Dallas Headshots: Choosing the Right Background
In a previous blog, I talked about the advantages of shooting to either a paper or cloth backdrop, or going with a physical background for your Dallas headshots. You can go check that blog out here. Once you've made your decision either way, it will be time to determine what exactly will be behind the bright, smiling faces of your people, so I figured I would give a more specific breakdown on each to help you narrow down your options.
This blog is about selecting a physical location, check back soon if you are going down the road of a paper or cloth backdrop. Here are a few thoughts on how to select your background, and make sure to consult a headshot photographer in Dallas when making a final decision:
1. Keep it clean, keep it simple
Whatever you do, you want to shoot to a background that keeps things clean and simple. The last thing you want to have happen is for your Dallas headshot photography to have a background that is so busy or cluttered that the subject doesn't stand out. The background should never fight for attention. So, you wouldn't want to shoot right up against a brick wall or in an area where a ton of things are going on. However, your photographer may be able to take these kinds of scenes and blur them out in camera, so that they become less distracting. I would recommend a discussion or walkthrough with your photographer to see what your options are. Some backgrounds may have potential, while others need to be avoided no matter what.
2. What does it say about you?
Your background can say a lot of things about you. It can communicate that you are in a particular industry, that you are high end, or that you do business in a particular part of town, or city, region or state. For instance, you may be located in Uptown Dallas, so shooting with recognizable high rises in the background, or even with the architecture of your particular building behind you can communicate where you serve clients from. People familiar with the area will be able to associate you with Uptown. If you offered private jet service to very discerning clientele, it may help you to shoot with some of your best aircraft in the background to show that you are a high end company.
3. Go abstract for a strong impression
Maybe you don't need your background to speak specifically to you, but rather want something clean that has a great pop to it. Your photographer in Dallas can help with this in a number of ways. Trees and landscaping are probably one of the best backgrounds for this type of look. In blurring them out in the background, you get unique shapes and colors to help your headshot stand out. It also lends a very fresh and vibrant look to your photos. Another way to get this look is to use the glass of buildings blurred out behind you, especially if you have a nice green or blue glass. You could also use a skyline or buildings from outside of your office windows to do this. The real key is making sure you select a Dallas headshot photographer who can set their camera and use certain techniques in such a way that it creates an abstract background. This way you get interesting color and texture without it being specific.
I hope that these thoughts were helpful to you in making your background selections. It will take some time to think over what you want out of your background, but is totally worth the effort to create great photos. Enjoy and stay tuned for a breakdown on backdrops next!