I love talking branding and audience before doing headshots with anyone, especially creators and business owners. You need your photos to be more than just a nice picture of you. Yes, of course you want to look good, but if the pictures are being used for any sort of marketing purposes (and if you really think about, 99% of the time they are), you want that photo to SAY something about you and your brand.
Whether you're imparting confidence or openness or approachability, that headshot is going to make an impression on people. Make sure it's the impression you're intending.
One way you can do this is with location choice. The backdrop, even if it's not in-focus, will add character.
Take Laura here. She's an author and writes historical and short literature. We chose Union Station in Denver for her headshots because it has that classy (and classic) atmosphere—and also GREAT light.
I also love that both inside this venue and outside it provides great backdrops and lighting opportunities for headshots.
The downside is it is SO busy with commuters and tourists, and on this particular shoot, and children's Halloween party. But from the images, you'd think we had the place to ourselves!
How does this happen?
A few tricks:
1) Camera angles—there is lots of different positions your photographer can get into that block out the people milling about in the background.
2) Bokeh—that blurry backdrop that makes the subject stand in focus is produced using a high aperture setting (aka, f-stop). This blur means sometimes distant objects get caught up in the lights and disappear. Cool, right?
3) Patience—sometimes you just gotta wait for the treak-o-treators to toddle out of the shot.
4) Photoshop—when it really matters, and a shot that was otherwise excellent where the photographer missed the accidental photobomber, editing technology these days allows for more than just the usual "fix", and even incorporates AI generated content to substitute. (No, I did not have to use that in any of these photos).
All in all, don't let a busy area stop you from choosing it for your headshots if it suits your brand and image and the lighting is good. (First and foremost lighting folks, that's how you get a good headshot.)
What are some of your favorite places for professional headshots in the Denver area?
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