Is Your Company's Website Showing the Right People?
Here's something I think every Corporate Communications or HR manager should check.
Open your company's website.
Go to the management team page.
Now look at the photographs.
Are all these people still working for the company?
Do they still look like their photographs?
And were the portraits taken using the same background, lighting and photography style?
If the answer is no, perhaps it's time to update your corporate headshots.
After 20 years of photographing corporate executives, board members and employees, I've seen how important consistency is when presenting a company's professional image.
But here's the thing.
You don't necessarily need new corporate headshots every year. You need new photographs when your existing ones no longer represent your company accurately.
So, how often should a company update its corporate photographs?
Let's talk about it.
1. How Often Should Corporate Headshots Be Updated?
My recommendation is to review your company's corporate photographs at least once a year.
Behind the scene during a corporate shoot at Klinik Haramain.
That doesn't mean you need to hire a photographer annually.
It simply means checking whether the photographs are still relevant.
As a practical guideline, companies can consider a broader headshot refresh every 18 to 24 months, depending on their requirements.
But I wouldn't treat that as a strict rule.
Some companies might use the same portraits for several years without any issues.
Others may need updates much sooner, particularly when there are changes in management, branding or employee composition.
The more useful question isn't how old your photographs are.
It's whether they still represent the people and identity of your organisation today.
2. When New Employees Join or Existing Employees Leave
This is probably one of the most obvious reasons to update company headshots.
Your company hires a new senior manager.
A director retires. A new CEO takes over.
But your website still shows the previous management team.
That's a problem worth addressing.
Corporate portraits are often used on company websites, annual reports, investor presentations, press releases and professional profiles.
These photographs should accurately identify the people representing your organisation.
My suggestion is straightforward.
When someone joins your management team, arrange for their professional portrait to be taken using the same photography style as the existing team.
When someone leaves, update the relevant company materials.
You don't need to photograph the entire organisation every time one employee joins.
But you should have a system for maintaining the collection.
3. When Your Corporate Headshots Look Inconsistent
This is something I'm particularly concerned about as a corporate photographer.
Picture a company's management page.
The CEO has a professionally photographed portrait against a grey background.
The Finance Director has a photograph taken outdoors.
Another director is using an old passport-style photograph.
And the latest management appointment has submitted a selfie.
Individually, some of these photographs might look fine.
But place them together on one page, and the differences become obvious.
Different lighting.
Different backgrounds.
Different compositions.
Different image quality.
Consistency matters when the photographs represent one organisation.
Real Assignment: Corporate Portraits for NASOM
One of my assignments involved photographing the Board of Management of the National Autism Society of Malaysia (NASOM).
NASOM’s website before the standardised business portrait
The objective was to produce standardised individual portraits and a more relaxed group photograph.
Before the assignment, the organisation's website displayed portraits with different visual styles.
For the new portraits, we agreed on a consistent photographic direction.
I conducted a site visit, prepared a storyboard and established the posing approach before the session.
The photography itself took approximately two hours.
NASOM’s website AFTER the standardised business portrait
The resulting portraits followed a consistent visual style, making them suitable for presentation together on the organisation's website.
This is a good example of why companies should periodically review how their management portraits look as a collection.
Read my NASOM corporate portrait photography case study.
4. When Your Company Goes Through Rebranding
A corporate rebranding exercise is another opportunity to review your photography.
Perhaps your company has introduced a new logo, changed its corporate colours or repositioned itself in the market.
The photographs used on your website and marketing materials should support that direction.
For example, an organisation that previously preferred formal portraits against plain backgrounds might now want more relaxed environmental portraits showing its people in the workplace.
That's a decision for the company's branding or Corporate Communications team.
My role is to translate that visual direction into photographs.
I normally discuss the company's branding guidelines, preferred backgrounds, attire and intended image usage before planning the session.
The objective is to produce photographs that fit the organisation's current identity.
5. When Your Company Website Is Being Redesigned
Website redesigns are a good opportunity to assess your existing image library.
I've encountered clients who commission professional portraits as part of their website refresh.
A recent example was my portrait session for Akmal Aqil & Associates, where the photographs were intended for the law firm's website and professional branding.
We photographed formal portraits against both white and darker backgrounds, giving the client options for different applications.
Read my lawyer portrait photography case study.
When updating a company website, I recommend checking whether you have the photographs needed for:
Employee and department pages
Company announcements and press releases
Recruitment and careers pages
Corporate presentations and marketing materials
Sometimes your existing photographs are sufficient.
Sometimes you need a few additional portraits.
And sometimes it makes more sense to commission a completely new photography assignment.
That decision should come from reviewing the existing images and the new website requirements.
6. When Executives No Longer Look Like Their Photographs
We all change over time.
Hairstyles change. People grow beards. Some start wearing glasses. And naturally, we get older.
Small changes don't automatically mean someone needs a new headshot.
But if an executive looks noticeably different from their official photograph, I would consider updating it.
The purpose of a professional portrait is to represent the person accurately. A photograph taken ten years ago might still be flattering, but does it reflect how that person looks today?
I prefer natural portraits with clean editing.
The objective isn't to make someone look ten years younger.
It's to create a professional photograph that looks like the person clients and colleagues will actually meet.
7. Should Companies Update Everyone's Headshots at Once?
Not necessarily.
I usually see two practical approaches.
Option A: Update Selected Employees
This works when a company already has a consistent collection of corporate portraits.
For example, five new managers join the organisation.
Instead of photographing the entire management team again, we can arrange a session for the five new people.
The important thing is maintaining the same photography direction.
Where possible, we should match the existing background, lighting, framing and general posing style.
This works particularly well when the original photography guidelines are documented.
Option B: Organise a Complete Photography Refresh
A full refresh makes more sense when the existing portraits have become inconsistent, the company has undergone significant changes or the photographs no longer suit its current branding.
It gives us an opportunity to establish one photographic direction for everyone.
Real Assignment: Destini Berhad
Destini Berhad’s Board of Directors Group Portrait
During my assignment for Destini Berhad, I photographed members of the Board of Directors and management team.
Each executive had a limited photography slot, and we needed several posing variations.
Before the assignment, I conducted a site visit and prepared posing guidelines.
We used consistent lighting and a clean white background to produce professional portraits for corporate communications.
The photographs were intended for uses such as annual reports, company websites and investor presentations.
That kind of planning creates a useful visual standard for a management team.
Read my Destini Berhad corporate photography case study.
8. How Can HR and Corporate Communications Manage Headshot Updates?
My suggestion is to treat corporate portraits as part of your company's digital assets.
Instead of waiting until the photographs become outdated, establish a simple review process.
Here's what I would recommend:
| When | Recommended Action |
|---|---|
| Every 6-12 months | Review existing management and employee portraits |
| New management appointment | Arrange a matching professional portrait |
| Employee departure | Update website and company materials |
| Rebranding or website redesign | Review the entire corporate image library |
| Every 18-24 months | Consider whether a broader refresh is necessary |
These are planning recommendations, not mandatory replacement intervals.
Keep a record of the photography style, background, date, employee name and location of the final files.
That makes future updates easier to coordinate.
For larger photography assignments, I normally work with the client's Person in Charge to prepare a shooting plan.
Free Corporate Photography Resources for HR & Marketing Teams
Planning to update your company's corporate headshots?
I've prepared a collection of free photography checklists, shooting schedules and planning templates to help HR and Corporate Communications teams organise their next photography assignment.
From preparing your employees to planning the photography day, these practical resources can help you get started.
Explore My Free Corporate Photography Resources
No photography booking required. Just practical resources to help you plan better.
9. Is It Cheaper to Update a Few Headshots or Photograph Everyone Again?
This depends on what your company needs.
Updating a small number of employees may be more economical if the new portraits can match the existing photographs.
But if the original photographer used different backgrounds, inconsistent lighting or undocumented settings, matching the old photographs may become challenging.
At that point, it might be more practical to create a fresh collection.
At Images by Hafiz, my corporate headshot photography services include individual sessions, half-day assignments and full-day sessions for larger teams.
Every assignment is discussed according to the number of people, photography requirements and expected deliverables.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should corporate headshots be updated every year?
Not necessarily. I recommend reviewing your company's portraits annually, but replacing them only when there is a genuine need, such as changes in staff, appearance or branding.
How long can a professional corporate headshot be used?
There's no fixed expiry date. A portrait can remain useful for several years if it still accurately represents the person and matches the company's current presentation.
Can new employees be photographed to match existing headshots?
Yes, provided the original photography style can be reproduced. Consistent lighting, backgrounds, framing and posing are important.
When should a Board of Directors update its portraits?
A board portrait review is sensible when directors join or leave, the organisation changes its branding or photographs are being prepared for new corporate publications.
Do all employees need professional headshots?
That depends on the company's requirements. Management teams and client-facing personnel are common priorities, but some organisations prefer consistent portraits across all departments.
Can you photograph new employees at our office?
Yes. I can bring a mobile photography setup to your workplace, subject to the available space and agreed requirements.
Are Your Company's Corporate Headshots Still Relevant?
Here's a simple exercise.
Open your company's management page and look at every portrait.
Ask yourself:
Do these photographs still represent the people working here?
Does everyone look like they belong to the same organisation?
And do the photographs reflect the company's current identity?
If not, perhaps it's time for an update.
At Images by Hafiz, I work with Corporate Communications, HR and management teams to plan professional corporate headshot and executive portrait sessions across Kuala Lumpur, Selangor and other locations in Malaysia.
Whether you need portraits for a few new executives or a complete management team, we can discuss the requirements and decide on a suitable approach.
You don't need new corporate photographs simply because another year has passed. You need them when your existing photographs no longer do the job.
Explore my corporate headshot photography services or contact Images by Hafiz to discuss your next photography assignment.
