Corporate business photos in DC are generally shot on one solid color backdrop. It makes publication on the company website easiest by adding uniformity to a page full of executive portraits showcasing current staffers.
The challenge of only one color of backdrop necessitates hiring a photographer who knows how to light. Why? Think of what will happen if the person's hair color matches the background. Someone with dark hair is going to melt into a dark backdrop unless the photographer adds accent lighting to the hair and shoulders of the subject to create a sense of distance between the person and the background.
Start with good lighting and then if there is session time and you are game for variations why not try your portrait on an environmental or natural background that contrasts with your hair color? Add in a few props that describe what you do and how you look on the job and you'll have a modern portrait with some of the best head shot photos in DC.
Here is a recent portrait by Tracey Attlee of Angelique Jackson, the CEO of Jancik Arts International, Inc. Atlanta, GA and Ocala, Fla. Ms. Jackson is an internationally acclaimed artist who for the past 38 years has designed stained glass ceiling domes for cruise ships and luxury hotels across the globe. Since she is an expert in structural drafting who also designs in wood and metal we thought a natural background would be great for her business portraits. The wood contrasts well with her hair which we lit for definition. Then we added a few props including her favorite purple pen and here is what she looks like on a typical day of work.
