Members of the Cannaday Bloom Wealth and Insurance Solutions team were photographed outdoors at different photo session dates spanning several months to create their team composite photo.
Anthologie brings your team together no matter where the office is located with composite group photography
It takes online viewers less than a second to form an opinion about your brand and its perceived value. One way to ensure you’re not turning prospects away is with professional group photography that showcases your team as professional and trustworthy. The alternative, dated and poor-quality pictures, can actually have customers wondering how seriously you take your work or if you’re even still in business.
However, I can sympathize with business owners struggling to invest in a team photo session. I know it’s not uncommon to finish your photos only to have a team member move on or relocate within weeks. And getting your team together in one place isn’t easy in a post-COVID work environment either. With many employees working from home the notion of creating a group photo may seem impossible.
I can help with composite team photos, which are a great alternative to standard group photography. With a composite, each person is individually photographed and then digitally placed into a grouping after your sessions are complete. This offers greater flexibility when someone is absent from your primary photo session or as the makeup of the team changes over time.
Lux Auctions included props from inventory that called back to the services they provide to clients for its team composite photo.
Composite Team Photography FAQ
How does a composite team photo save me money?
Traditional group pictures mean creating a full team photo every time a company is faced with a staffing change. This can be costly, especially in industries where showing the wrong employees online may actually be a compliance issue. Aside from the sessions themselves, continually recreating a group picture means lost productivity to put many employees in the same place at the same time.
In contrast, the composite option allows you to create a primary group, which can be updated by simply photographing a new staff member instead of everyone, saving you time and money. In addition, since team members are photographed in a variety of poses, a new group picture can be created without the need for another portrait session — even if there are no changes to the group.
Where do we go to get composite photos?
For Captivate Media + Consulting, we utilized a company break room to create full-body portraits, which were later assembled into one large team photo.
Every photography studio has their own methods, but for added convenience I actually bring the studio to your place of business! All necessary equipment is provided and set up on location.
How much space do I need for composite photos?
For full-body images you need a decent amount of space, roughy 10 feet wide, by 15 feet deep and about 10 feet tall is ideal to accommodate the equipment and distance needed between the photographer and those being photographed.
How long does is a composite team photo session?
The goal of the session is to create unique poses of each individual facing different directions. This offers greater flexibility when digitally creating the group composition. I typically spend about 15 minutes photographing each person, so the overall time will depend on the size of your team.
What if everyone can’t make it on the same day?
No problem. One of the perks of composite group photos is that artificial lighting is typically used so that a consistent look can be achieved over time. Even for your primary photo session it’s fairly common for a company to set up two different dates.
We have team members in different states. Can we still do a team composite?
Yes, this is fairly common and there are a number of solutions. I can work with a photographer in a different state to share lighting setup information and have them photograph your team members to match the primary group, or if budget allows, I can travel to photograph the team in multiple locations.
Can my photos be done outdoors?
Yes, some teams prefer the more relaxed feeling of a natural-light photography session. When this is selected I aim to recreate the conditions of your initial session as much as possible. From there, I use photo-editing software to match the color tones and lighting for a cohesive look.
Captivate Media + Consulting used my portraits and had an in-house designer assemble its group and add branded graphics. The final pose, which features one staff member photographed in a different state, is showcased on the company’s social media profiles.
What if I get tired of my pose? Can I choose a different one?
The simple answer is, yes. It’s most common for me to deliver two final pictures of each person in unique poses. Your original, unedited files are also kept on file for 18 months and additional poses can be made for purchase. If you want to change up your group photo later on you can do so without the need for a new photo session.
Who chooses the background?
The final group composition may include as much or as little collaboration as is comfortable for you. Many companies have no idea where to start and lean on me for direction while others have in-house designers that want to produce the final image themselves. I offer solutions for both scenarios. The background itself can include brand elements, such as colors and logos, be completely solid color or fall someplace in between.
Let’s chat about setting up your composite photo session today!
The Infinity Homes Team photo was put together over the course of more than 10 months as new members came on board.
