What should we use as a background for a business portrait?
The correct answer is ‘it depends’. It depends on the size of the image and its usage.
A smaller portrait for a website needs a plain, probably white, background. This delivers an uncluttered image and ensures the face is easily distinguishable.
A white background is versatile as it’s also the starting point for a cutout. A cutout requires a series of backgrounds to have already been photographed and, for technical reasons, are shot with the appropriate amount of blur.
The benefit of a cutout means staff and directors can have their portraits taken anywhere – say while away on business – yet they can appear as having been present in the boardroom.
The technology is so good that the image appears completely natural and it’s no wonder that more and more companies are using cutouts. What’s more, all our plain backgrounds are easily portable and can be set up in any office.
Larger profile images, say for pitch documents or website career summaries; work best when the backgrounds provide a sense of place and context. These help the pictures be part of a company narrative and bring corporate documents to life.
Also used by many clients is the ‘working’ portrait option, where we blur the boardroom background to give the impression of the shot being taken during an actual board meeting. When converted to black and white it has a lovely ‘documentary’ quality.
Other background options include standard colours, such as grey or mottled blue, which provide a unified branding. These photographs are used particularly on websites that have plain white backgrounds which then prevents the head appearing to ‘float’ in a sea of white, again giving a natural looking image.
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Professional corporate photographer, providing company headshot photography and video for businesses in London, the rest of the UK and Europe. Piranha are commissioned by FTSE100 companies and start-ups alike, for numerous projects, covering a wide range of work and styles. Portraits and office photography for use on websites, events coverage and PR shots for press and publications, as well as Board and location photography for annual reports. Using top of the range Leica cameras and lenses. We process the images promptly and to an extremely high standard.
