How do I prepare my team for a corporate headshot session?

I always deliver the photos in formats for LinkedIn and social media. Press, website, presentations, internal platforms or print need their own sizes. That's what the first meeting is for: settling the formats and planning the day. In that conversation we work out where the photos will be used. And the tone: formal, relaxed or somewhere in between. Individual portraits, small groups or the whole team? Leadership only, or everyone? Then the background. Plain white or grey gives a corporate look; textured suits creative businesses. If the team's going to grow, shooting indoors keeps the same look in future sessions. Planning starts some time ahead. How far depends on the size of the company and how many people we're photographing. The space can be an area in your own offices, if it's suitable. It can be a hired studio. Or another solution that works for both of us. Either way, there has to be privacy. Ahead of the day, ideally I visit the space to check the light and the conditions. The day before, someone confirms it's free. There's always an hour of setup before we start. In a standard service, each portrait takes about five to ten minutes. Most sessions take half a day to a full day. Faces look fresher in the morning. Everyone should know their time, the place, how long it takes and who to call on the day. Leadership calendars get agreed in advance, so nobody rushes out of a meeting. If the session's off-site, it's worth checking parking and room for the equipment. I send the team simple guidance. Solid colours, in a palette of two or three colours for everyone. No bold patterns or prints. All-white or all-black is hard to photograph; a jacket over a white shirt fixes it. To avoid clashes, the company can collect outfit choices beforehand. Anyone who works in a uniform, scrubs or safety gear comes as they do every day. Clothes come ironed and, if possible, with a second option. The lights show up shiny skin, flyaway hair and creases. Powder or blotting papers sort that out. If you wear glasses, wear them in the photo. The day before, sleep well and drink water; in the morning, go easy on coffee. Jackets and ties can stay at the office the day before. The day's plan covers individual portraits, group shots and packing down. If there are rules on beards, the company sets them and we agree them beforehand. During the session, each person reviews the photos with me and picks one or two before leaving. That leaves the legal side, and it's essential. GDPR compliance is the company's responsibility. It's up to the company to get each employee's explicit consent to publish their image. That consent states the purpose, where the photo appears and how it can be withdrawn. Consent for internal use doesn't cover the website or social media. If someone leaves the company, keeping their photo online needs a new agreement. I'm not a lawyer: the company should have the consent form checked.