How to take a professional headshot in Manchester
What is a headshot?
I’ve been a headshot photographer in Manchester for 20 years. You can see what we do at Jon Parker Lee Photography here. It’s not an easy thing to buy and the quality of service varies, so here’s how to get better professional head shots, how headshot photographers work and how we charge for company headshots.
Office context style headshot.
How to take a good headshot
We take almost all of our professional headshots on location at clients’ offices, which means no intimidating photography studio and no disruption to your working day. Our mobile setup allows you to continue with business as usual while still getting high‑quality, consistent portraits for your website, LinkedIn profiles or marketing materials.
Many clients — and their marketing teams — come prepared with a clear brief or an existing brand style guide, and we’re always happy to follow it. But we also work with plenty of companies who aren’t sure what they need from a headshot session. That’s absolutely fine — as an experienced Manchester headshot photographer, we guide you through the process to ensure you get the best results.
Here are the two essential things we need to create professional, polished portraits:
- A suitable large space for our mobile photography studio. The ideal setup is a large, open area of around 5m x 5m, which gives us enough room for a full‑size Colorama backdrop, lighting stands and safe working space. A high ceiling is beneficial too, helping us control the lighting and create clean, professional portraits.
It’s important not to squeeze the session into a small or cluttered room. Limited space affects the lighting, backdrop distance and overall composition, which can compromise the standard of the corporate headshots we deliver. A clear, open area ensures consistent, sharp and flattering images that match the quality expected from a leading Manchester headshot photographer.
Providing this space allows us to set up quickly, work efficiently and deliver the polished, brand‑focused portraits your team needs — without disruption to your working day.
Our mobile portrait studio on location at a Manchester office.
2. The room used for your company headshots should offer privacy and should not be overlooked. Most people feel a little uncomfortable having their portrait taken at first, and even the most confident team members need a moment to relax. Creating a private, quiet space helps everyone feel at ease, which is essential for producing natural, confident, professional portraits.
While colleagues often mean well, having people watch from an open‑plan office makes it far harder for staff to relax in front of the camera. That’s why, as an experienced Manchester headshot photographer, we never shoot in open‑plan areas. They simply do not produce the polished, flattering portraits your business needs.
A private room allows us to control lighting, backdrop distance, and the overall atmosphere. This leads to better expressions, better posture, and ultimately far better corporate headshots. Providing a quiet, enclosed space ensures a smooth, comfortable experience and high-quality results for every member of your team.
Corporate head shots from our Manchester studio at your office.
Commercial head shot portraits by Jon Parker Lee
What do you charge for headshots and how many files do we get?
Clients often ask, “How much will our headshot portraits cost?” and “What do the charges include?” These are important questions, especially as professional headshots aren’t a common purchase for many businesses, and pricing can vary significantly between photographers.
Different photographers charge in different ways. Some price their corporate headshots on a per‑person basis, while others charge based on the number of final edited portraits supplied. Rates can also differ depending on travel, retouching, setup requirements, or whether a mobile photography studio is brought to your workplace.
As an experienced Manchester headshot photographer, we make our pricing structure clear and transparent from the start. Our rates are tailored to the size of your team, the number of locations, and the style of portraits you require—whether simple corporate headshots or more creative branding images.
Understanding what’s included in your headshot package is essential, and we’re always happy to explain exactly what you’re paying for so there are no surprises. High‑quality business portraits are an investment in your brand, your people and your professional identity.
Modern, clean head shot studio portraits at your office by Manchester-based photographer Jon Parker Lee Photography Ltd.
Our headshot rates simple and clear – we bill by the hour, half day and day. In your booked time we will get as many people shot as possible and we’ll give you a fixed price when you confirm numbers and what quality of service you require. Normally we shoot anywhere between four and twelve people per hour. That’s a big difference. Why? Quite simply you’ll get more shots and of a higher quality if we have 15min with each subject…and they can look through the images and choose what works when we have the time…but we’re happy to rattle through teams and still get nice, clean portraits with just a few mins each.
Corporate headshot photographer in Manchester FAQ’s –
Some tips for subjects on the day
Aside from trying to help the client booking portraits we want to share a few pointers for subjects who will be ‘sitting’ for their portrait.
What to wear for headshots photography shoot
Simple is best. Wear what you’re comfortable in and what makes you happy. A block of colour is nice. Most clients want a white background – if that’s the case then please try and avoid a white shirt / blouse as it can make you looked washed out. Likewise, a collar or jacket can help frame the body and give you good lines. A lot of people arrive for the session and get worried that they don’t like their bare arms showing…so bring a jacket or similar and try some different things…I can’t hide you arms or shoulders. Think ahead and give yourself some choice on the day. It’s very subjective…if in doubt bring a few items and see what you like best. I say the same for ties (where they’re still worn)…maybe do a couple of frames with and without…we don’t put a limit on the number of images so give yourself some choice.
Make up
Less is more without a doubt. Simple matting of the skin and definition of eyes and lips is all you need. If you go big with the foundation or concealer it really jumps out on a high-definition, detailed photograph. A bit of matting is best as the lights will do a great job of softening and flattering the skin anyway. The more make up you apply the more it glares and sheens under the lights. On TV they generally just use a nice matting lotion like MAC I tend to carry matting pads and will ask a subject to dampen any sheen if they’re hot or the makeup is glaring. Oh, and avoid heavy tan products too – you might feel great with a bit of colour but you’ll often stand out when in a montage with colleagues on your website…honestly, less is more.
Hair
I want you to look your best and go away with photos that you’re happy to represent you in your professional life. So if you want to try a few things with the hair during our session then go for it. I generally say, ‘do you want to try it on and off the shoulders, tied-up, etc. And I tend to carry a mirror so that you have time to tweek and get it looking right. Take comfort though, as I say with skin above, the lights really do make hair look lovely and lustrous.
See more of our different styles of portraits for news and PR here
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