How to prepare for your corporate photoshoot

Do you have a corporate photoshoot coming up? Whether you’re refreshing your website, updating marketing materials, or bringing new energy to your brand visuals, the right business photography can enhance your brand—both inside and out. To help you get started, we outline two key types of corporate storytelling photography and provide a step-by-step guide on how to set you and your team up for success on shoot day.

What are the two main types of corporate storytelling photography?

There are two main types of corporate storytelling photography – customer experience photoshoots and employee experience (or company culture) photoshoots. While both are examples of visual storytelling, they showcase your brand in different ways.

Where customer experience photography highlights the external experience of your brand, employee experience photography gives customers an inside look into the faces, culture, and values that drive it. Both foster trust between your brand and your clients, however, in slightly different ways.

Two professionally dressed people walk up a glass staircase, holding a briefcase and coffee, and smiling at each other in a modern office building.

Eight people pose for a group photo in an office lounge area with modern chairs; one person holds a laptop.

How do I prepare for a corporate storytelling photoshoot?

You may have read our blog post on preparing for an event. This time we’ve pulled together a step-by-step guide to ensure your corporate photoshoot goes off without a hitch. Here’s what we suggest:

1. Reacquaint yourself with your brand guidelines

Before you do anything else, take a moment to reacquaint yourself with your brand. It may have been a while since you read your brand guidelines cover to cover, as things like fonts and visual standards tend to become second nature for marketing professionals. But take a pause. Re-read your brand’s mission statement and values. Remind yourself of your brand’s tone of voice, visual identity, and unique value proposition. These elements should be the foundation of your corporate storytelling shoot— guiding everything from wardrobe choices and featured participants to locations and shot scenarios.

For example, if mentorship is one of your brand’s core values, make sure that your shot list includes photos of a senior and junior employees working together. Alternatively, if your brand is at the forefront of innovation, skip locations with dated, wood-panelled interiors and instead, opt for bright, modern, open environments. You might even need to plan multiple shoot days in multiple locations to properly convey the breadth and depth of your brand.

Two people sit on a curved white couch in a modern office lounge with green plant walls, reading and working together at a round table.

2. Create a clear brief

An organized brief is not only helpful to get internal stakeholders on the same page, but it also provides invaluable guidance to your photographers. A creative brief for a corporate storytelling photoshoot should include the following details:

The overall goal of the shoot
The date, time, and location(s)
Where the photos will be used (e.g. web, social media, etc.)
- Note: What platforms the photos will be used on can help your photographer determine the best angles and framing. For instance, Meta ads have low design zones, which means your photographer can shoot some images with extra “negative space” around the subjects. This is also a good practice for advertisements where brands will likely add copy to the design.
Who will be featured in the shoot (e.g. in the case of an employee culture photoshoot, list the names of the employees who will be participating, and be sure to include a mix of ages, genders, and ethnicities)
The shot list (be detailed in your shot list, e.g. clients being greeted by a receptionist, a meeting in progress, or team members standing in the office and laughing)
Example photos of what you’re looking for (don’t be shy—feel free to include photos that are similar to those you’re hoping to out of your photoshoot)

3. Choose the right photographer

Step three is critical when preparing for your corporate storytelling photoshoot. Find a photographer with corporate storytelling experience, like Toronto photographers Indigo Events. Be sure to review their portfolio before hiring them, and consider hiring a second photographer to capture candid moments between waiting participants and other behind-the-scenes content.

Four people in business attire collaborate around a conference table in a modern office with large windows and a city view.

4. Finalize photoshoot participants and styling

You’ll need to decide early who you want included in your corporate storytelling photoshoot. For instance, will you use employees, professional models, or a mix? If you’ve opted for an employee culture photoshoot, then using your actual employees is a great option as it brings authenticity, helps tell the real story of your brand, and might even encourage your team members to share on their own social media.

Whether you go with models or employees, make sure you are clear about wardrobe guidelines in advance. For example, you may wish to provide guidelines like avoid busy logos or patterns, or wear light and neutral colours or black and white only. What the subjects of your photos wear should be aligned with your brand aesthetic and values.

5. Brief your participants

If you’re asking your employees to be on camera, make sure to set the expectations in advance. Tell them what they’ll be doing, what to wear, and what the vibe of the photoshoot will be (e.g. casual, collaborative, posed, etc.). While you’ll naturally be meeting with your photographer during this whole process, it can be helpful to include your photographers in the participant briefing for any additional questions that may come up.

Five people in business attire sit and stand around a meeting table with laptops, having a discussion in a modern office space with large windows and green plants.

A man sits at a desk working on a laptop while a woman stands beside him holding and discussing a printed report in a modern office setting.

6. Schedule a site visit with your photographer

Don’t forget to schedule a site visit with your photographer in the lead-up to the shoot date. A site visit can help your photographer understand your vision and find the areas with the best natural light or backdrop for shooting on the day. They can even help you identify ideal spots for participants and equipment. Ultimately, a site visit ensures a smoother day from start to finish.

7. Plan, plan, plan

Remember, organization is your friend when planning a corporate photoshoot. Be sure to send out the following in advance of the shoot:

Calendar invites for all participants
A detailed agenda with times, locations, props, and participants
Pro tip: A storytelling shoot often lasts at least an entire day, and some employees likely won’t have a full day to spare, especially key individuals like busy execs or department heads. Group your participants strategically, e.g. a few hours at a time, to respect their time while still covering your shot list.

8. Turn the photoshoot into a content day

You’ve already got people on-site, so why not maximize that time? Consider hiring a videographer to film video content for general brand storytelling, testimonials, BTS moments, or meet-the-team content. You could even set up a professional headshot station for team members to update their LinkedIn or internal profiles. This kind of cross-content planning adds serious value and gives you multiple assets from one session.

Two people in business attire sit at a round table in an office, looking at documents together. Large windows and a plant are visible in the background.

Three people in business attire greet each other; two men shake hands while a woman stands between them, smiling, in a modern office setting.

9. Create a great experience

Last but not least, put some thought into what would make the day more fun and enjoyable for everyone and follow through on it. Play upbeat music, provide snacks and drinks, gift complimentary company S.W.A.G. and try to maintain energy and enthusiasm throughout. The more relaxed and happy your participants are, the better the shots will be.

Ready to start planning your corporate storytelling photoshoot?

The first step is hiring high-quality, professional corporate photographers. Let the Indigo Events team bring your vision to life with a corporate storytelling photoshoot that captures the essence of your brand and connects with your audiences.

A group of people sit around a conference table with laptops, viewing charts on a large screen, during a business meeting in a modern office.