You finally get the whole team photographed. The website looks sharp and everyone’s LinkedIn matches. Then three people join over the next six months, each sends in a different photo, and suddenly the team page looks like a patchwork: a holiday snap, a cropped wedding photo and a selfie in a car.
It is one of the most common problems I see with company headshots, and it is easy to avoid with a bit of planning. Here is how to keep team headshots consistent as your team grows.
The short version
- Record the setup: background, lighting, lens, height and crop.
- Use the same photographer where you can, or give a new one the brief.
- Plan catch up days every few months for new starters.
- Keep one master crop and size for the website and LinkedIn.
- Give staff a simple clothing guide so the look stays on brand.
What makes headshots look consistent
Background
The same colour and tone every time. A studio backdrop is easiest to repeat. Office backgrounds change as furniture moves.
Lighting
Same direction, softness and brightness. This is the part that changes most between shoots.
Crop and angle
Head size in the frame, camera height and body angle. Small differences stand out on a grid.
Editing
Same colour grade and level of retouching, so nobody looks more polished than the rest.
Record the setup on the first day
When I shoot a team, I note everything: backdrop colour, light positions and settings, camera height, lens and the crop. That means I can recreate the look months later at a different office or in the studio, and a new starter’s photo drops straight into the grid.
If you ever change photographer, ask for those notes and a few example images so the next person can match them.
Plan catch up days
Rather than booking a session every time someone joins, many companies set a catch up day every quarter or twice a year. New starters, anyone who has changed their look and anyone who missed the original day are all photographed together. It keeps costs down and the website up to date. Team headshots at your office explains how an office day runs.
Give new starters a simple brief
- What to wear: the colours and level of formality your team used.
- Hair and glasses: however they wear them day to day.
- Where and when: the catch up date or studio booking.
- How the photo will be used: website, LinkedIn, email signature.
My guide on what to wear for a corporate headshot can be sent straight to staff.
Keep one master crop
Decide on the exact crop and size for your website and keep it. I deliver team images in matching crops so they line up neatly on a grid, plus versions sized for LinkedIn. Uploading different crops is one of the quickest ways to lose the consistent look.
What it costs
Individual sessions are £180, which works well for the odd new starter. Team and on location days are quoted to the job, based on the number of people, the location and the setup. See what corporate headshots cost.
Questions companies ask
How do you keep team headshots consistent?
Record the background, lighting, camera height and crop on the first shoot, use the same setup for new starters, and keep one master crop for the website.
What should new starters do for their headshot?
Book onto the next catch up day or an individual session, and follow the same clothing brief as the rest of the team.
Can a new photographer match our existing headshots?
Usually, if they have example images and notes on the background, lighting and crop from the original shoot.
How often should companies update team headshots?
Many run catch up days every quarter or twice a year for new starters, with a full refresh every few years.
More headshot guides: team headshots at your office, headshots for estate agents and what to expect at a session.
Team page looking patchy?
Let’s make it match
Consistent team headshots in Liverpool, with catch up sessions for new starters.