If you’ve read our post on why good photography is key in PR then you know a good photograph can make or break a media story. This is particularly true when it comes to headshots.

When you think of a corporate headshot you may think of white background, suit and tie, and cheesy pose, but in reality, journalists don’t want these kinds of headshots.

So what makes a good headshot? In today’s post, we’re breaking down the dos and don’ts of headshots for PR. Follow these guidelines and you’ll be sure to have images any journalist would be delighted to publish.

DO – Ensure there’s an interesting background. Even better if they can reflect you as a business, your values, your location etc.

DON’T – Use a plain white or block colour background. And don’t use black and white – colour shots please.

DO – Take personality-led, relaxed images.

DON’T – Stand in stiff poses or take stylised images.

DO – Take full head and shoulders shots (priority) and full body shots only (nice to have for the senior team)

DON’T – Use crops.

DO – Have a mix of landscape and portrait shots. The resolution must be at least 300dpi at A4 size. Online media particularly welcome landscape shots to work with the format.

DO – Take individual shots plus joint shots of the management team and the whole team.

DO – Think about images that tell a story and convey emotion – in-action shots are nice.

NOTE – Props can be helpful as long as they don’t clutter the image.

A good shot could make the difference between coverage and not. Make sure your photography is stand out.

If you’d like to read more about how to get great photography for PR you can read our blog with some top tips.