headshot · 9 min read
Corporate headshots: lighting, posing, and same-day delivery
Corporate headshot days are throughput businesses. The faster you can rotate subjects through a clean, repeatable setup, the higher your effective hourly rate — and the happier the client is when their 30-person team is in and out in 90 minutes. This guide is the workflow that lets you bill premium without working overtime.
Last updated: 2026-05-10
Step-by-step
- 1
Lighting (one-time setup, ~10 min)
Key: octa or 4x6 softbox at 45°, 1/4 power, 5 ft from subject. Fill: white V-flat or 32-inch reflector camera-right. Hair light optional — only if you have rear space. White seamless or 18% gray backdrop at 8 ft to keep it clean and shadow-free.
- 2
Camera + lens
85mm or 105mm on full-frame. f/4.0–f/5.6 to keep both eyes sharp. ISO 200, 1/200 shutter. Tether to a laptop running Capture One or Lightroom Tethered — the client seeing each frame on a large monitor cuts revisions dramatically.
- 3
Per-subject script (90 seconds each)
Shoot 6 expressions: (1) neutral smile, mouth closed; (2) full smile with teeth; (3) serious 'thinking'; (4) 3/4 turn looking back to camera; (5) hands-in-pockets if standing; (6) genuine laugh prompt. Don't shoot more — selection paralysis is the enemy.
- 4
Quality check at the laptop
Before the subject leaves the chair, scrub through frames and confirm: eyes sharp, both ears showing if straight-on, no glasses glare, no flyaway hair, no collar bunching. Five seconds saves a reshoot.
- 5
Color match across the day
Shoot a ColorChecker card on the first subject and apply the same profile to every subject's edit. The team page on the company website wins or loses on color consistency, not on individual flattery.
- 6
Same-day proofing delivery
Cull to top 6 per subject in Photo Mechanic, batch-export edits with your color-matched preset, and push to a Chromafolio proofing gallery before you leave the office. Subjects favorite their pick that night; you final-edit only the chosen frame.
Pricing benchmark — 2026 corporate headshot rates
Most US markets: $150–$300 per subject for on-site corporate work with same-day proofs and one final edit per subject. NYC/SF: $300–$500. Discount tiers commonly kick in at 20+, 50+, and 100+ subjects. Charge a minimum-day rate (e.g., $1,800 for half-day; $3,200 for full-day) so small teams still pay you for showing up.
Travel-on-site adds 50–100% over studio rates because of equipment loadout time. Always specify in the contract who provides the room, backdrop space, and electrical outlets — surprises here eat your hour.
What to wear — the email template
Send to the team coordinator 5 days out: solid colors, jewel tones (navy, burgundy, forest, charcoal) beat black and white; avoid busy patterns, logos, and bright reds (color casts on skin); collared shirts photograph more 'professional' than rounds; bring two options. Including this in the contract prevents the 'why does the COO look orange' problem.
Frequently asked questions
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