How Should I Stand in Team Photos?

Intro

After creating headshots for your staff, the next most common photograph is the team photo.

There are different styles of creating team photos, and you can choose from depending on the type of business and target audience you have.

While some companies may prefer a traditional and formal look, others may opt for a more modern and casual approach.

In the end, you need to consider what kind of image you want to portray and how you want to be perceived by potential clients or customers.

Here are a few basic styles to consider. Often a mix of styles are chosen to match each individual business.

Traditional Team Photos

This involves everyone standing or sitting in a straight line. Everyone will be facing straight ahead or towards the centre in a formal pose. The leaders are usually in the middle or on the sides. This suits very conservative/serious businesses, such as bankers and lawyers.

Environmental Group Photos

This style incorporates the surroundings of the group, such as the office or workspace, to provide context about the business. For example a manufacturing company might show off a workshop, a removalist might show some trucks in the background, an environmental company may choose somewhere with greenery.

Lifestyle/Action Team Photos

This involves posing everyone in a way that it looks like they are working on different things in the office, and they have all just turned around to look at you. Some people may be at a table having a meeting, others may be at the white board, and groups may be just standing having a conversation together. It feels like you are looking at the daily routine in the company. This requires a well designed modern office to pull off.

Modern Group Photos

This involves groups standing and sitting, in small subgroups which are carefully placed to look relaxed but professional. Instead of being in the formal pose people are more relaxed and show off their personality. These are great for companies that want to be trustworthy and confident, without looking stiff an inflexible.

Composite Team Photos

This involves using individual portraits of each person, which are then edited together into a virtual group photo. Angles, lighting, and other settings need to be kept consistent between portraits so they can be joined together. This suits businesses where it’s hard to get everyone in the same place at once, or where teams change frequently. It’s easy to re-edit the group photo as members change, without having everyone to take a new group shot.