Trends in headshots

Katherine Horstmann, Katherine Horstmann Nutrition, specialises in helping mums with anxiety, depression and low mood. Her photoshoot wins hands down as the most colourful and expressive head shot session I’ve ever done!

There is an exciting, liberating change happening in the world of business portraits and I’m loving it.

Louise Barcock, Big Green Space Event Consultancy, specialises in turning green spaces into event venues. She works everywhere, on the move, and was one of my first clients to request an unusual portrait.

The last 10 years or so have seen the traditional headshot slowly morph into the lifestyle headshot. Almost every magazine you flick through shows the editorial team eating lunch on a bench, or peeping through foliage. Even the most conservative executives are turning their backs on the boardroom table and opting for a walk on the city streets. The classic tightly cropped head and shoulders portrait of someone in business wear, formally posed and photographed in a studio setting, is becoming as rare as the tie (you know those strips of coloured fabric knotted around your throat?).

With formality in the headshot arena melting faster than the North Pole, it is even more interesting to see clients taking the trend even further. They are abandoning their reserve and opting to express their true selves and personalities visually: stand-out-from-the-crowd style. SHOUT OUT style. I’m calling it the expressive headshot.

Nawal Houghton, Your Divorce Coach, mentors people going through divorce and separation. She works from her home in Redbourn and is an inspiration to her clients.

So what’s behind this trend?

Claire Ayres, Twist Teas, is committed to telling her brand story and feature the people behind the brand at her family run premium tea business based in Hertfordshire.

First, we know we are all drawn to the human element. Entrepreneurs and small businesses especially are on capitalising on telling their brand story with beautifully crafted lifestyle portraits, showing the care and attention that goes into crafting their business products and services, and the people working to deliver on the brand promise.

Then, social media has been increasingly blurring the line between our professional and personal lives, and selfie addiction is encouraging us to show our individuality to the world on this global stage. This has driven the relaxed, more candid, casual, lifestyle element to business portraits.

The third push along this trendy path - is that the new home office has levelled the playing field. Lockdown and has largely removed our outlet to express ourselves to friends, colleagues and clients, so we’re thinking about ways to do this visually.

So, here’s my quick guide to the options for presenting yourself as a professional…

Glyn Wilmshurst, Touchline, uses this head shot for his LinkedIn profile.

The traditional head shot, or business portrait:

What for? Your LinkedIn profile, your CV, company websites, to market actors on Spotlight or similar, to accompany press releases, for brochures, magazines, books etc. (Everyone needs one of these!)

This portrait zooms in on your face and shoulders, occasionally making it down to your waist, has a certain modicum of formality, is posed/semi-posed with a plain, unfocused background, and is taken using studio lights, or outside in natural light. Great care is taken to ensure that all the elements of the head shot (style, formality of dress, look and feel and colour palette) reflect the company’s brand or the individual’s personal brand.

Next, the lifestyle portrait:

What for? Great for entrepreneurs and small businesses, but also being adopted by larger organisations, in brochures, publications etc.

No standard format or even orientation, this photograph can be three quarter body or even full length. It is shot in offices, natural working environments, including homes, with a much more relaxed and comfortable vibe. Backgrounds are clean and uncluttered, and reflect the workspace. Again, brand messaging is at the forefront of the image creation.

Phil Jacobs, Second Half Active, is a personal trainer based in Harpenden with his own purpose built gym at his home.

The new kid on the block, the expressive portrait:

What for? For professionals who celebrate their individuality, and happily express their personal brand in artistic, bold, edgy - and, importantly, memorable stand-out-from-the-crowd imagery.

The gorgeous Cathy Dowden, Miller & Keane, also runs her business from home and is always sharing the care and attention that goes into her products and service.

Here’s where it gets interesting. There are no rules. No guidelines. Business portraits are more wacky and attention grabbing. They tend to SHOUT your brand. I’m looking forward to this!

The future of business portraits? The expressive professional, of course.

We will always have a need for an up to date professional headshot, but it seems my subjects are loosening their collars, kicking off their shoes, and feeling more comfortable presenting themselves as their clients see them. Brands that really work, talk to their clients like a good friend would. Business portraits? #thesame. (I ran a short poll on LinkedIn to test this theory and 71% of respondents concur.)

I’d love to hear your views on this and which option you would choose? Please start a conversation below.