Tempur headshot shoot

Corporate headshots need not be boring, and posing against a white, black or otherwise plain background is a missed opportunity to embed within the image a hint towards the brand of the company you work for or the ethos and attitude you want to project.

Last week I had the pleasure of photographing Hansbart Wijnand, EVP of Tempur Sealy’s international business, and for that shoot I embedded the company’s premium product right into the photograph without overt product placement.

Famed for their high quality beds and mattresses, I wanted to pull the Tempur brand into the image without resorting to having Hansbart sit awkwardly on the edge of a bed. Noticing that the distinctive pattern of their premium mattress covers was etched onto the glass of their meeting rooms I designed a shoot that brought that pattern into the portrait.

By stretching a mattress cover over a frame in place of a standard photographic canvas, and lighting it from below, the distinctive brand pattern is brought into the image in a clean and graphic way. Unlike other shots taken on the day this look can be easily replicated at other international offices to work towards a consistent and modern feel to their headshots without the need to get the entire LT into the same place at the same time.

My experience in working in and with corporate marketing teams allows me to bring some useful insight to my shoots with an understanding of how this seemingly small photographic exercise fits into the wider corporate strategy and brand image.