Professional Headshots: How We Run Corporate, Executive, and Remote Sessions at Match Production
When someone says they need professional headshots in NYC, they could mean a dozen different things. A 10-person leadership team before a funding round. A 120-person law firm updating their website. A founder who just booked a major media appearance and needs something better than a years-old smartphone crop. At Match Production, we treat each of these as a production problem to solve, not a package to sell.
This guide is for HR professionals, company leaders, PR teams, and anyone responsible for organizing professional headshots, explaining why high-quality images are essential for your team's brand and visibility.
Why Professional Headshots Matter
A well-taken headshot signals professionalism and accountability to recruiters. Recruiters often form opinions about candidates' competence and trustworthiness in less than 100 milliseconds. Professional headshots can increase perceived competence by 76% compared to casual photos. Profiles with professional photos on professional networking platforms receive up to 21 times more profile views and 36 times more messages.
What Is a Professional Headshot? (Definitions)
A professional headshot is a high-resolution image with a clean or relevant background, where attire reflects industry standards and the subject is presented in a way that supports their professional brand.
High-resolution images are critical for professional headshots.
A clean or relevant background is essential for effective headshots.
Attire should reflect industry standards to strengthen personal branding.
The Impact of Professional Headshots (Summary & Benefits)
A professional headshot is a crucial investment in career visibility and trust-building. Profiles with professional photos on professional networking platforms receive up to 21 times more profile views and 36 times more messages. Recruiters often form opinions about candidates' competence and trustworthiness in less than 100 milliseconds.
Corporate Headshots NYC: How We Plan Your Shoot
If you are reading this, you are probably the person who has to make headshots happen for your company. Maybe you are in HR or employer brand. Maybe you run comms or PR. Maybe you are a founder who just realized your “Our Team” page has three professional photos and seven cropped vacation pictures.
Discovery Call
We start every engagement with a discovery call. It takes 10 to 15 minutes and covers the basics we need to build your shot list and schedule:
Number of people (5, 50, 200)
Location preferences (your Midtown office, our Times Square studio, a mix)
Timeline and any hard deadlines (press day, website launch, board meeting)
Usage needs (website, professional profile photo, press kit, internal tools)
Style direction (neutral backdrop, brand color, environmental office shots)
Scheduling and Shot List
From there, we build a plan. A typical corporate day covers 20 to 30 people in a half day. We schedule 5 to 8 minutes per person, with buffers for executives who need a few extra frames and last-minute walk-ins who suddenly become available.
Style Direction
Style decisions happen early. Do you want studio gray, white, or a background that matches your brand palette? Vertical orientation for professional profiles and staff directories, or horizontal crops for web hero strips? Formal with jackets, or relaxed but polished? We capture these details in the discovery call so there are no surprises on shoot day.
Planning steps at a glance:
Discovery call to scope people, locations, timeline, and usage
Shot list and schedule built around your team’s availability
Style direction locked before we roll
Buffers scheduled for flexibility
Once the plan is set, we move on to executing the shoot, whether in our studio, at your office, or remotely.
On Location Headshots NYC: How We Bring the Studio to Your Office
On location headshots NYC make sense when you have a large team, tight schedules, or leadership who cannot spare an hour to travel across town. We bring the studio to you.
Equipment and Setup
What we physically bring depends on the space, but a standard on-location kit includes:
Backdrop stands (usually 9-foot seamless paper)
2 to 3 light setup with professional strobe heads
Tethered laptop for real-time review
Stool and reflectors for fill
We have set up in glass-walled Midtown conference rooms, exposed-brick Brooklyn lofts, and windowless Downtown financial firm boardrooms. Each space has its quirks. We adapt.
Logistics and Flow
Load-in takes 45 to 60 minutes before the first subject.
We coordinate with your office manager or facilities team on security check-in, freight elevator access, and power outlets.
Our footprint runs about 10 by 12 feet for a basic headshot setup, though we can squeeze tighter if your conference room is on the cozy side.
The flow for a typical corporate day looks like this:
We publish time slots or a sign-up sheet.
People check in at their window, settle for 2 to 3 minutes of light coaching on pose and expression, and we shoot 10 to 15 frames.
They see their images on the tethered monitor, we confirm favorites, and they are back at their desk in under 10 minutes.
When companies have multiple offices, HQ in Manhattan plus satellites in nearby areas, we match background and lighting across days and locations so the final gallery looks like one cohesive photo shoot, not a patchwork of different days and different rooms.
Tech and Logistics Rider for On-Location Shoots
10 by 12 foot clear space minimum
Standard wall outlet within 15 feet of setup
45 to 60 minute load-in window
Quiet room with door that closes (no open floor plans if possible)
Contact for day-of building access and elevator
With the logistics in place, we’re ready to focus on capturing executive portraits that tell your leadership story.
Executive Portraits: Leadership Images for PR, Media, and Investor Materials
Executive portraits carry different weight than standard staff headshots. These images tell a story. They run in press kits, keynote introductions, investor decks, and the kind of profiles where the photography matters as much as the words.
Pre-Production and Planning
Our approach to executive portraits starts with pre-production. We review your current press kit, brand guidelines, and sample layouts from annual reports or websites. If you have references for lighting, pose, or mood, send them over. We build a shot list that covers multiple use cases in one headshot photography session: close crop for professional profiles, three-quarter for the company website, and an environmental portrait at the desk or in a recognizable NYC location for editorial use.
Session Details
Sessions run 60 to 90 minutes and include outfit changes.
We shoot in our Times Square studio for maximum control, or on location if your office or a Manhattan landmark fits the story better.
The goal is to create a set of images that work across different contexts without looking like different people.
Real-World Example
A founder had back-to-back interviews and profile features scheduled for the same week. Their existing headshot was three years old and did not match their current look. We planned a 90-minute session with two outfits, shot both a clean studio portrait and an environmental setup at their Downtown office, and delivered retouched hero images within 48 hours. One session covered press, website, and professional profiles with room to spare.
Executive portrait use cases:
Press kits and media inquiries
Keynote and conference speaker bios
Investor pitch decks and annual reports
Professional profiles and leadership pages
Board announcements and leadership pages
After executive portraits, we address the needs of distributed teams with remote headshot solutions.
Remote Headshots: How We Run Sessions When Your Team Is Everywhere
Remote headshots exist because teams do not all sit in the same office anymore. Maybe your engineering team is in another city, your sales team is scattered across time zones, and your HR lead works from a quiet place far from HQ. You still need headshots that match.
How Remote Sessions Work
We run remote sessions through our in-house CLOS workflow. Each participant books a 15 to 20 minute window. Our photographer joins the session live, guides them through setup, and directs framing, lighting, and expression in real time. It is not a DIY tutorial. It is a directed headshot session that happens to use a smartphone instead of a studio camera.
Preparation and Requirements
Before the session, we send wardrobe suggestions, background guidance, and framing references so everyone shows up prepared. We ask participants to find a spot with natural light near a window and a clean, neutral wall. No ring lights required. No fancy equipment. Just a smartphone, a window, quiet space, and 20 minutes.
Remote sessions start at around USD 100 per person, which makes them accessible for teams that need to cover a lot of people across different areas. The quality difference between a guided remote session and a self-directed phone photo is huge. You get usable corporate headshots for professional profiles, internal directories, messaging avatars, and press use that visually match your in-office photos.
What remote participants need:
A smartphone with a working front camera
A window for natural light (overcast days are wonderful)
A clean, neutral wall or backdrop
20 minutes of quiet, uninterrupted time
With remote and in-person sessions covered, we’re prepared to handle urgent needs with same-day turnaround.
Same Day Headshots NYC: Timelines, Turnaround, and Realistic Expectations
Same day headshots NYC come up more often than you might imagine. A board appointment gets announced and someone needs a new headshot before the press release goes out. A founder gets invited to speak at a Midtown venue and their current photo looks like a different person. A PR lead realizes the media kit has outdated images the night before a launch.
How Same-Day Sessions Work
Morning session at our Times Square studio.
We shoot, review selects on the tethered monitor with you, and lock in the hero frames before you leave.
Our retoucher starts work immediately.
You have 2 to 4 final, retouched files by early evening.
Same-day turnaround on location is possible but depends on distance within NYC, crew availability, and the number of people we are covering. A single executive at a Midtown office is doable. Forty people at a Brooklyn campus with same-day delivery is not.
Pricing and Delivery
Individual standard studio sessions typically start at USD 449+ (scope and deliverables determine the final quote).
Corporate mini sessions or small on-site blocks are quoted per scope.
Rush fees buy extra retoucher hours so we can prioritize your files without cutting corners on color accuracy, skin tone, or natural retouching.
Turnaround options:
Same day: 2 to 4 retouched images by evening (studio, individual sessions)
24 hours: selects retouched and delivered next business day
3 to 5 business days: standard delivery for larger corporate jobs
After your session, it’s important to know what your people will experience from check-in to final gallery.
What Your People Experience: From Check-In To Final Gallery
Nobody loves getting their headshot taken. We know this. Our job is to make it quick, painless, and maybe even a little pleasant.
Step-by-Step Process
Arrival and Check-In
Subjects arrive at their scheduled time.
We greet them, do a quick wardrobe check (collar straight, lint removed, glasses clean).Coaching and Shooting
Spend 2 to 3 minutes on light coaching: turn your shoulders, drop your chin, relax your jaw.
Most people feel comfortable within 30 seconds.Image Capture
We shoot 10 to 15 frames per person.
Images are captured tethered to a laptop, so subjects see their images as we shoot.
If adjustments are needed, we catch them in real time.Proofs and Selection
After the session, proofs go to an online gallery.
HR or your project lead can centralize approvals for large team shoots.Retouching and Delivery
We deliver final retouched images within 3 to 5 business days for standard jobs, faster for rush.
Retouching Style
Our retouching style is clean and natural. We remove temporary distractions: blemishes, lint, flyaways, under-eye shadows. We keep permanent features that make people recognizable. No plastic smoothing. No heavy photoshop. The goal is for people to look like themselves on a great shot day.
What subjects need to know before they show up:
Arrive at your scheduled time slot (we run on schedule)
Bring a backup top or jacket if you want options
Skip the wild patterns and loud logos
We handle the rest
Once your team’s images are ready, it’s time to put your new professional headshots to work across all your channels.
Using Your New Professional Headshots: From LinkedIn To Press Kits
Professional headshots are an investment. Make them work everywhere they can.
We deliver files in web and print resolution with naming conventions that make sense for your internal asset management.
Standard crops work for professional profiles and company directories.
We can provide custom crops for internal tools, email signatures, or specific website layouts on request.
After delivery, update everywhere:
Professional profile photo and banner if applicable
Company website team page
Email signature with new headshot
Internal directory and messaging profile
Pitch decks and investor materials
PR for updated press kit
Save high-res versions for future conference bios
When you hire new people or promote new executives, let us know. We match future sessions to your established visual style so your team page stays consistent over time. No patchwork of different days and different looks.
Studio vs On Location vs Remote: Which Professional Headshot Setup Fits You
Choosing between our Times Square studio, on location headshots NYC, and remote sessions depends on your team, timeline, and logistics. Here is how we think about it.
Studio Sessions
Maximum control over lighting, background, acoustics, and pace.
Ideal for executive portraits, small leadership teams, and anyone who wants variety in their final images.
Talent and public-facing professionals often prefer studio sessions for the range of different looks we can capture in one sitting.
On Location Sessions
Make sense for larger teams.
When you have 50 or 100 people, asking everyone to travel to Times Square burns hours and goodwill.
We bring the studio to your office, set up in a conference room or open space, and run through your team efficiently.
Same quality, less disruption.
Remote Sessions
For teammates who are not in NYC.
We have covered teams across North America, sales groups across multiple regions, and founders who split time between coasts.
The images match your in-office headshots so the gallery looks cohesive.
We often mix formats in one project. A 10-person leadership team at the studio with environmental portraits. An 80-person staff day on location at HQ. A 40-person remote session for distributed teammates. Same visual language across all of it.
Three formats compared:
Studio: maximum control, variety, ideal for executives and small teams
On location: convenience for large teams, minimal disruption, office environment options
Remote: accessibility for non-NYC staff, brand-matched results, budget-friendly
To ensure your team’s photos look cohesive, it’s important to brief everyone with clear wardrobe guidance.
How To Brief Your Team So The Photos Look Cohesive (Without Looking Like Uniforms)
Every HR lead knows the problem. You send an email saying “business casual” and get interpretations ranging from Hawaiian shirt to full suit and tie. The professional photos end up looking like a collection of strangers.
We send wardrobe guidance before every corporate shoot. It is specific enough to create consistency and loose enough to let personality come through.
Wardrobe guidance we typically send:
Colors:
Stick to 2 to 3 color families that work with your brand (navy, charcoal, off-white, soft blues and greens photograph well)
Avoid pure white shirts directly on camera if you have fair skin (off-white or light blue reads better)
Skip neon colors and busy patternsFormality by industry:
Finance and law: jackets expected, ties optional, clean collars
Tech and creative: polished but relaxed, no jacket required, crew necks work
Leadership: bring a jacket even if you do not wear it dailyWhat to avoid:
Large logos or brand names
Distracting jewelry or accessories
Wild patterns that pull focus from your facePractical details:
Press your clothes the night before (wrinkles show)
Clean your glasses with lens cleaner, not your shirt
Simple hair prep: neat and natural, nothing you would not wear to a client meeting
Bring a backup top or jacket in case the first choice does not work on camera
Feel free to copy this list and send it to your team before their headshot session. It saves everyone time on shoot day.
Next Steps: Scoping Your Professional Headshots With Match Production
We specialize in corporate headshots NYC, executive portraits, on location headshots NYC for large teams, and remote headshots for distributed workforces. If you have a project coming up, we can quote quickly once we know the basics.
Email hello@match-production.com with your scope and we will map the day, crew accordingly, and keep the look consistent across every deliverable. For details on how we protect your information, see our privacy policy.
What to include in your email:
Team size (rough number is fine)
Preferred dates or deadline
Location(s): studio, your office, remote, or a mix
Any press or launch deadlines driving timeline
Style notes if you have them
We have run sessions for 10 leaders in studio plus 80 staff on location in a single week. We have turned around executive portraits in 48 hours for breaking news. Whatever your scope, we will figure out the logistics and give you images your team will actually want to use.
By Lisa,
your guide to seamless photo sessions and perfect professional headshots.
