A team photoshoot looks simple until you start organising one. Then it turns out you need to align forty calendars, find a room, explain to people what to wear, and figure out what to do about those who'll be travelling that day.
I've run many of these, so I know fairly precisely where they usually fall apart. In short: allow 15–20 minutes per person, a realistic day covers 20–25 people, and from the first call to finished photos takes two to three weeks.
Here's how to plan it so the day runs smoothly. The first part is for whoever is organising; the second is for the person who simply got an email inviting them to a photoshoot.
Part one: for the organiser
Where to start?
Before calling a photographer, settle three things: how many people, where the photos will be used, and by when you need them. That's enough to make the first call concrete.
Worth asking:
- How many people realistically fit into a day, and at what pace.
- Whether they can come to your office and what the room needs.
- How a consistent style is ensured if the shoot happens in several rounds.
- How selection works and how many retouched files you receive.
- What happens when a new employee joins six months later.
That last question matters more than it seems. It's what separates a one-off service from a solution that still works next year.
How to build the schedule?
The schedule is the one thing that can wreck a well-planned day. Practical rules that have emerged over many shoots:
- Allow 15–20 minutes per person if one style is photographed.
- After every five people, leave a 10-minute buffer. Someone is always late.
- Schedule executives in the morning: their calendars collapse first.
- Don't place the shoot right after a big meeting – people arrive tense.
- Leave the last slot of the day free as a reserve.
Send the schedule with an exact time for each person, not a general window. A list without specific times means a queue in the corridor.
Realistic pace: 20–25 people per working day. Shooting two different styles reduces that by about a third.
What does the room need?
I can come to you with the full studio setup. What the room needs:
- 20–25 m² of free space, ideally rectangular.
- At least 2.7 m ceiling height, so the light fits above the person.
- One free power line near the shooting spot.
- A way to at least partly darken the windows – daylight changes, and the photos change with it.
- A place to freshen up nearby, not on another floor.
A small detail that helps: a mirror at the entrance to the shooting area. People arrive much calmer when they can quickly check themselves.
What to decide in advance?
- Background: neutral or brand colours.
- Framing: chest-up, waist-up or both.
- Whether a second style is needed – for example formal and casual.
- Who selects the photos: the employee or marketing.
- Where the files will be stored and who is responsible for distributing them.
The last point is forgotten most often. After photographing forty people, it regularly turns out that six months later half the profiles still have old photos – because no one owned the last step.
A note for employees
You can copy this text and send it to the team:
A photoshoot as part of a team event
More and more companies build the photoshoot into a team-building programme. It works – if it gets its own time block and people come before dinner, not after.
The advantage is simple: everyone is already in one place and there are no forty calendars to align.
Part two: for the employee
What to expect during the session?
The session takes about 15 minutes. In that time we get acquainted, adjust the light, take a few dozen frames and review the result together.
You see the photos immediately on screen. If something isn't right, we change it on the spot – not two weeks later.
What to bring?
- Two outfits, on hangers.
- Your glasses, if you wear them daily.
- A comb and, if you use it, powder for shine.
- A good mood. And if you don't have one – that's fine too, we work with that.
If you don't like being photographed
That's the state most people are in – not the exception. In almost every team session I hear "I'm not photogenic" several times. In practice it's solved by three things. You see the photos immediately, so there's no uncertainty. We shoot until you like the result, not until time runs out. And you don't need to act – standing and talking is enough.
Frequently asked questions
How long does a photoshoot for a team of 30 take?
About one working day. Each person gets 15–20 minutes, and a realistic day covers 20–25 people. For a team of thirty, plan a full day with a buffer, or two shorter ones.
How many people can be photographed in one day?
20–25, if one style is photographed and the schedule is set in advance. Shooting two different styles reduces the number by about a third.
What does the room need if the shoot happens at the office?
Roughly 20–25 m² of free space, at least 2.7 m ceiling height, one free power line and a way to at least partly darken the windows. A changing area should be nearby. We assess each space individually, so there is no single mandatory standard.
Can employees be required to participate?
In practice it's better not to. It's more effective to explain what the photos are for and where they will be used.
What should an employee bring to the photoshoot?
Two outfits on hangers, glasses if worn daily, and a comb. Everything else is handled on the spot.