5 Tips for Taking Fantastic “Meet the Team” Photos of Your Staff

We’ve all seen “Meet the Team” photos on dealership websites. Why is it a majority of the photos look like mug shots?

I sat down with one of our Reynolds professional photographers, Emily Myers, to talk about this issue. What follows is her five tips for getting fantastic photos of your staff.

1. Get a Good Camera (Avoid Cell Phones)

Use the best camera you have available. A digital single-lens reflex (DSLR) camera is ideal. At a minimum we suggest a digital point-and-shoot camera. Using a tripod will also help you avoid blurry photos, plus it will help you get the same angle and background for everyone who gets a photo.

Finally, avoid using cell phone cameras if at all possible. Investing just a little bit of money in a camera for your dealership will get you better results.

Pro tip: Use the same camera for all your photos to get the same look for all your staff.

2. Find a Non-White Background

The background can make or break a photo. You want to have a texture in the background, but avoid anything dramatic or eye-catching. Also, try to stay away from bright white backgrounds. This can wash out the person in the photo.

Pro tip: Use a well-lit area with a one color background.

3. Grooming Matters

Too often we see employee photos that could be much better with a shave or a trim of the beard.

For male employees, make sure they’re either clean-shaven or they’ve trimmed their beard and facial hair. Also, to make sure they have combed hair and have removed any other visible hair, such as nose and ear hair. The camera will pick up those strays and magnify them.

Female employees should comb their hair and wear tasteful, fresh makeup (neutral shades will look better in photos). If they wear jewelry, it should be modest.

Pro Tip: Bring a comb and hairspray for employees to use to tame any stray hairs.

4. Wear Consistent Clothing

Have employees wear similar clothing for their photos. If you have different shirts for different departments, have those employees wear them in their photos. Doing so will help customers identify who’s who when they visit your dealership.

Pro Tip: Wear dealership logo apparel, and make sure it’s a different color than the background.

5. Keep Location and Composition Consistent

Take all your dealership photos in the same location and from the same angle. If you take the first person in a portrait “frame,” then the rest of the photos should be portrait as well. The same thing applies if you prefer to have landscape photos.

Pro Tip: Mark a spot on the floor with tape in a “T-shape” to show employees where to stand for their photo. This will ensure a consistent framing for all your staff photos.

Conclusion

Consider assigning one of your employees to be the “official photographer” for all photos taken in your dealership. Several dealerships we’ve worked with had employees that were photography enthusiasts outside of work. If you have someone like that already on staff, why not take advantage?

Polished, professional photos of your staff will help you make a great first impression with customers on the Web. Leave the mug shots to the police (or your competitors).

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