Headshots for Teams: How to Create a Cohesive Look for Your Business

Your online presence is often your first impression for potential clients and partners. This is especially true for businesses, where team headshots are increasingly vital in building a professional brand. Whether featured on your website, LinkedIn, or marketing materials, consistent and cohesive headshots help create a polished, unified look that reflects your company's values and identity.

This post will explain how to create a cohesive look for your business team’s headshots, ensuring strong, uniform, and impressive visual branding.

Why Consistency in Team Headshots Matters

Consistency is vital when it comes to your company's visual representation. Mismatched headshots—different backgrounds, lighting, and styles—give off a disorganized and unprofessional appearance.

Conversely, cohesive headshots signal to clients and partners that your company is unified, detail-oriented, and credible.

Here are the key benefits of cohesive team headshots:

• Brand Identity: Consistent headshots reflect your brand's personality and values across every team member and communicate your brand's image.

• Professionalism: A polished and cohesive look signals attention to detail, professionalism, and reliability.

• Unity: Uniform headshots help demonstrate a sense of belonging and unity among team members, reinforcing the idea that you work together as one cohesive unit.

• Memorability: Visually aligned headshots make it easier for clients to recognize your team and associate faces with your brand. It also gives a human touch to the overall brand.

How to Create a Cohesive Look for Your Team's Headshots

Achieving a consistent and polished look for your team’s headshots involves careful planning and attention to detail. Here’s How To Plan Corporate Headshots for Your Company to ensure all your headshots work together to create a cohesive and professional impression.

1. Choose a Consistent Background

The background is one of the most noticeable elements of a headshot. Select a specific background color or setting that aligns with your brand’s style for a uniform look. For a corporate look, opt for a clean white or neutral background, or choose something that reflects your office space or branding colors if you want something more personalized. We strongly recommend a solid background choice to keep it consistent for future hires.

If your team works remotely, it's still possible to create cohesion. If your company has an upcoming retreat or company training/meeting, that is a perfect time to work with a professional headshot photographer.

The most selected colors for corporate headshot backdrops are neutral gray, dark blue, white, or black.

2. Lighting: Keep It the Same

Lighting is another crucial element of headshots. Everyone’s headshots must be in the same lighting conditions to create cohesive synergy. This means ensuring that all photos are shot with the same lighting. Consistent lighting helps maintain the uniformity of skin tones and shadows, creating a more cohesive feel.

We often meet with the same companies once a year to update their team members with new headshots using the same lighting we used in the past. The same goes for new hires. Sometimes, we need to photograph a handful of people and recreate the same lighting setup at our studio or office.

3. Outfit Coordination

While everyone does not need to wear the same outfit, coordinating attire helps create a more unified look. Establish a dress code in line with your company’s culture—whether that’s professional business attire, business casual, or something more relaxed. Stick to a color palette that complements your brand and ask team members to avoid overly bold patterns or distracting accessories.

It’s helpful to provide guidelines beforehand, like The Ultimate Guide on Preparing for Your Business Headshot Photo Session, so your team knows what to wear for their session. Some standard color palettes for professional team photos include navy, gray, black, and white (if it’s layered with a blazer), which are classic, timeless, and work well together. We share a guide that can be shared with all employees getting their headshots taken with us that gives guidance on what colors and outfits to wear and how to be prepared for their headshot.

4. Use the Same Photographer

One of the simplest ways to ensure a consistent look across all team headshots is to use the same photographer. A skilled photographer will understand your vision and be able to replicate the same style, lighting, and setup for each team member’s photo. If your team is in different regions, find a photographer who can travel or arrange for local photographers to follow the same brief and setup for consistency. Here are additional key tips on How to Choose a Professional Headshot Photographer.

5. Regularly Update Team Headshots

As your team grows and evolves, could you update your headshots to maintain consistency? This is especially important when new hires come on board. Scheduling regular headshot sessions—annually or biannually—will help keep everyone’s photos up to date and consistent with your brand’s look.

Bonus Tips for Organizing a Team Headshot Session

Organizing a team headshot session can be a big task, but it can be a smooth and enjoyable experience with proper planning. Here are a few tips to help things go off without a hitch:

• Plan in Advance: Give your team plenty of notice before the headshot session so they can prepare outfits and schedules accordingly. We have a scheduling system that can be utilized to make sure that each employee schedules their headshot and has a time slot so there are no crowds.

• Make It Convenient: Consider holding the session in the office or a location your team can access. As we mentioned, a great time to update company headshots is during a big company annual meeting, which most of the team will attend.

Cohesive team headshots are essential to your company’s branding and image. They enhance your company’s professionalism and reinforce unity and a sense of belonging among team members. By following these tips, you can create a polished and consistent look that strengthens your brand and leaves a lasting impression on your clients and partners.

If your business is ready to take the next step toward creating cohesive team headshots, contact us today to schedule a session. We’ll work with you to ensure a smooth and effortless experience in which your company headshots reflect the professionalism and unity of your team while staying true to your company’s brand.