Corporate Headshots in Singapore: A Guide to On-Site Team Photos

Short answer: For most companies, the easiest way to get consistent corporate headshots is an on-site headshot session. The photographer sets up a small studio in a meeting room, and staff come in short slots, so one station covers about 50 people in a full day.

Agree on these before the shoot:

• background
• lighting
• crop
• retouching level

Then record the setup, so new joiners photographed months later match the rest of the team.

Written by Ricky Ee, Director of RS Photography. We photograph corporate headshots, executive portraits and team photos for companies and government agencies in Singapore.

What kind of photos do you need?

Many companies combine these in one day: headshots for everyone, plus executive portraits for the leadership team.

On-site or in a studio?

On-site (in your office) works best for most companies:

• Staff leave their desk for 5–10 minutes, not half a day.
• Large teams can be done in one or two days.
• Office backgrounds can be used for environmental portraits.

A studio suits small groups and executives:

• Full control of lighting and backgrounds.
• More privacy and time for senior leaders.
• No meeting room needed.

For on-site sessions you need a room of at least about 4 m × 4 m, ideally with blinds to control daylight, and a power point.

How to plan the day

1. Count people and set slots

Plan about 7–8 minutes per person for headshots, and 15–30 minutes for executive portraits. That gives about 50 people in a full day with breaks, or about 25 in a half day, per station.

2. Use a booking sheet

Share a sign-up sheet with 8-minute slots. Keep a few spare slots each hour for latecomers and for people who want a retake.

3. Send a short brief to staff

Tell staff the time, place, what to wear and that they can check their photo before leaving. People relax more when they know what to expect.

4. Agree on the look in advance

Approve one sample photo before the day:

• background colour
• lighting style (bright and even, or more contrast)
• crop (head and shoulders, or half body)

5. Name files clearly

Ask for photos named by person, for example Tan-Mei-Ling_Finance.jpg, so HR and IT can update profiles quickly.

Keep the look consistent across the company

The biggest problem with company headshots is inconsistency: people photographed at different times by different photographers, with different backgrounds and lighting. On a website team page, it looks untidy.

To avoid it:

• Pick one background: a plain grey, white or brand colour, or one office location.
• Use the same lighting setup and lens for everyone.
• Use the same crop and eye-line height, so heads line up on a team page.
• Record the setup: lighting positions, camera settings, background and crop. Use it for every future session.

Plan for new joiners

New staff join throughout the year. The cheapest way to keep them consistent is a regular "new joiner" session, for example once a quarter, using the recorded setup. One person at a time is expensive. Six people every three months is not.

What should staff wear?

Send this to staff a few days before:

• Solid colours work best. Avoid busy patterns and fine stripes, which can look distorted on camera.
• Wear what you wear for important meetings. Suit and tie are not required unless your company style calls for it.
• Avoid the same colour as the background, for example a grey top on a grey background.
• Bring a jacket if you might want a more formal version.
• Check glasses: clean lenses and, if possible, no tint.
• Keep it simple: minimal jewellery, nothing with large logos.

For uniformed staff or customer-facing roles, follow the company's uniform guidelines.

Retouching: how much is right?

Agree on the level in advance, so every photo matches:

• Basic (standard): colour, exposure, crop, removing stray hairs and temporary blemishes.
• Enhanced: softer skin and more cleanup, for executive portraits and print.
• What not to do: change face shape, body shape or features. Headshots should look like the person who turns up to the meeting.

What about AI headshots?

AI-generated headshots are cheap and fast, but for companies they have drawbacks:

• results can look slightly unlike the real person
• consistency across a team is hard to control
• some clients and partners see them as less trustworthy

For a team page, a professional photo session usually gives a more consistent and credible result.

Usage rights and privacy

• Usage. Confirm the company can use the photos on the website, LinkedIn, proposals, press materials and ID passes.
• Staff consent. Staff photos are personal data. Tell staff how the photos will be used, and remove photos of people who leave the company from the website. See our PDPA guide for photography.
• Storage. Keep the original files in a shared company folder, not on one person's laptop.

Budget

Headshot sessions are usually priced by session time (half day or full day on site), plus retouching. Things that change the price:

• number of people
• on-site or in a studio
• executive portraits or environmental portraits added
• retouching level
• whether team photos are included

For how corporate photography is priced in general, see corporate photography costs in Singapore.

Headshot sessions also fit well with events. A headshot booth at a conference or company offsite gives every delegate or employee a professional photo, and can be added to your event coverage.

FAQ

How many headshots can be taken in an hour?

About 6 to 7 people an hour per station, which is about 50 in a full day with breaks or about 25 in a half day. Executive portraits take longer, usually 15 to 30 minutes each.

Is it better to do corporate headshots on-site or in a studio?

On-site is usually better for teams, because staff only leave their desk for a few minutes and large groups can be done in a day. A studio suits small groups and executive portraits that need more time and privacy.

How do we keep headshots consistent when new staff join?

Use the same background, lighting, lens and crop for everyone, record the setup, and hold regular new-joiner sessions, for example every quarter, using that same setup.

What should staff wear for corporate headshots?

Solid colours, clothing they would wear to an important meeting, and a colour that contrasts with the background. Avoid busy patterns, large logos and tinted glasses.

Are AI headshots a good alternative?

They are cheaper and faster, but they can look unlike the real person, are hard to keep consistent across a team, and may seem less trustworthy to clients. A professional session gives a more consistent and credible team page.

Summary

For corporate headshots in Singapore:

• an on-site session in a meeting room works best for most teams
• plan about 7–8 minutes a person, about 50 people a day per station
• agree on background, lighting, crop and retouching before the day
• record the setup and run regular new-joiner sessions to keep the team page consistent

Planning headshots for your team? Send RS Photography the number of people, your office location and how you will use the photos, and we will reply with a nett quotation and a sample setup. Request a corporate headshot quotation

Related reading: How to choose a corporate photographer in Singapore