Creative Conference Headshot Ideas
Covered in this post—
Artistic Headshot Ideas
Portrait Style Headshots
Fun Corporate Headshots
Conference Headshot Session Tips
Every business can benefit from creative headshots to make their work stand out from the crowd–that’s why conference headshots are a win-win.
Creative conference headshots professionally capture your whole team in an on-brand way, maximizing the energy and value of a business event.
As large events are coming back post-pandemic, offering conference headshots is a value-add benefit for attendees.
Conference-goers get to upgrade their outdated pics and walk away with quality, shareable content.
Leave the three-point lighting setup to us and prepare for your onsite shoot with these tips.
Every conference needs a professional photographer. For businesses in the Chicago area hosting conventions or conferences, reach out to the team at Mark Campbell Productions for fun, creative, and professional conference headshots.
Artistic Headshot Ideas
Get artsy with headshots, thinking outside the box and making the most of your venue, event theme, and attendee style.
The professional world is ever-expanding and open to more creative personal branding moments. An artistic headshot is the perfect place to start.
Color is an easy way to push the boundaries. Consider a step and repeat logo backdrop for candids, but switch it up with some professional settings for headshots. Think through styles: your venue may have cool architectural or geometric features, interesting water features or windows, fun pops of color or contrasting design elements.
Capturing someone in front of a dynamic backdrop can be an easy way to jazz up a traditional headshot. The coaching onsite matters too. Headshot photographers may prompt some unique angles or props, then play with focus to get a modern bokeh or other element to bring depth.
Portrait Style Headshots
Portrait-style headshots are ideal for website photos, award submissions, business cards, and more. It’s true: classic and traditional still have their place, and we’re here for it.
Even if you’re going for traditional dimensions and posing, you can get creative with lighting, attire, poses, expressions, props, sets, and more. Make sure your conference photographer captures variations so attendees will have some options as they crop and post on business platforms or collateral.
Fun Corporate Headshots
There’s no reason to not play around a little with a corporate headshot.
Investigate trends that fit the event attendee list and the brand. For instance, neon signs, on-theme props, photo booth style elements, or even candid personality-style photos.
For the right individual and brand, it’s okay to move things in a playful direction. The bonus is thinking outside the norm helps people relax and just have fun with it, giving the photograph an authentic, warm presence rather than a stiff, awkward grin.
Candid Style Headshots
Candid-style headshots should be authentic and fun. When we say candid, it may help to think about magazine or editorial style photos. Laughing, looking slightly away from the camera, using hand gestures, leaning forward: these are all ways to convey motion and create non-conventional headshots that people may want to use on social media or a website refresh.
Candid headshots offer an opportunity to capture the subject’s personality and vibe on camera.
People can be encouraged with numerous prompts that your conference photog will have ready to go. They’ll probably have them talk, share something they’re passionate about, move their body, gesture, or even walk to get things moving.
Conference Headshot Session Tips
A quality, professional headshot has the power to promote. One that was taken at your event will be a memorable memento of a great time and serve as an ongoing reminder of your brand.
If you plan to offer headshots at your next conference, here are some tips to ensure your work with a professional conference photography team goes smoothly.
Prep Your Team
No one likes to show up to a party not knowing the dress code, and the same goes for headshots. If there is a rule for creative flexibility, or if you have a strict dress code for company website congruence, communicate ahead of time. Make sure your team knows what to wear and what to expect for corporate headshots.
Schedule Effectively
Most corporate photos and headshots can be taken relatively quickly with a schedule, a plan, and people who know what the schedule and the plan are. Schedule time slots with buffers in between. Some people will require more or less time, and inevitably someone will not be ready right at their time. Communicate in advance in the conference materials where headshots will be offered and who’s supposed to get their picture taken.
Make it Fun and Comfortable
Many people do not love having their picture taken. That’s okay. You can offset anxiety by doing everything we mentioned so far as well as setting the mood of the room. Your photography team will make a big difference here, too. You want to hire a conference headshot photographer who can work well with people, put them at ease, communicate professionally, and manage time well. Keeping it breezy and casual helps professionals capture authentic moments and personalities.
Get Variations
Headshots are not one size fits all, nor does one size fit all platforms. Today's professionals, innovators, and businesspeople may need headshots for websites, social media profiles, business cards, and more.
Modern, branded websites may require certain poses or background colors, while social profile photos can offer the opportunity to be a bit more relaxed with poses, angles, and props.
Offering each person a few variations of their headshot means the images you captured score you visibility up in more places.
Want conference headshots for a Chicago business event? Check out our comprehensive headshot package.
Creative Conference Headshots for Your Chicago Event
Creative conference headshots are an innovative and popular way to spruce up an event and add value for attendees. Have some fun with it, and work with a team that can support your vision for coloring outside the lines with some interesting, unique, editorial style photos.
When you need a professional photography team for your next Chicago-based convention or company conference, contact Mark Campbell Productions.
We provide professional, engaging, and creative conference headshot services.
Contact our team today for a custom quote.