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What are the background options for your new LinkedIn profile photo?

30th May 2023/in Uncategorised /by Editor

Clients are always asking us what are the background options for your new LinkedIn profile photo. Basically, we would suggest that there are five main backgrounds that we would suggest. In a studio set up we can offer the most popular choice which is white. The majority of clients ask for a clean white background as this is the most popular you will see on most LinkedIn profile pages. Some clients prefer a grey background as this is a little softer and can actually make your profile photo stand out a little more on your LinkedIn profile page. Sometimes we are asked for a dark or black background as this will make your profile photo really stand out on a profile page as it contrasts totally with the normal white page. If we are asked to capture a LinkedIn profile photo on a coloured background, we will normally add the colour in post-production as buying in a colourama roll just for one profile photo is uneconomic.

The next option would be an office interior as your background. This can work really well as it shows the person in their office environment which helps establish the person as a busy working professional. We do suggest that we capture the LinkedIn profile photo with the office background slightly out of focus so that any mess or shapes that might distract from the subject are lost in the background blur. You will still be able to see it is an office environment but it will look less intrusive.

Other background options for your LinkedIn photo are the great outdoors! We can meet you at a London location and capture your LinkedIn photo with a cityscape background. These work well as they place the person in the major city they work in. So when a potential client or employer looks at your LinkedIn profile page, they will know instantly where you are based.

LinkedIn profile photo with a dark background.

LinkedIn profile photo with an office background.

LinkedIn profile photo with a London cityscape background.

Can I have a LinkedIn profile photo captured with a London background?

We are often asked whether I can have a LinkedIn profile photo captured with a London background. Yes is the answer, but there are a few options to take into account.

The first is to be very careful which London location you choose. For instance, many clients want a view of St Paul’s as their background. This is fine, but the area around St Pauls is very busy, and this causes problems. If you have hired a professional corporate headshot photographer to capture your LinkedIn profile photo, they will be using a long portrait lens. When using these lenses, there will be at least a 10ft gap between you and the photographer. This means people will keep walking in front of the camera and ruining your LinkedIn profile photo commission. If St Paul’ is your choice of location, we do have a few tricks to make sure you get a decent London location headshot. We take clients onto the Millennium Bridge and ask them to stand close to the bridge barrier. We also position ourselves against this barrier, and this makes it difficult for people to get in the way.

Another sample is many clients who want a view of The City as their background and ask us to meet them by The Monument or at Bank. This does not work but for different reasons. If you are in The City, you are not in the right area to get a clear view of the famous cityscape. We ask clients to meet us over at More London on the south side of the River Thames. This area is less busy than The City, and you have a clear view across the river of all the instantly recognisable office skyscrapers. Also, at More London, if you walk in an eastwards direction, you get a good view of Tower Bridge which is very popular as a background for any foreign business people wanting to show on their LinkedIn profile page that they are working in London.

So the next time a corporate headshot photographer is asked, can I have a LinkedIn profile photo captured with a London background? They can explain all the options and where to avoid in a busy London!

LinkedIn London Location Profile Photo with St Paul’s

LinkedIn London Location Profile Photo with The City Background

Do I need a professional LinkedIn profile photo?

27th April 2023/in Uncategorised /by Editor

When we tell people what we do and how much we charge for our LinkedIn profile photos, we often hear… Do I need a professional LinkedIn profile photo? Our answer depends on what your occupation is.

If you are in full-time employment and you are not interacting with important clients, then the answer is no; you do not need a professional LinkedIn profile photo. You can use a decent photo of yourself on LinkedIn as people might look you up just to put a face to the name, but your LinkedIn profile will not depend on bringing new work and clients to the business.

If you are a freelancer working for a variety of clients, then a professional LinkedIn profile photo is a good idea. Potential clients will check out your LinkedIn profile to access your business skills and to check on any recommendations past clients have left.

Also, if you are a salesperson and you are constantly engaging with clients, you will need a decent profile photo. Selling is hard enough without your LinkedIn photo letting the side down. You are in competition and need everything to look professional on your LinkedIn profile. So budget accordingly and go to a professional corporate portrait photographer and make sure your profile photo is up to date and not ten years old.

Lastly, if you are a director of a business, you represent your company and the services or products it delivers. If clients know they might be working with you, they will automatically check out your LinkedIn profile. When they do, they need to see you looking professional, and the first thing they will look at is your profile photo. You don’t have to look like a movie star. You just have to look like a professional business person. So spend some time finding the right corporate headshot photographer. Have samples of what you want so you can clearly show the photographer what you want the end result to look like.

Do I need a professional LinkedIn profile photo?

Where can I get a LinkedIn Profile Photo in London?

20th April 2023/in Uncategorised /by Editor

Adding to the list of FAQs is where can I get a LinkedIn profile photo in London?

The most obvious is at a corporate portrait photographers studio. Ask around, do a bit of research, and you will find a few studios based in London that specialise is LinkedIn profile photos. Don’t assume all photographic studios supply quality profile photos as some specialise in pack shots or still-life photography for marketing. The corporate portrait photographers studio is a good option, but it will be the most expensive as the photographer will have to pass on some of their costs as they are renting a studio in London.

Another option is to find a LinkedIn profile photographer to bring a mobile studio set-up to your London offices. This means the corporate portrait photographer will not have the ongoing costs of studio rental, and therefore their charges should be less. You should get the same high-quality LinkedIn profile photo as the photographer will bring a white or dark background, studio lighting and a professional portrait lens. The benefits are that you do not have to travel across London to get your LinkedIn profile photo captured saving you time in your working day and once the LinkedIn profile photographer is all set-up any business colleagues can chip in and have there LinkedIn profile photo taken.

The last option is to ask a LinkedIn profile photographer to suggest and area of London where you can meet up with them and capture your LinkedIn profile photo with a London cityscape behind you. This is very popular with clients as it shows on their LinkedIn profile page exactly where they are based and that they work in a thriving and successful city. We often photograph clients with St Pauls in the background which we capture from the Millenium bridge. Another great spot is around More London where we have clients photographed with views of The City behind them.

LinkedIn profile photo with a dark studio background

LinkedIn profile photo with a London background