Fresh thoughts on the perfect contemporary Business Portrait
Be authentic - be yourself! If you will not recognise yourself on the picture taken, your customer won’t either. Choose a relaxed and not too formal business look - you want to be perceived as an entrepreneur and not as his clerk. Let us together analyse your needs and the messages you want to send through the portrait. We will plan your Business Shooting with a mood board that is unique to you, your business, and your current situation.
There is a lot one can get wrong with mimics and body language. The tricky thing is that often a person send signals with their mimics and body language although they think they have everthing in control. A good example are the crossed arms in front of your chest. Years ago they were thought to transport notions of energy, competence, strength, determination … But this pose has been found to open many misconceptions and misinterpretations. It can easily create perceptions of distance, arrogance, and control - and it is never about seeking contact.
Nowadays, with psychological insight in mind, the key to a successful business portrait is sympathetic mimics and a straight upright posture that signals durability even in a storm! Avoid showing much of your body in your portrait, thereby avoiding ambiguous signals. Create eye contact with the observer of your portrait and be at level with them, how would you today perceive a “classic” manager’s portrait in a staircase, shot from below?
Also arrange for team shots. Experienced photographers will keep themselves in the background waiting for the actors to relax and almost forget the photographer’s presence. This is when one starts to make authentic team shots. Make your daily life at work visual for your customer. Authentic snapshots from the engagements with you and your team will create customer trust and engagement. HGA