Background Choices for Headshots

The background in a headshot plays an important role, and while there is no right or wrong, there are things to consider. The headshot crop is from the chest upwards and the focus of the image is the subjects face. A “cluttered” background (even out focus) can be distracting at that close a crop –objects may appear to be “growing” out of the subject’s head/body. And while you can change the background in post production, having a standard solid color background makes it easier to add new employee headshots.

Background color is also important – neutral colors such as grey, black, or white go well with different skin types, clothing, etc..  You’ll also need to consider the overall color scheme of your website where the images will reside – for example, if your website has a white background and your headshots also have a white background, the borders/frames of each headshot won’t be as well defined without some additional work.

Background color also creates a mood/aesthetic that should be reflective of your branding – darker colors are generally considered to convey power – lighter colors are more “relaxed”. Laurie looks great in all the images here – but each has a slightly different feel depending on the background color. Your headshot photographer should be able to work with you to develop the best look for your brand.