How Often Should You Update Your Business Photography?
“We’ve had our professional photos done. We don’t need to do them again.”
It’s an understandable view. Professional photography is an investment, and a strong collection of images can serve your business well. But as your business develops, those photographs can gradually stop reflecting the people, services and experience you offer today.
I was reminded of this recently when I bumped into a previous client at a networking event. We were chatting about their shoot when she mentioned that two of the people in the team photographs had since left the firm.
“If I’d known,” she said, “we should have taken some without them in it.”
There’s only so much we can predict on the day. What we can do is recognise that business photography needs to evolve alongside the business itself.
Your team changes - and your photographs should keep up
When I’m asked to quote for headshots for a larger organisation, the conversation often includes a familiar caveat: “Although… we’re recruiting at the moment.”
There may never be a moment when every position is filled and no further changes are on the horizon. People join, people leave, and teams grow.
Rather than waiting for the perfect time, it helps to plan for those changes. An initial shoot can establish a consistent style, with follow-up sessions providing headshots for new starters and updated team photographs when needed.
This gives your website a coherent, current collection of images and makes introducing new colleagues much easier.
A return visit to The Diamond Setter
The Diamond Setter is a lovely example of how a follow-up shoot can achieve more than simply updating a team photograph.
I’d photographed the business before, so when Robyn joined the team, they invited me back. We refreshed the full team photograph, and while I was there, I also photographed Robyn working at the bench.
Those images gave them several ways to share the news. Alongside showing the updated team, they could introduce Robyn, highlight her work and offer another glimpse behind the scenes of the business.
It’s a useful approach to any return session: start with the immediate need, then consider what else would help the business communicate over the coming months.
Does your headshot still look like you?
It isn’t only team changes that make photographs feel out of date. Our appearance changes too.
A different hairstyle, new glasses or simply the passage of time can mean that a once-favourite headshot no longer feels representative.
Your photograph helps people recognise you before a meeting, at a networking event or when they arrive for an appointment. Ideally, that first face-to-face introduction should feel familiar.
If you regularly find yourself saying, “That was taken quite a while ago,” it may be time for an update.
Fresh photographs give you more to talk about
Business photography often works quietly in the background. You use it on your website, alongside social posts, in presentations, for press coverage and when introducing your services.
It’s easy to overlook how much you rely on those images until you have something new to announce and struggle to find a suitable photograph.
A well-planned session can help you build a useful collection around the people, processes and services you want to promote. That might include your team at work, details of your craft, client-facing spaces or portraits of the people behind the business.
The aim is to make it easier to share what’s happening, with photographs that support the story.
How often should you book a business photography session?
There’s no single timetable that suits every organisation.
For many businesses, a couple of shoots a year can provide a useful opportunity to refresh their images. Some larger firms I work with book several sessions throughout the year to accommodate new starters and maintain a supply of photographs for their website and ongoing communications.
The right frequency depends on how quickly your business changes and how often you use photography.
A good starting point is to review your current images and ask:
Does everyone pictured still work here?
Are new team members represented?
Do our headshots still look like us?
Do the photographs reflect our current services and premises?
Do we have suitable images for the things we want to promote next?
You may only need a focused update. Equally, you might discover that your business has moved forward considerably since your last shoot.
Are your photographs showing your business as it is now?
Having professional photographs taken is an important first step. Keeping them relevant helps you continue getting value from that investment.
Thank you to Lorraine Marsh and Gavin Marsh at The Diamond Setter for inviting me back and for being such wonderful clients.
