Business portraits, head shots, profile pictures, avatars, proposal images, speaking engagement photos. You can call them whatever you like, but these photos are the first thing your clients and potential customers see when they search for information about you and your company.
Having a great headshot is very important as it speak volumes about you and your business. Most people have their portraits taken for business purposes – typically for industry publications, event print advertising, networking outlets or social media. Whatever your purpose is, it is important to look as as professional as possible.
Preparing for your corporate portrait can mean the difference between an average photo and a breath-taking image. Follow these tips to get the most out of your shoot.
Clothes
Just because it’s a headshot, it does not mean that you shouldn’t bother dressing up well. Wear clothes that are neatly pressed and look new. If your clothes wrinkle easily, it is best to just bring it with you and change at the location.
The clothes you choose should make you look great, but do not overdress. Start with a simple blouse or shirt and then slowly add layers. Solid colors look great in headshot, but please avoid tops in flesh tones as they will blend your face into your clothes. Choose mid-tone colors in green, blue and wine and purple. You may wish to consider bringing a few wardrobe options. We suggest something that is “strictly business” along with something “business casual”. Don’t be afraid to bring a few outfits. We can help you choose which will make you look your best in photographs.
Face and Makeup
Be sure that your teeth are clean, eyebrows are groomed and lips are not dry. For men, all facial hair should be groomed. Trim your mustache, beard and sideburns.
Light, natural makeup is encouraged for a professional headshot. It can help accentuate your facial features, cover blemishes and help even out your skin tone. It should be simple, yet well done. You want your photo to be as close to how you generally look in person.
Do not wear heavy makeup. Save the smoky eyes, shiny eye shadows and dark lipstick for your date nights.
Both men and women benefit from using our professional hair and makeup artists. Sometimes your own personal makeup doesn’t appear on camera the way it appears in life. Our professionals will work with you to achieve the look you want for camera. Men are often concerned about appearing “made-up”, but our artists are experts at removing shine, covering under-eye darkness and blemishes while maintaining a completely natural look.
Glasses
If you normally wear glasses, bring them to your session. We can photograph you with or without them, or a bit of both.
Hair
If it has been a while since you had a trim, you may want to visit your hairstylist a week before the shoot just in case things go wrong. For men, it is fine to get a haircut a couple of days before the shoot.
While dyeing your hair can freshen up your look, now is not the time to experiment with hair colors. You wouldn’t look your best if your hair color doesn’t come out as planned.
Nails
Your photoshoot is a great excuse to head to the salon and get your nails done. A fresh coat of nail polish can make a big difference in your corporate headshot. But if you don’t have time for that, make sure that your nails are clean and short.
Sleep
Get plenty of rest and avoid alcohol the night before your photoshoot. Not only will you feel better, you will also look better. Eye bags and dark circles won’t look good in photos. You wouldn’t want to look tired on the day of the shoot, right?
Practice make perfect
Confidence matters when it comes to facial expressions. A few days or a week prior to the shoot, we suggest that you practice your facial expressions in front of the mirror. You can choose to smile or not, just make sure that you do not appear too serious. We’ll work with you to capture a variety of expressions.
Best Things to Do in Chicago this Fall
Boasting of some of the best entertainment, attractions and cuisines in the country, Chicago hums with energy. You’ll never run out of things to do or places to visit in Chicago.
Whether you’re a foodie, a sports enthusiast, a shopaholic or an art lover, Chicago has something for you. Here are some of the best things to do in Chicago.
360 Chicago Observation Deck
Located on the popular Michigan Avenue is the 100-story John Hancock building. The observatory deck is situated on the 94th floor of the building.
360 Chicago offers breathtaking views of Lake Michigan, Chicago’s skyline and 4 neighboring states. They also offer a free multimedia tour, which allows visitors to learn more about the city. The audio tour is available in 7 languages.
Millennium Park
Millennium Park is a public park located in the heart of the city. It is the destination of choice for tourists and locals alike. It offers a variety of free events, exhibits, concerts and other cultural programs.
Visit a Museum
If you’re an art lover, you shouldn’t miss out on the opportunity to visit the Art Institute of Chicago. The museum houses more than 300,000 artifacts and artworks from all over the world.
Magnificent Mile
Make your way to the Magnificent Mile if you can feel your credit card burning a hole in your wallet.
Magnificent Mile is the upscale section of the Michigan Avenue. This section is lined with various high-end and midrange shops, making it the largest shopping district. All the biggest names in shopping are present here. Majestic architecture, top-rated hotels and restaurants also lie in the district.
Restaurants
Food is a big deal in Chicago. People head to the windy city for more than just Chicago-styled hotdogs or deep dish pizza. In fact, Chicago’s dining scene is unparalleled. During your stay, make sure that you get your fill of local dishes, international flavors and top rated cuisines.
Tips for Hosting an Engaging Business Conference
Conferences are often hubs and incubators of incredible learning experiences. But with the long hours of lectures and presentations, along with the copious amount of information presented, business conferences can quickly become tedious.
Here are a few tips for hosting an engaging business conference.
Plan in advance
Planning a conference is no easy feat. As a host, you’ve got a lot of work ahead of you! Knowing that, it is crucial that you get started as early as possible to give yourself time to finalize major contracts and handle any unexpected problems that may arise.
Consider the venue
Where you decide to host your conference is one of the most difficult decisions you will need to make. One of the reasons why most people think of business conferences as dull and boring is because of the choice of venue. Make your conference one to remember by choosing a venue that has quality (and close) entertainment options.
Consider holding your conference in an area with a lot of activity such as a hotel located close to restaurants, shopping centers, and entertainment venues. Another option is to time your conference with a local event like music festival. This will provide attendees and their spouses with something to do away from the conference.
Offer a program with variety
The main purpose of a conference is to share as much information as possible. Professionals sit for several hours and listen to lectures and presentations. A few hours into the conference, you may notice that the attendees are bored, sleepy and overwhelmed.
Don’t forget to engage them! Schedule a mix of formal speakers, small group workshops and free, unopposed networking time. It is also a good idea to set a task that is difficult, if not impossible, to complete alone. This fosters teamwork and collaboration.
Plan for fun
Plan for interactive networking opportunities to break break up the monotony of guest lecturers and speakers. Also, try to use technology to make things a bit more exciting for guests and to keep them interested. You can also suggest a few activities for downtime during the conference.
If you are considering hosting a business conference, please consider G. Thomas Ward Photography as your corporate event photography. It would be my pleasure to work with you!
The Original ClassicCurl Roller Product Shoot
G. Thomas Ward Photography takes great pride in being able to help businesses in the Chicago area present themselves online and in marketing efforts. With clients ranging from Cartier to small businesses just getting their feet wet, G. Thomas Ward Photography takes the time to understand the needs and wishes of business clients looking for a professional product shoot.
Recently, we were honored to work with Scumaci International and help with the launch of their newest product, The Original ClassiCurl Roller. Please read Mina’s story below:
“I’ve been a licensed cosmetologist for over 25 years and a salon owner for 20+ years. As a professional, the current rollers on the market were not meeting my needs which led me to create an innovative roller, trademarked The Original ClassiCurl Roller. These patented rollers will help all women achieve a salon look at home and assist cosmetologist in creating their desired end result.
It was always a dream of mine to have a professional photo shoot. With working in the industry for so long, it was great to have that dream realized. It was a pleasure working with Gary of G. Thomas Ward Photography. Gary and I collaborated by me sharing my vision for the shoot and he offered his experienced input. The shoot was done in a very professional and efficient manner. I highly recommend G. Thomas Ward Photography and will use him again in the future!
I’m inspired by women entrepreneurs as they can juggle their home life and careers. This is an incredible journey, unlike anything I have ever experienced or imagined. Although entrepreneurs may experience ups and downs, I’m enjoying the process and having fun! The most critical influence is my drive for success. I want to show my 3 kids that hard work, determination, and drive will bring you success!
We’re thrilled to announce that we will be launching a 30 and 60 second national commercial that will air over 200 times on 10 major networks for the next 12 months….stay tuned!
Please check out our website at www.classicurl.com”
For more information about how to book G. Thomas Ward for your next professional product shoot, please contact Gary today.
Not Your Standard Professional Headshots
Tips for Hosting an Engaging Business Conference
Conferences can be incredible learning experiences. But with the hours of lectures, presentations, and the deluge of information presented, business conferences have the potential to become tedious really quickly.
Here are a few tips for hosting an engaging business conference.
Plan in advance
Planning a conference is no easy feat. As a host, you will need to do a lot of work, both before and during the conference. It is important to get started as early as possible to give yourself some time to finalize major contracts and handle any unexpected problems that may arise.
Consider the venue
Where you will host the conference is one of the most difficult decisions you will ever make. One of the reasons most people think of business conferences as dull and boring is because of the choice of venue. Make your event one to remember by choosing a venue that has entertainment options.
Consider holding it in an area with a lot of activity like a hotel that is close to restaurants, shopping centers, and entertainment venues. Another option is to time your conference with a local event like a music festival. This will provide attendees and their companions with something to do outside of the conference.
Offer a program with variety
The main purpose of a conference is to share as much information as possible. Lots of conferences simply put their attendees in uncomfortable chairs and have their presenters parade on and off the stage giving lectures and presentations. A few hours into the conference, you may notice that the attendees are bored, sleepy, and overwhelmed.
Don’t forget to engage your attendees. Schedule a mix of formal speakers, small group workshops, and free networking time. It is also a good idea to set a task that is difficult, but not impossible, to complete as a team. This will foster teamwork and collaboration.
Plan for fun
You should plan for interactive networking opportunities to break things up a bit. Also, try to use technology to make things a bit more exciting for guests and to keep them interested, and encourage participation on social media with hashtags and keywords. You can also suggest a few activities for downtime during the conference.
4 Ways Team Building Activities Can Benefit Your Company
As you probably know, your company’s success rests in the hands of your people. As such, team building activities not only benefit your employees, but your entire organization.
As more and more businesses realize the benefits of team building activities, companies of all sizes are incorporating team building programs into their training curriculum.
Here are 4 ways team building activities can benefit your company.
Keep employees motivated
Team building activities helps your employees grow. These activities are designed to help them develop new skills, conquer fears, and increase their knowledge.
By organizing a team building activity, you display to your team how much you value and care for them. When employees feel that you care about their success, they are more likely to feel motivated and take pride in their job, which often results in increased quality output.
Improves communication
In a corporate environment, employees have to work with different people. Since we all have different personalities, some employees may have a hard time dealing with their co-workers. Team building activities can help in this department.
The fun nature of team building exercises can help foster better communication among people. Since this is usually done outside the office, employees can mingle and communicate with their colleagues casually. After this, they’ll develop better relationships with their co-workers create a more positive working environment.
Moreover, it is a great opportunity for employees in various departments that may not normally interact with one another to get a chance to spend time together and get to know each other.
Increases productivity
The collaborative nature of team building activities teaches staff how they can use their skills and abilities to get the tasks done quickly and efficiently. It also challenges them to work together in order to solve the problems that they are currently facing.
Help your team recharge
Most employees spend the entire day at their desks, working on several tasks. Add their personal concerns into the mix, and you run the risk of having a stressed-out, burned-out employee that isn’t as productive as they might otherwise be.
Employees often see team building activities as a nice break from work. This allows them to get their minds off of work, if even for just a few hours. Because of this, your staff will come back to the office with a relaxed mind and ready to take on new projects.
Types of Corporate Portrait Photography
Corporate photography is not just about taking photos of men wearing dark suits in white background. It can be broken down into different categories.
In this blog post, we’ll give you a rundown of the different types of corporate portrait photography. Let’s explore the different types of corporate portrait photography to help you decide which one to use for your website, promotions, marketing materials, social media etc.
Traditional portrait
This is probably the most common of corporate portraits. Here, the face is the pre-dominant element. The subject is asked to look directly to the camera to depict visual representation of the person. It may either be up to the bust or the area above the waist.
You can have it done against a white or colored background in your office or in the studio. This is often used in marketing literature such as a business profile, a website, press publications or annual reports.
Environmental portrait
Corporate portraits don’t always have to be studio-type shots. It is often a good idea to incorporate the subject’s business when possible. Here, the pictures are taken in a place that is relevant to the individual’s business or corporate identity. A teacher, for instance, will be photographed in the classroom; while an engineer will be photographed at the construction zone. Aside from the facial expression, the relationship between the subject and his environment is also given emphasis.
Group portrait
Group portraits may feature three to hundreds of people. In this type of portrait, the subjects would sit or stand side-by-side. The photographer’s task is to highlight the bond existing between the group members.
Business in action
Today’s corporate portraits need to tell a story, and this is one of the best ways to do that. Here, the subject uses some props of his/her workplace and the photographer captures images of the individual while in action. The focus is not on the person’s profile, but on the business activity.
Filming Corporate Events in Chicago
If you have ever hosted a conference, you already know that they’re no walk in the park. There are so many moving parts: schedules to keep, speakers to book, venues to reserve…and those are just the “big” things.
With all of the work that goes into putting on a successful conference, it would be a wasted opportunity not to capture the moments that people will talk about long after they leave. When you take the time to photograph and capture video at your conference or corporate event, you memorialize the fruits of your efforts. This media can then be used in future promotions for upcoming conferences or marketing collateral down the road.
Spread the love
What sessions and speakers are your “main attractions?” Focus on those first. A good videographer will work with you and ask these questions. If you know any of your speakers are especially engaging and energetic presenters, ask them ahead of time if they mind being filmed (hint: most love it!). Working with your speakers ahead of time ensures the film crew won’t throw them off during their session. Filming activities in between sessions is also a great way to find those organic interactions with people enjoying themselves.
Keep it Fresh
Have you ever had to sit through someone’s wedding video where Uncle Earl recorded everything without leaving his seat? For your sake, we hope not. This type of filming is more common than you think, but it doesn’t tell a great story.
Static video (think a video camera on a tripod in the back of the room) isn’t very exciting footage, so ask your videographer if multiple camera-operators are an option. When editing the material later, being able to combine clips from different vantage points during a presentation provides a nice viewing experience for your audience.
Testimonials
While people are at your conference, “in the thick of things,” you have a golden opportunity to get positive feedback and testimonials. Find those key stakeholders and ask them if they can do a 15-second testimonial for you. Someone you trust can even prompt positive reviews of your work and the event by asking leading questions. These sound bites can be used later on your website or as promotional material for another event.
Bring it all Together
By the time your conference comes to an end, you’re exhausted. For a few days, you kept a lot of people very busy and on their toes. While the event itself may be over, your videography team will be busy at work putting the video together in a comprehensive, cohesive, narrative.
The final output will be an invaluable marketing tool for you for years to come.
Photographing Company Events
When was the last time your company hosted an outing for all of your employees? Do you do this annually? Quarterly? Not at all?
Company outings are a wonderful morale boost for offices. It demonstrates to employees that you care about them. When booking your next (or first!) get-together, consider hiring an experienced corporate photographer to join the fun. Documenting the day’s events serve as a great reminder of a fun day when everyone returns to the office.
Boost Morale
Allowing your employees to spend a day outside of the office for a company-sponsored event works wonders. First, they appreciate a day away from the office (who wouldn’t?). Second, many realize that the company cares about them as people, not just employees. Photographing those moments of joy and relaxation pay dividends later on. These photos can then be shared on the company intranet, reminding employees of the fun they had on the outing.
Encourages Teamwork
Often, company outings have a theme, which are often suggested by employees themselves. A well-run outing may also create teams comprised of people from various departments, which fosters intradepartmental communication and interaction. The relationships formed in these teams (often through team-building problem solving and fun activities) through the course of a day strengthens the cohesion of your entire company. Breaking down communication barriers across departments is invaluable. Who knows…a new leader may rise from an unexpected person!
Build your Brand
The fact of the matter is this: successful company outings accomplish a lot of things. Employees who enjoyed themselves become your best marketers and recruiters. They’ll tell their family and friends about what a great time they had and share the photos with them.
Furthermore, the photographs that are taken at these outings make great marketing material. Candidates want to work somewhere where they feel valued. Rather than write about all of the great things your company does, show them off with photos!
Preparing for Your Professional Photoshoot
Business portraits, head shots, profile pictures, avatars, proposal images, speaking engagement photos. You can call them whatever you like, but these photos are the first thing your clients and potential customers see when they search for information about you and your company.
Having a great headshot is very important as it speak volumes about you and your business. Most people have their portraits taken for business purposes – typically for industry publications, event print advertising, networking outlets or social media. Whatever your purpose is, it is important to look as as professional as possible.
Preparing for your corporate portrait can mean the difference between an average photo and a breath-taking image. Follow these tips to get the most out of your shoot.
Clothes
Just because it’s a headshot, it does not mean that you shouldn’t bother dressing up well. Wear clothes that are neatly pressed and look new. If your clothes wrinkle easily, it is best to just bring it with you and change at the location.
The clothes you choose should make you look great, but do not overdress. Start with a simple blouse or shirt and then slowly add layers. Solid colors look great in headshot, but please avoid tops in flesh tones as they will blend your face into your clothes. Choose mid-tone colors in green, blue and wine and purple. You may wish to consider bringing a few wardrobe options. We suggest something that is “strictly business” along with something “business casual”. Don’t be afraid to bring a few outfits. We can help you choose which will make you look your best in photographs.
Face and Makeup
Be sure that your teeth are clean, eyebrows are groomed and lips are not dry. For men, all facial hair should be groomed. Trim your mustache, beard and sideburns.
Light, natural makeup is encouraged for a professional headshot. It can help accentuate your facial features, cover blemishes and help even out your skin tone. It should be simple, yet well done. You want your photo to be as close to how you generally look in person.
Do not wear heavy makeup. Save the smoky eyes, shiny eye shadows and dark lipstick for your date nights.
Both men and women benefit from using our professional hair and makeup artists. Sometimes your own personal makeup doesn’t appear on camera the way it appears in life. Our professionals will work with you to achieve the look you want for camera. Men are often concerned about appearing “made-up”, but our artists are experts at removing shine, covering under-eye darkness and blemishes while maintaining a completely natural look.
Glasses
If you normally wear glasses, bring them to your session. We can photograph you with or without them, or a bit of both.
Hair
If it has been a while since you had a trim, you may want to visit your hairstylist a week before the shoot just in case things go wrong. For men, it is fine to get a haircut a couple of days before the shoot.
While dyeing your hair can freshen up your look, now is not the time to experiment with hair colors. You wouldn’t look your best if your hair color doesn’t come out as planned.
Nails
Your photoshoot is a great excuse to head to the salon and get your nails done. A fresh coat of nail polish can make a big difference in your corporate headshot. But if you don’t have time for that, make sure that your nails are clean and short.
Sleep
Get plenty of rest and avoid alcohol the night before your photoshoot. Not only will you feel better, you will also look better. Eye bags and dark circles won’t look good in photos. You wouldn’t want to look tired on the day of the shoot, right?
Practice make perfect
Confidence matters when it comes to facial expressions. A few days or a week prior to the shoot, we suggest that you practice your facial expressions in front of the mirror. You can choose to smile or not, just make sure that you do not appear too serious. We’ll work with you to capture a variety of expressions.