Ask most people how they feel about having their headshot taken and the answer is between mild dread and outright avoidance. This is why many company team pages miss half the staff, and why those present look as though they are waiting for the dentist.
It does not have to be like that. A good corporate headshot photographer in Preston will get a professional image from you in minutes, and you might even enjoy it.
The problem with the stiff headshot
The traditional corporate headshot is arms folded, chin up, no smile. It communicates seriousness, which is fine, but very little else. On a website or LinkedIn profile, that image competes with dozens of others, and the one remembered is the one where the person looks approachable, professional and friendly.
Clients hire people they think they can work with. A headshot that shows a bit of warmth, a real smile or a relaxed stance does more to start building a relationship stoic formality.
How Paul runs a session
Paul Currie has been photographing people professionally for almost 30 years and is based in the North West of England with Preston, Chorley and Lancaster nearby. He has spent much of his career as a press and PR photographer, which means he’s very adept at getting a natural, usable picture from someone not expecting to be photographed, and doing it quickly.
His extensive experience carries into corporate headshot work. A session with Paul is conversational. He talks to you while shooting, adjusts your position without fuss, and keeps going until the expression is right. Most people relax within the first minute or two, and the images taken after that are the ones used.
For busy teams, this really matters. Paul effortlessly works through a department in a morning, keeping energy up and the queue moving so nobody stands around getting more nervous as they wait.
Personality does not mean unprofessional
There is healthy balance to strike. A headshot for a solicitor, surveyor or financial adviser needs to look credible and considered. The aim is a professional image where the person looks like they would on a good day in the office. Lighting, background and retouching are minimal. The expression and direction change, and that is where personality comes through.
Paul will discuss the tone you want to set before the session, whether that is a warm, open look for a client-facing role or something a little more composed for senior leadership, and direct you accordingly.
On location across Preston and Lancashire
Sessions are usually shot at your workplace. Paul brings lighting and backdrops and sets up in a spare room so staff can be photographed during a short break rather than booking half a day out of the office. He covers Preston city centre, business parks along the M6 and M55, the wider Lancashire area, and also works regularly in Manchester, Liverpool and Leeds. Preston has plenty of usable backdrops, from Winckley Square to the docks, and a bit of natural light and open space can make a team look even more relaxed.
Arrange a session
Paul Currie Photography has more than 100 five-star Google reviews from corporate, press and private clients. If your business needs headshots that look professional without looking like a passport queue, get in touch to talk through what you need.