Choosing Locations for An Outdoor Corporate Headshot

While getting your corporate headshot taken in a studio is reliable, comfortable, and widely accepted by many companies, outdoor locations are also a great choice for a headshot.

It is good to note that some companies will request that their employees stick to using headshots taken in a studio setting with a specific backdrop colour and style of framing in order to standardise the overall presentation of staff headshots.
Some professionals in industries such as banking or law also prefer having their headshots taken in the studio, as the clean and polished look this provides tends to communicate more charisma and confidence.

An outdoor shoot for a headshot on the other hand, allows you to seem more relaxed and open and is popular in fields like media or tech. It also lets your headshot stand out among the sea of white backgrounds and half-body shots that are more common in studio-taken headshots.

But without a backdrop to provide a neutral background for your photos, you now have to know how to pick a location that is suitable for your headshot.

Here are a few tips on how to choose a great location for an outdoor corporate headshot.

Larger, Open Spaces

Avoid choosing small, cramped spaces with busy backgrounds.
Opt for a wide, more open area that provides a cleaner look, with no objects like garbage bins, vehicles, traffic cones or too many trees crowding up the scene.
This ensures that your headshot is focused on you, and does not distract the viewer by drawing their attention to your surroundings.
Although your photographer may be able to shoot in a shallower depth of field so that only you are in focus while the background is in bokeh (or blurred), the shapes and colours of too many items behind you may still divert attention away from you.

Is There Shade from the Sun?

If you are booking a midday session for your photoshoot, check if your location has some form of shade, such as a few tall trees, or a sheltered area that can shield you from the strong sunlight.
When the sun shines high and bright directly overhead, usually between the hours of late morning to early afternoon in Singapore, the lighting can get too strong. This may result in harsh shadows on your face, overexposed photos, or backlit photos that are more appropriate for portraits or other genres of photography.

If there is nothing to provide shade, try to book your sessions in early mornings or late afternoons instead, where the light is softer and more forgiving.
However, if you are dead set on a location with no shade, and only have time in the middle of the day, your photographer may be able to compensate for the strong lighting by using refractors or other techniques.

Crowd

Is the location that you have chosen one with high foot traffic?
It is a much better idea to choose a location that is less crowded, as we would want to avoid a background that is busy with other people passing through.
If your ideal location tends to be busy during the day, an option would be to book your session earlier in the mornings, before the world has fully awakened.

Some Locations in Singapore for an Outdoor Corporate Headshot

The CBD Area

A great way to reflect a professional and successful image is to have your headshot taken in the heart of the business district. This is a popular choice for many professionals.

Joo Chiat

To add a bit of colour and personality in your outdoor headshot, Joo Chiat is a great spot. With its iconic and eyecatching traditional shophouses, your images are sure to stand out. However, this area tends to get crowded during the weekends, so its best to schedule your shoot early on the weekdays.

Your Office

Yes, this technically is not outdoors! However, if your office building has nice, large windows with a great view, or an accessible rooftop that is not blocked by other buildings, this will be a great choice for a headshot as well. Not to mention, it will be much more convenient and comfortable for you.

There are many other great locations throughout Singapore suitable for your outdoor corporate headshot. Next time you take a stroll through your neighborhood or walk to work, make note of any locations that may match the criteria listed above!

To see more of our work on corporate headshot photography, head on to our website page.

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