ES Walton are one of the oldest firms of independent financial advisers in Liverpool. They cover all areas of finance and offer a comprehensive range of services.
We have previously undertaken a website redesign for ES Walton as part of a branding refresh they were undergoing, and as part of this, we had taken corporate headshots of the team to be used on their about page. ES Walton had come to us again recently looking for a brand new website and a general refresh of the brand image, and as part of this they wanted to update their corporate headshots – they had also expanded and taken on new members of staff since we last photographed there, so these needed retaking to accommodate these new staff and keep the shots consistent.
The photographs would be used on the ‘About’ page to humanise the company and help prospective clients and existing clients put a face to the name.
Challenges
We didn’t have long to take these photographs! We had to get creative in setting up a temporary photography studio in ES Walton’s office where people could walk in, sit down, and have their photo taken whilst providing minimal disruption to their day and the workplace. Space was also an issue – the only available space we had to use was a meeting room situated downstairs from the main office.
This meant that both their time and space for this project was limited.
ES Walton now have a collection of portraits of the team that are all consistent. Not only are these photographs suitable for the website, but each team member has a headshot that they’re able to use on other platforms, such as LinkedIn.
Solution
To take the corporate headshots, we used the tried and tested three-point lighting set up. This involves using… you guessed it – three lights.
The first light is known as the Key Light; this is the light that provides the most light on the subject. This one will generally be set to the highest output and is positioned at around a 45-degree angle to the subject. Then there is the Backlight (sometimes referred to as the rim light); this is set relatively low in output and is there to provide a nice outline of light around your subject to separate them from the background. The final light is called the Fill Light; this is set to medium output and is there to fill in any shadows that are created by the Key Light across your subject. Shadows are not your friend, unless of course, you’re going for a dramatic stylised shot, but these are classic portraits so we needed the light as complimentary as possible.
The Fill Light doesn’t have to be a light. In our case, as space and time were limited, we used a bounce card to reflect some of the Key Light back on to the subject, softening the lights and removing any harsh shadows that could be created by the nose, cheeks and eyebrows. Perhaps the most important thing to remember when shooting portraits is to capture a ‘glint’ in the subjects eye. This really helps the eyes stand out – after all, they are the window to the soul 😂.
Results
The photographs speak for themselves! ES Walton were very happy with the portraits for their new website. They now have a collection of portraits of the team that are all consistent. Not only are these photographs suitable for the website, but each team member has a headshot that they’re able to use on other platforms such as LinkedIn.
