, we give you the consistency of a studio setup.

Shot type:

Headshot (head and shoulders) or 3/4 Portrait.

Studio Background options:

Other options available:

Environmental portrait

You want to be photographed in your own environment, to give it more character? We can make it look amazing. See below for a set of examples:

Natural Light portrait

You want to be photographed in a park, outside your office or by a window? We’ve got you covered too.

THINGS TO BEAR IN MIND:

The more people on the day, the less time is available per person
These timings are approximations. A good organisation allows for a smoother process.
A makeup artist is cheaper than a retoucher fixing issues in post-production.
There are recommendations as to what to wear, see at the end of this document for more info.

OTHER AVAILABLE EXTRAS:

RETOUCHING:

While we don’t subscribe to the idea of making you look like someone you’re not, there’s no harm in making you look as good as on your best day! A little photoshop magic can make the difference in just a few clicks.

PRO HAIR & MAKE UP:

When you feel great, you look great! And being pampered really can help boost your confidence and get you ready and fired up for the shoot.

STYLING:

For the people who want to go the extra mile, we also offer styling. The session would generally happen with our stylist prior to the shoot, allowing you to choose your outfits and be all ready before we event take the first shot.

USB STICK DELIVERY:

We generally provide the images via some online delivery service such as dropbox, google drive or wetransfer, but we can also provide your images on a CD at your request.

OUR PROCESS: SCOPE OF SERVICES

WHAT, HOW, WHERE…? ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW TO MOVE FORWARD EASILY IN THIS PROCESS. READ THESE FIRST IF YOU WANT TO KNOW MORE ABOUT HOW WE WORK.

INITIAL CONSULTATION

The first step involves someone in our team really getting to know your business, your industry, your competition and your customers or anything you consider relevant. This involves meeting with your team, in person or over the phone, conducting some research and really drilling down to the core of what you want your image to be.

CHOOSING YOUR PACKAGE

Once the discovery is complete, our team will put forward a set of options for you to choose from. We’ll present what we feel is the most adapted to your needs and suggest ways to get it done within your budget. This is what this proposal would generally be.

BUILDING YOUR IMAGE

Once we’ve decided what to do and you’ve approved this direction, our photographers will move into interpreting your identity in a more visual way. That’s when we decide the colour of the background, the type of lighting and pose suiting your style best etc…

PREPARING FOR THE SHOOT

Once these steps are complete and you have signed off our proposal, we’ll organise location, gear and everything else for you. We also send you a set of guidelines, helping you choosing what to wear and pose among other things (see at the end of this document).

THE PHOTOSHOOT

The big day has come, and it’s time to make you shine! Depending on the amount of people to photograph, and whether or not we have access to a studio, we will be shooting an average of 15 to 30 people max in a day. The original setup takes up to an hour. And ideally the location would have high ceilings so we can position the light where it works best.

THE DELIVERY

The photos are done. You’re excited to see your images and choose the ones that are going to make you look best. We generally send you a composite for a selection of 4 or 5 images (per person) to choose from. Once your choice is made, we will prepare the final versions of these images and send them across.

PRE-SHOOT TIPS

AS AN INCREASING NUMBER OF PEOPLE ARE CHOOSING TO FORM BUSINESS RELATIONSHIPS ONLINE WITH SITES SUCH AS LINKEDIN, IT’S NEVER BEEN MORE IMPORTANT TO STAND OUT FROM THE CROWD AND MAKE A LASTING IMPRESSION WITH A MEMORABLE HEADSHOT IMAGE. HERE ARE SOME OUR TOP TIPS.

#1: REFLECT YOUR PERSONALITY AND INDUSTRY

Successful business people become so because they have a specific trait which makes them stand out from the crowd so think about what yours is and try and communicate it in the picture. Maybe you’re a great communicator, maybe you understand how to motivate people, whatever your single biggest strength is find a way to express it. People do business with people, so be yourself. It’s also important to choose a style of photo shoot that reflects your market. New media businesses need to avoid looking too corporate, keeping outfits smart but casual, whilst lawyers need to be in more formal attire with fitted shirts, jackets and smart accessories.

#2: GO NATURAL

Lots of people think getting the perfect business shot is a case of sitting down and smiling for a few minutes but if you really want to look your best then try and be as natural as possible, literally.

#3: PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT

If there’s a pose you know works for you, tell the photographer on the day. And if you are not sure, sit in from of the mirror and see what pose is comfortable for you. If you have no idea whatsoever what works, do not stress, we are here to help!

#4: MAKE THE EFFORT

It’s important to make sure you look as professional during the shoot so be sure to remove shine from your skin. Also whilst you think it might make you look healthier you need to avoid spray tans at all costs! We can of course provide hair and make-up stylists as no matter how good you think you are at doing it yourself I’d say go in natural and let the professionals do what they do best.

#5: CHOOSE COLOURS CAREFULLY

When it comes to clothes, simplicity is key. Mid-tone colours (red, orange, yellow, green, blue) work best and try to avoid any busy patterns which will distract people from looking at your face. Lots of people turn up wearing white but the colour tends to wash out against a white background so make sure you have some other colours on hand to compliment this.

#6 GET YOUR HEAD DOWN

Getting a good night’s sleep is easier said than done for many busy business people but try and get as much rest as possible the night before your shoot. Nobody wants to do business with somebody who looks exhausted and turning up feeling refreshed and awake will really come across in the picture.

#7: GO FOR COLOUR AND QUALITY

Black and white headshots can often look dated so we everything in colour which will help your personality shine through. If you want a black and white version, we’ll provide you with one.

#8: LOOK DOWN THE LENS

A common mistake people make is to look past the camera which makes them look distant – not great for first impressions. By making direct eye contact with the camera you look engaged, switched on and ready to build business relationships. You should sit up tall and try and smile without looking overly happy, as this can come across as unprofessional.

#9: CONSIDER THE CROP

An increasing number of our clients hire us to create images for use on sites such as LinkedIn and Twitter, both of which automatically crop images. You need to plan for this so make sure that your photographer provides a service which ensures the cropped image is still crisp and keeps you looking at your best.

#10: KEEP IT IN THE STUDIO

Always go for studio shoots and avoid outdoor settings. You’re at the mercy of the weather and the background will often be distracting, taking the focus away from yourself. Studios are custom designed to create the perfect lighting and background for professional shots, making you the centre of attention. Try and go for grey backgrounds which are soft and versatile, rather than white, which often look clinical and a little cheap.

PRE-SHOOT ADVICE

ADVICE FOR MEN

ACCESSORIES

Tie your tie to perfection, concealing the top button of your shirt; this style is called a Four in Hand Tie Knot. Solid coloured ties made from polyester and silk work best, however, knitted ties are also photogenic, accompanied with the right combination suit, this too can look modern and fresh.

SHIRTS AND SUITS

Fitted shirts are highly recommended. Nothing looks better than a crisp collar. Pastel shades or white shirts look best and stand out from shirts with a patterned style. Tailored suits also stand out, three piece suits also look smart. Keep the patterns and stripes to a subtle minimum although most fabric types seem to work well.

LESS CORPORATE LOOKING STYLES

This section is aimed at the less corporate individual, perhaps an entrepreneur in tech, food, arts, design, fashion or even blogging. You could be worth billions like Mark Zuckerberg and probably couldn’t care less what you look like, but if you do, then lets start by saying that… Hoodies are an absolute turn-off. Instead, think more along the lines of contemporary fashion and really make an effort to look crisp, sharp and modern. Create an image that will inspire new business to connect with you.

NAILS AND ACCESSORIES

Before the photoshoot go pamper yourself. Treat yourself to a manicure. Yes, you read that right, clean looking nails are a sign of success and an accessory such as a modern looking watch can help you look as successful as the people you would like to attract to do new business with you.

ADVICE FOR WOMEN

Try to avoid solid coloured long-sleeve dresses without anything to go over it. As you can see in the example above, it is more flattering when your dress or shirt is accompanied by a suit jacket, however sleeveless dresses also look decent. We always recommend a separation between the shoulder line and chest. Solid colours & pastel colours look great, however try to avoid complex patterns as this can sometimes look distorted once the image is processed.

CHOOSING NECKLACES

Colouring hair digitally isn’t very easy, so if you’re not happy with how your roots are looking, please make sure you visit a salon prior to the corporate headshot. If you’re package is greater than the Headshot, then amazing looking nails will help you stand out from the crowd. French manicured, pale/nude colours work well, but then dark colours like black and deep red look good too. Try to compliment the nail colour with the outfit, and if you’re doing multiple outfits, perhaps keep it neutral.

LESS CORPORATE LOOKING STYLES

This section is aimed at the less corporate individual, perhaps an entrepreneur in tech, food, arts, design, fashion or even blogging. Think along the lines of contemporary fashion and really make an effort to look crisp, sharp and modern. Create an image that will inspire new business to connect with you.