Headshots Looking Off Camera

From time to time I am asked by my clients to take headshots of their team where they aren’t looking into the camera. For some, the reason is that their staff feel more comfortable having their photo taken like that. For others, it’s a decision made because it allows more personality to come across in the photo. I enjoy taking these photos because it’s a good challenge to get the right expression from people. The aim is usually for people to look engaged, interested and approachable. One way to so it is by having the subject talk to someone just to the side of the camera, but sometimes when people talk, their mouths and faces make all kinds of funny expressions, so I tend to find it better for the subject to listen, engage, smile or even laugh at the person just off-camera.

YFM Equity Partners asked me to photograph their staff in London and Manchester in the aforementioned style, and I had a great time meeting their team. The challenge, during Covid times, was to manage these kind of photos without a third person in the room with whom the subject could interact. I would talk and engage with each person whilst they fixed their eyes on an imaginary character sat down in the same meeting room.

I think the results came out great, have a look for yourself.