How to take better photographs for business portraits

Simulacra Studio organises workshops and artistic development courses to give budding photographers the best of growth opportunities in the industry.

While creating business portraits for a client it is important to remember that the subject being photographed should appear confident and approachable. Although this sounds easy to take care of, not many feel confident when their picture is taken. Qualified and experienced photographers can help their clients here.

The first thing is to adjust their posture. If the subject stands up straighter, he / she will look more confident. With a straight posture, people also look more alert and slim. It helps to smooth out any wrinkles on their outfit.

To make them comfortable, you should also explain the process to your subject and the outcome you plan to get with their business portrait. While posing, the person should look relaxed but confident. Men can put their hands in their pockets and women can pose by holding their hands in front of them - on their lap or on a table.

Choosing the lens

The choice of lens is important in portrait photography. You would not want an incorrect lens to distort your subject. A variety of camera lenses are available in photography studios, London.

A 20mm lens will take the focus too close and can create distortion. Conversely, a 200 mm lens will place the photographer too far away and they will feel disconnected from the subject. Furthermore, the perspective may appear too flat and thick. A good lens for business portraits would be 100 mm.

Customising the background

As in product photography, backgrounds are important for business portraits too. They should be fairly neutral and not distracting. Some photo studios, London use grey backgrounds with gradient light, unless the client has specific requirements for background colour.

Even though paper backgrounds are commonly used by some photographers, they are not a good choice. The paper tends to warp creating small ripples on its surface and these can be clearly seen in the pictures. If you use a paper background, you will have lot of editing work to get the professional look. It is better to use solid backgrounds wherever possible.

Studio lighting

There can be numerous modifiers to click pictures for business portraits. One of these setups uses the parabolic reflector. Even though it is not always the most flattering of lights, it can create a nice catch light and with a slight shadow on the edge of subject’s face, it produces a slimming impact. The parabolic reflector also helps to create a stronger 3-dimension factor in the picture.

If you do not have a parabolic reflector or want softer lights, you can use beauty dishes and octaboxes - these are available in photography studios in London.

Camera setting

The camera settings for business portraits are fairly standard. The shutter speed should be at its fastest. For a 35 mm camera format this is generally 1/250th of second and helps to cut out ambient light.

After taking the picture for business portrait, you may need to retouch a little and can use advanced software available in a well-equipped studio.

Author's Note

Founded in 2006 by Photographer Francois Boutemy and Designer Chris Charalambous, Simulacra Studio has worked with a number of high calibre clients for more than a decade. It also organises workshops and artistic development courses to give budding photographers the best of growth opportunities in the industry. For more information on the studio and trainings imparted visit https://www.simulacrastudio.com