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How to plan your business team photography day

Have you decided it’s time to refresh your team photography, but you’re not sure what’s involved. In this short guide I’ll take you through some of the options and a few ideas to help you get started.

Before we get into the detail it’s worth stepping back for a minute. The workplace has changed rapidly in the last five years. Covid was the catalyst for a technology revolution, with remote and hybrid working now common place.

Zoom and Teams calls allow us to connect with our colleagues without the need to travel to the office everyday. As the technology evolves, companies are adapting. Some have shifted to a hybrid set up, others have moved to a fully remote model and some are entirely office based.

For many businesses their teams need to be in one location. Many jobs rely on face to face contact, such as manufacturing, healthcare and the service sector. So when we talk about “teams” there’s a good chance we’ll have different experiences of how they work and interact with each other. This is also relevant when we start exploring team photography and the logistics of bringing teams together.

Recently I photographed a UK consultancy business in Oxford

They chose Oxford as a central location for a team day and they asked me to capture a range of headshots and photography of the team presenting and working with each other. During the day I realised most of the team had only met on Teams calls. This was the first time they were all gathered in the same space.

So the day had multiple purposes – team engagement, presentations, project work, team bonding and team photography. It was also great to feel the energy in the room. The team enjoyed meeting up, connecting and spending time together. This type of team photography day is becoming more popular as businesses adopt a hybrid / remote working model.

Let’s explore a few more ideas around team photography. Why is it good for your business and some tips to get the most out of your team photography day.

Business colleagues actively listening to a presentation
Relaxed photo of business colleagues having a breakout conversation on the stairs

What’s the benefit of photographing your teams?

Teams come in many shapes and sizes. There are the obvious ones like the board of directors, and the sales & marketing teams, but don’t forget customer services, manufacturing, technical teams, logistics and finance etc. This list goes on!

They all contribute to the businesses, but often companies only show the customer facing teams. Why not show the care and attention the production team take manufacturing the product, your technical teams who test your products, or your customer service team who deal with customer enquiries.

Often the teams behind the scenes are the forgotten heroes, but they play a crucial role in the business. These roles are rich in storytelling content, so bringing them to life helps to personalise and add depth to your business.

Using your team photography 

One of the main benefits of team photography is helping you humanise your business.

Images of your team doing what they do every day can be used in so many ways. Your website is the perfect place to humanise your business. You could include people images on the main landing pages, in case studies, blogs and articles.

Additionally, a huge benefit of bespoke storytelling photography is the role it can play in recruitment. Humanising your business and talking about your culture is a great way to show how you support and develop your teams.

Images can also be repurposed for social media and you’ll often see businesses using images with design overlays to maximise the opportunities to use them.

Corporate marketing photography with image from a series showing management team in group discussion for charity Action on Addiction
Storytelling consultant presenting to a room full of business professionals

Planning a team photography day

If you decide to invest in a team photography day, it’s worth taking some time to plan it properly.

Initial conversations often start 4-8 weeks before the photoshoot. This gives you time to consider the visual stories you want to bring to life and how you will use the images. Your web designer may be able to help with image suggestions as you develop your website.

Location has a huge impact on the look and feel of your photography. Some clients will use their office space, and often companies with remote teams will hire a space for the team gathering and photo shoot.

Your photographer should also share a planning guide with you to help you develop your brief. Combining a written brief with a visual mood board can be useful and helps communicate the style of photography you’re looking for.

In summary

There’s a lot to think about if you’re organising a team photography session and my role as a business storytelling photographer is to guide and support you through the process. I’ll listen to your ideas and help you develop a plan that meets your business objectives, design aspirations, location and budget.

Ready to elevate your team photography?

Book your complimentary consultation call and get help with any questions you have.

We are delighted with the results and can’t wait to work with Nick again

Our business is all about connecting through the power of story and it was a joy to discover someone who believes so whole heartedly in this via visual storytelling. Nick is obviously deeply skilled in his craft. But what makes him exceptional is his warmth, flexibility and collaboration during the whole process.

David Pullan, The Story Spotters.

Ready to elevate your team photography?

Book your complimentary consultation call and get help with any questions you have.