August 2025 – St Louis HeadShot Photographer, Inc.

Decision makers want clean logistics, consistent output, and a smooth employee experience. This guide explains how an on‑site headshot program works when we bring a full studio to your office—and how to get executive‑level results without disrupting the workday.

Why On‑Site Headshots Win (for Marketing, HR, and IT)

Participation & consistency: Higher turnout and uniform lighting/backgrounds across departments and locations.
Brand control: Background tone and crop are matched to your brand system (web, print, ID, press). We lock exposure, white balance, and focal length for a repeatable look.
Operational efficiency: No travel stipends, no schedule drift. Typical throughput ranges from 12–18 people/hour for standard headshots or 6–10/hour for coached portraits.
IT/DAM friendly: Files arrive correctly named, color‑managed, and metadata‑tagged for your CMS, DAM, or HRIS.

Our Mobile Studio: What We Set Up in Your Space

Footprint: Ideal working area is 12’×18’ (we can adapt tighter). Minimum clear ceiling height 8’.
Power: Two standard 15A circuits (no special electrical). We carry battery packs if needed.
Lighting: Key + fill + hair/rim using Profoto/Flashpoint strobes, 3×4″ softbox or 36″ octa, and a subtle kicker. We light inclusively for all skin tones with large sources and careful ratios (typ. f/5.6–f/8 at ISO 100–200).
Lenses: 85–105mm for flattering perspective.
Color: 5600K strobes, X‑Rite ColorChecker and gray card for session‑wide accuracy; custom profile applied in post.
Backgrounds: Seamless white, medium gray, charcoal, branded color, or subtle textured. Digital background match available when locations vary.
Tethered review: Live preview via Capture One/Lightroom to a calibrated display; talent selects favorites before leaving.
Accessibility: Seated and standing options, wheelchair clearance, anti‑glare strategies for glasses.

Noise & footprint: Strobes are quiet. We use carts, floor protection, and gaffer‑tape cable runs for safety.

A Proven Three‑Phase Workflow

1) Pre‑Production (Your team + ours)

Brand alignment meeting: crops (1:1, 4:5, 5:4), background, contrast, and expression guidance.
Location scout: pick rooms with controllable light and easy flow.
Scheduling plan: choose sign‑up link, department blocks, or open studio. Automated reminders reduce no‑shows.
Orientation deck: a 1‑page PDF we send your staff with wardrobe and grooming tips (see templates below).

2) Production Day (fast, friendly, efficient)

Check‑in table with mirror, lint rollers, combs, and anti‑shine.
Coaching: micro‑cues for posture, jawline, and authentic expression. Each person sees a 10–20 frame sequence and selects a primary and backup.
Consistency controls: locked camera height, distance, focal length; scene measured and marked.

3) Post‑Production (speed + accuracy)

AI‑assisted culling for sharpness/eyes‑open, then human review.
Baseline color/exposure normalization across the set.
Retouching (non‑destructive): stray hairs, lint, temporary blemishes, shine reduction, gentle eye/teeth cleanup. We never alter identity or body shape.
Quality control: spot‑check on calibrated monitors.
Delivery via branded proofing gallery; approvals tracked. Final assets supplied to your DAM/CMS/HRIS.

Standard turnaround: Proofs same day or next business day. Finals typically 2–3 business days after selections (rush options available).

Deliverables & Technical Specs (IT‑Ready)

File formats: Web (sRGB JPEG, 3000px on the long edge); Print (sRGB/TIFF optional, 8×10″ @ 300 dpi).
Crops: 1:1 (Slack/Teams), 4:5 (LinkedIn), 5:4 (web bios). We supply your chosen set globally.
Naming convention: Lastname_Firstname_Department_YYYYMMDD.jpg (custom schemas welcome).
Metadata (IPTC/XMP): Creator, copyright, contact, usage rights, subject name, department, location.
Background matching: Solid brand tones (e.g., #2E3A59) or gradient. Digital swap available when sites differ.
Compliance: ADA/DEI‑sensitive lighting and posing; alt‑text guidance for web teams; COI and on‑site security sign‑in supported.

Scheduling Models That Keep Work Moving

Express: Maximum throughput for large headcounts; consistent look with minimal posing (12–18/hr).
Standard: Coaching per subject, two final poses (8–12/hr).
Executive/Key Talent: More time per person, wardrobe options, and environmental portraits (3–6/hr).

We can scale across multiple rooms/floors with duplicate kits to hit aggressive timelines.

Add‑Ons That Multiply Value

Environmental portraits: Real workspaces, shallow depth, context for leadership pages.
30‑second video intros: Vertical and horizontal formats for LinkedIn, recruiting, or onboarding.
Uniform background rollout: Harmonize legacy headshots across sites via digital background replacement.
New‑hire days: Quarterly on‑site mini‑sessions for additions and promotions.
Badge/ID compliance: Exact specs for access control, HRIS, and directory thumbnails.
Recruiting content: B‑roll and short testimonials; yes, we can fly specialized drones indoors for safe, cinematic establishing shots when permitted.

Wardrobe & Grooming: Copy‑Paste Email to Staff

Subject: Your Headshot Session — Quick Tips (Takes ~5 minutes)

Hi team,
Our on‑site headshot day is coming up. Your session is quick and easy—plan on about 5 minutes. A few tips:

Solid colors or subtle patterns; avoid tight stripes or high‑gloss fabrics.
Bring a jacket/layer if you want options; press collars.
Glasses are welcome (we’ll manage glare). Clean lenses.
Hair: simple flyaway control; light powder for shine.
Please arrive 5 minutes early. You’ll select your favorite image on‑site. Thanks!
—[Your Company]

What We Bring (Checklist)

Dual strobe kit + modifiers; collapsible backgrounds; stands with sandbags.
Tethered laptop + calibrated monitor for instant review.
Grooming kit (mirror, clips, combs, anti‑shine, lint roller, steamer).
Power distribution, cable ramps, floor protection, signage.
Backup everything: cameras, lenses, lights, batteries, and cards.

A Typical Run‑of‑Show

7:30a Load‑in and setup (45–60 min)
8:30a Test frames, white balance, final layout confirmation
9:00a–12:00p Morning sessions (standard cadence)
12:00p–1:00p Break + quick backup
1:00p–4:30p Afternoon sessions / executives
4:30p–5:00p Strike and load‑out

Budget Levers Without Sacrificing Quality

One background vs. multiple brand colors
Throughput target (express vs. coached)
Retouching depth (standard vs. executive)
Single‑day blitz vs. split days by department

FAQs

Q: Can you match our existing headshots?
A: Yes—match by focal length, height, framing, background tone, and retouching style. Send samples and specs.

Q: What about multiple locations?
A: We standardize a tech pack so every site matches. Digital background replacement keeps the look uniform.

Q: How do you handle privacy?
A: Secure transfer links, least‑privilege access, optional NDAs, and a retention schedule aligned to your policy.

Q: Can you photograph remote employees?
A: We provide a pop‑up studio at coworking spaces or a guided at‑home kit with virtual coaching + digital background.

Q: What if someone needs a reshoot?
A: We include safety backups and can schedule a short follow‑up block or add them to the next new‑hire day.

Why Teams Choose Us

You’re not buying pictures—you’re buying a repeatable system that protects your brand and saves staff time. Our combination of disciplined lighting, efficient flow, and meticulous post ensures that every headshot looks like it belongs to the same organization, even when captured months apart.

About St Louis Headshot Photographer

Since 1982, St Louis Headshot Photographer has partnered with businesses, marketing firms, and creative agencies throughout the St. Louis region to deliver consistent, on‑brand photography and video. We’re a full‑service professional commercial photography and video production company with the right equipment and creative crew for successful image acquisition. We offer full‑service studio and location video and photography, plus editing, post‑production, and licensed drone pilots. We can customize productions for a wide range of media requirements, and we specialize in repurposing your photography and video branding to gain more traction across channels. We’re well‑versed in all file types, media styles, and accompanying software, and we use the latest in Artificial Intelligence across our services for speed, consistency, and quality. Our private studio lighting and visual setup is perfect for small productions and interview scenes, with room to incorporate props. We support every aspect of your production—from setting up a private, custom interview studio to supplying professional sound and camera operators, as well as providing the right equipment—ensuring your next video production is seamless and successful. We can fly our specialized drones indoors (where permitted) for dynamic office visuals.