Corporate Portrait Photography for NASOM - Consistency, Planning and a Small Space
The National Autism Society of Malaysia (NASOM) Board of Management
TL;DR
The National Autism Society of Malaysia (NASOM) engaged me to photograph standardized corporate portraits of their Board of Management, together with a more casual group photo.
The challenge?
Limited shooting space and only around two hours to photograph everyone.
The solution was simple - plan before shoot day.
A location recce, a clear storyboard and agreed poses meant everyone knew what to expect before they stepped in front of the camera.
Corporate Portraits Don't Start on Shoot Day
Recently, I photographed the Board of Management of The National Autism Society of Malaysia (NASOM).
NASOM's Board Members Headshot on their website before I stepped in.
The brief was straightforward:
Create standardized individual portraits for the Board of Management
Keep the look professional and consistent across everyone
Photograph a more relaxed group portrait
Complete everything within a limited time
On paper, it sounds like a simple portrait session.
But when you have several people to photograph, a small working space and only two hours available, the preparation becomes just as important as the photography itself.
Step 1 - Recce the Location
Before shoot day, I visited the location.
This gave me a better idea of the actual space available for the backdrop, lighting, camera position and where the subjects would stand.
A small room isn't necessarily a problem but going into a small room without knowing what you're dealing with is.
The recce allowed me to work out the setup before everyone arrived, rather than spending valuable shooting time figuring things out on the day.
Step 2 - Send a Storyboard
After the recce, I prepared a simple storyboard showing the planned portrait poses and overall direction.
This helped NASOM know what I had in mind.
More importantly, the Board members had a reference for what we were trying to achieve.
Nobody needed to arrive and wonder:
"So... what do I do with my hands?"
They already had an idea.
Step 3 - Shoot Day
By the time we started shooting, most of the decisions had already been made.
The setup was planned.
The poses were established.
Everyone knew the direction.
My job on the day was to guide each person, make small adjustments to posture and expression, and keep the portraits consistent from one person to the next.
We then moved on to the casual group portrait, where the direction became a little more relaxed.
The whole session was completed in approximately two hours.
NASOM’s Website after shoot. Take note on the standardized portraits.
The Real Value Is in the Preparation
Corporate portrait photography isn't just about having good lighting or knowing which camera settings to use.
For sessions involving senior management or larger teams, time matters.
You don't want ten executives standing around waiting for the photographer to decide where the lights should go.
Good preparation makes the actual photography faster.
It keeps the experience smooth for the client.
And most importantly, it creates a consistent set of portraits that can be used across company profiles, websites, annual reports, press releases and other corporate communications.
That was the goal for NASOM.
Professional.
Consistent.
Efficient.
And still human.
NASOM Board of Management Team Photo
FAQ
How long does a corporate portrait session take?
It depends on the number of people and the required setup. For NASOM, the individual portraits and group photograph were completed within approximately two hours.
Can corporate portraits be photographed at the client's office?
Yes. I regularly bring the necessary lighting and photography equipment to the client's location. A recce can be useful when space is limited or when a larger group needs to be photographed.
Why use the same pose and lighting for everyone?
Consistency helps create a more professional set of images, particularly when the portraits are displayed together on a company website, management profile, annual report or corporate publication.
Do you provide posing guidance?
Yes. Most people aren't professional models and shouldn't be expected to know exactly how to stand in front of a camera. I guide each person throughout the session and make small adjustments based on the individual.
Looking for Corporate Portrait Photography in Malaysia?
If your company is updating its management profiles, leadership team portraits or staff headshots, planning the photography properly can save a lot of time on shoot day.
I provide corporate portrait and business headshot photography in Kuala Lumpur and across Malaysia, including on-location setups at your office.
If you have a team that needs to be photographed, send me the number of people, your location and how you plan to use the images.
From there, we can work out the most practical setup.
