How to Plan a Team Headshot Day at Your Office
In This Article
Why a Team Headshot Day Is Worth Planning
Set Your Goal, Headcount, and Date
Pick the Right Space
Build a Schedule That Runs Itself
Prepare Your Team
A Real Team Headshot Day: Cole Huber
What Happens After the Shoot
What It Costs and What to Ask
Conclusion
Planning a team headshot day can feel like one more job on your list that is already too long. The info shared here is designed to give you the info you need to help you plan your team headshot day easily and efficiently. The reason why you’re probably here is because you’re looking to create or update your website’s team photo page. I don’t mean to keep preaching on it, but Princeton researchers found that people form an impression of a stranger's face in about one tenth of a second, and more time did not change those impressions much. That means your team page gets judged before anyone reads a single word.
Our team has run team headshot days for law firms, medical clinics, and companies across the Inland Empire, Orange County, and Los Angeles. A smooth day comes down to a few decisions made in the right order. This article walks you through them, from choosing the room to delivering the final photos. If you were handed this project on top of your real job, start here.
Why a Team Headshot Day Is Worth Planning
Most team photos pile up over the years. One came from a conference. Another is a cropped picture from a family event. A new hire still has a gray silhouette on the website. A client or recruit sees all of it before they read about what you do.
A team headshot day fixes this in one production day. Everyone gets the same background, lighting, and framing, from the executive suite to last month's hire. These new photos will most likely be used in multiple applications as well. Your team will use them on the website, in proposals, in email signatures, and on LinkedIn, where profiles with a photo get about 14 times more views than profiles without one, according to LinkedIn data.
Set Your Goal, Headcount, and Date
Start with three answers: who is getting photographed, where the photos will be used, and when you need them. Pull your employee list. If possible, include new hires, people with outdated photos, and anyone whose photo does not match the rest.
Then work backward from your deadline. I recommend booking two to four weeks ahead. That gives you time to confirm the room, build the schedule, and send your team the prep guide without rushing anyone. Skip your busiest week, like quarter-end or a big client deadline.
Pick the Right Space
Ideally, we need an area about 10 by 12 feet and one table. I bring the lighting, backdrop (if needed), and everything else.
A conference room is the best choice. It should have a door that closes, everyone can find it, and movable furniture (table, chairs, etc). An empty or quiet office works well too. A lobby corner can work if foot traffic is light, but most people relax more with fewer onlookers.
Skip hallways, rooms that are too small, and any room you will need back halfway through the day. You do not need to clear the whole office. You just need one dedicated space.
Build a Schedule That Runs Itself
Each person is usually in the chair for six to ten minutes, then back at their desk. The office keeps running. Three simple rules keep the schedule steady:
Let leaders go first. Early slots are ideal before meetings stack up, and their example sets the tone.
Protect client time. Book client-facing staff around appointments, hearings, or patient hours.
Keep flex slots. Open gaps absorb late arrivals, so the schedule holds without your help.
You also have two choices for sign-ups. You can forward our scheduling template and let your team pick their own times. Or you can send me each person's name and contact info, and I will coordinate with everyone so the follow-ups are minimized with you. If your inbox is already full, the second option is the easier one.
Prepare Your Team
People relax when they know what to expect. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce suggests putting the time, date, location, and expectations in one document or email and sending it well ahead. It also recommends telling employees how the photos will be used. I agree. Both steps cut down on questions.
Every client gets our Style Guide to forward to their employees. Here is the short version:
Do: wear solid, structured pieces in mid to deep tones. Make sure clothes are pressed and fit well. Bring a second top or jacket. Wear your glasses if you wear them every day.
Don't: wear busy patterns, thin stripes, or large logos. Skip a dramatic haircut or a new skincare product right before the shoot.
Wardrobe also depends on the role. Medical staff might wear a white coat or scrubs that match the clinic standard. Legal and finance teams do well in a suit or blazer with a solid shirt. And tell everyone not to worry about posing. We’ll direct and coach every person.
For more on how to prepare your team for their session, see our headshot preparation guide.
A Real Team Headshot Day: Cole Huber
Cole Huber LLP, a local government and municipal law firm in Ontario, CA, is a good example of how this works. Their marketing consultant and an office contact at the firm helped me build the schedule weeks ahead of the shoot. Attorneys picked individual time slots, and we planned around who was in the office and who had to leave early.
These were brand portraits for attorneys, so each person got a longer slot than a standard staff headshot. We also made time for group photos, candid photos, and the office interior. The plan shifted a few times, including how many attorneys could attend and the order of the day. The flex time absorbed every change.
A few weeks later, the firm had new hires. We booked a short follow-up session so the new faces would match the rest of the team.
What Happens After the Shoot
Each person reviews their images on the camera as we go and marks favorites on the spot. Within 48 hours, you get an online proofing gallery to review everyone's photos. After you choose favorites, retouched portraits arrive in a private, organized gallery within three business days (if not sooner).
Every person gets at least one (1) retouched portrait; most of the time we deliver around three (3) photos per person. The delivered images come with ongoing commercial usage rights and no renewal fee. I also keep a record of your setup, so people who join months from now match the team you already have.
What It Costs and What to Ask
Team headshot days are priced by production day, not per person. Setup, teardown, travel within the Inland Empire, Orange County, and Los Angeles, scheduling support, retouching, and usage rights are all included in one fixed number. You can see the time and fee structure on our team headshots page.
When you compare photographers, we suggest asking these five questions:
Is travel included?
Are setup and teardown included?
How many retouched images does each person get?
Can we use the photos anywhere for as long as we like?
Who handles scheduling, and how fast do we get the photos?
Two quotes can look alike until the invoice shows up. Our guide on how to choose the best corporate headshot photographer goes deeper.
Conclusion
A good team headshot day comes down to four things:
a clear room
a simple schedule
a prepared team
a photographer who handles the rest
Get those right and the day mostly runs itself. Your team ends up with photos they are proud to use, and you get back to your real job.
Ready to plan your team headshot day?
Contact us to request the Team Headshot Day Guide, a free planning resource with a sample schedule, room options, wardrobe tips, and questions to ask any photographer.
Or send me your headcount, location, and preferred dates, and I will return a fixed-price proposal.
Contact us to chat more about your Headshot Session!
Sources
Willis, J. & Todorov, A. (2006). First impressions: Making up your mind after a 100-ms exposure to a face. Psychological Science. Summary: Association for Psychological Science
LinkedIn profile photo statistic, as reported by Mental Floss
U.S. Chamber of Commerce: Organizing Corporate Headshots or Photo Shoots
Ready to Book Your Team’s Headshot Session?
If your current team headshots no longer reflects your organization the way you want, now is a good time to change that.
To get started, email info@chris-holt.com or visit chris-holt.com to learn more about sessions and pricing. I am glad to help.