About corporate headshots...
Truthfully, there are a lot of bad corporate headshots out in the world.
But, does that mean they should be abolished? Or, is there another solution?
Recently, a colleague shared with me an article from the Economist titled, The Curse of the Corporate Headshot.
It was an interesting take that included pointing out the hilarity, and complete fantasy world, that is represented in stock corporate photography, complete with fake amazement, wild happiness, weird body language and pointing, fake charts and graphs, as actors play the roles of employees in a boardroom.
Ugh - thinking about those types of photos makes me break out in hives.
Then, the author turned the conversation towards headshots, where they bemoaned the inauthentic vibe of these photos:
Too much makeup and primping
Forced smiles and emotions
Awkwardness of posing
I am in full agreement.
There are a lot of headshots circulating online that feel completely disingenuous. I know this because I spend a lot of my time shooting to clean up those messes when the client realizes that their headshot - and other portraits - is sending the wrong message to those they serve.
From there, the article takes an unexpected left turn.
The author questions why there is a need for corporate headshots in the first place, or as they put it - “a strangely pervasive custom.”
They surmised that “the most plausible explanation is that it is just something that everyone else does.”
As a result, in the corporate world, they’re not necessary.
As a photographer, of course that conclusion raises an eyebrow or two. As a human being, however, it completely goes against how we’re wired.
You see, humans make meaning of their lives through visuals. With regards to headshots specifically, we get a sense of who people are based on the opinion we form the second we lay eyes on their headshot.
While the article does allude to this fact, it diminishes its impact by suggesting that an about page with all of the key players in that corporate structure doesn’t really move the needle much in terms of drawing in new clients.
Now, that may or may not be true, but it dismisses one key factor that headshots provides:
It humanizes a faceless corporate entity.
By humanzing it, this allows the company to connect with potential clients, customers, shareholders and employees on a level deeper than its reputation in the marketplace.
It helps to create distinction from other key rivals in their space.
And, it paints a picture of who the people inside its walls look like to those peeking in the windows.
It’s additional data points created through visuals for all interested parties.
How much is this worth to a company whose sole existence is to consistently increase revenue quarter after quarter?
While the article alludes to the fact that it would be probably better to eliminate corporate headshots rather than post tragically mediocre ones, I have another idea:
How about you hire a photographer who actually understands how to create photos that feel more genuine to the person standing in front of the camera?
A photographer that can inspire a subject to feel comfortable enough to drop their guard and reveal real aspects of their personality?
A photographer who doesn’t require their subjects to wear 75 pounds of makeup and stand awkwardly in some contrived “power pose” in front of the camera. Instead, they direct them to pose in a way that feels second nature to them.
A photographer who understands the mission of the company and puts their best foot forward to create a gallery of images of the employees that not only represent that mission, but also represent the confident, approachable, knowledgeable and likable aspects of themselves?
As mentioned before, there’s a lot of mediocre photography circulating out in the world. But, the answer isn’t to eliminate it.
It’s to get better at qualifying and hiring a photographer that can create compelling, genuine and high-quality photos that best represent the company.
Allow potential customers, clients, investors and employees to get a better sense of who is behind the magic of the company.
And that, in turn, can only stand to benefit their bottom lines.