Team preparation guide

How to take consistent team headshots in different locations.

A remote team sends in portraits from different homes, cameras, and days. Give everyone one reproducible reference, test the instructions, and review the pictures together before they reach the team page.

Use the setup sheet Read the guide

6 steps and a shared setup sheet

Coordination step

Coordinate the capture before collecting the set.

Choose one coordinator and one person to finish the images. They can be the same person. Use this workflow to agree on the shared requirements and make each participant's next step clear.

Coordination step 01

Choose one reference the team can reproduce

Start with the place where the portraits will appear. Put one proposed reference photo into a draft of the staff directory or team page. Check it in the actual card shape and at the displayed size. Choose a reference that colleagues can reasonably recreate in their own rooms with the equipment they have.

Write down the few visible qualities the set needs to share. For example: a light plain wall, the face near the center, shoulders visible, and light arriving from the same side of the picture. Keep one reference as the agreed version. Multiple mood boards can leave each person copying a different style.

Coordination step 02

Separate shared requirements from personal choices

Make two short lists. Shared requirements might cover the background family, direction of light, room around the head, and how originals are submitted. Personal choices can include a comfortable seated or standing position, everyday glasses, hairstyle, and an expression the person likes. Matching a set does not require everyone to adopt an identical posture.

Explain requirements relative to the saved picture, such as 'the brighter side of the face is on the viewer's left.' Add a labelled reference so nobody has to interpret whose left you mean. Ask participants to raise practical constraints early. If a requirement is difficult to reproduce across homes, simplify the common standard before the full shoot.

Coordination step 03

Pilot the instructions in two different locations

Ask two colleagues in different spaces to follow the draft setup sheet and send a test image each. Put both next to the reference in the team layout. A pilot helps reveal instructions that sounded clear but produced different results, such as one person filling the whole frame while another includes most of the room.

Record the adjustment that resolves each difference. For example: 'Leave visible space above the hair and below the shoulders so the editor can match the final crop.' Update the same setup sheet and have the pilot participants confirm the revision. Once the examples work together, use them to show the rest of the team what to submit.

Coordination step 04

Send one setup sheet and collect originals

Send the approved reference, the setup sheet, a submission deadline, and one contact for questions. Name the shared folder or upload destination explicitly. Ask each participant for three candidate originals and a note identifying their preferred one. Have them keep their local files until their portrait is accepted.

Use a simple file label such as 'alex-chen-01' and track submissions in a list with received, changes requested, and accepted states. Ask participants to leave the final crop and finishing to the person assembling the set. Include a clear request to send files through the agreed upload method instead of pasting screenshots into a message.

Coordination step 05

Compare the portraits as a set

Place the candidates in a draft grid using the same card dimensions as the finished team page. Compare head size, eye-line placement, background family, and direction of light against the reference. View the grid at its intended display size as well as opening individual files to check detail. Keep natural differences in complexion, hair, and features intact.

Give specific feedback tied to the shared requirement. For example: 'Your file is cropped above the shoulders, so we cannot match the other cards. Please send the uncropped original, or retake with more space below your chin.' Change one issue at a time. A note such as 'please look more professional' gives the participant no clear way to complete the request.

Coordination step 06

Finish centrally and keep the process reusable

Have one editor prepare the final set against the approved reference. Match the framing and overall presentation while checking each image individually. Applying the same adjustment values to files from different rooms can produce different results. The existing editing and file-format guides cover the finishing details once the coordinated captures are ready.

Share a preview with each participant so they can flag a wrong file or a result that does not look like them before publication. Save the approved reference, current setup sheet, originals, finished files, and review decisions together. When someone joins later, send the same package and review their portrait in the existing grid before adding it.

Shared instructions

Build your team's setup sheet.

Replace the brackets with your agreed requirements. Copy or download the edited sheet before leaving this page, since edits are not saved after a refresh.

Your editable setup sheet

TEAM HEADSHOT SETUP SHEET

Team: [name]
Coordinator and questions: [name and contact]
Submit by: [date and time zone]
Upload originals here: [folder or upload link]
Approved reference: [attach or link the labelled photo]
Setup sheet version: [date]

SHARED REQUIREMENTS
Where the photos will appear: [team page, directory, or other location]
Background family: [describe the agreed background]
Light direction in the saved photo: [describe using viewer's left or right]
Framing: [describe visible shoulders and space around the head]
Other required details: [add only what the set needs]

PERSONAL CHOICES
Use a comfortable seated or standing position. Keep your usual glasses,
hairstyle, and an expression you like, within the agreed requirements.
Contact the coordinator before shooting if the setup is difficult to use.

BEFORE THE FULL SHOOT
Compare a test photo with the approved reference.
Check the framing and the direction of light in the saved image.
Ask the coordinator about any requirement you cannot reproduce.

SUBMISSION
Send three candidate original files through the upload link above.
Name them [firstname-lastname-01, firstname-lastname-02, etc.].
Identify your preferred file in a note.
Leave final cropping and finishing to the team editor.
Keep your originals until your portrait is accepted.

COORDINATOR REVIEW
Pilot participants and accepted examples: [names and links]
Track each person as received, changes requested, or accepted.
Compare head size, eye-line placement, background, and light direction
in the actual team layout. Preserve individual features and skin tones.
Give one specific, actionable request for each required change.
Share each finished preview with the participant before publication.

FOR FUTURE JOINERS
Editor: [name and contact]
Approved reference and current instructions: [folder]
Originals and finished files: [folder]
Preview feedback due: [date or agreed review window]

Download as text

Final Review

Ready to join the same team page.

Review consistency across the whole grid, then confirm each file belongs to the right person.

06 checks

Check 01 Everyone received the same approved reference and setup sheet.
Check 02 A pilot confirmed the instructions work in more than one location.
Check 03 The originals are labelled and linked to the correct people.
Check 04 Head size and placement look consistent in the actual team layout.
Check 05 Individual skin tones and identifying features remain natural.
Check 06 Participants reviewed their previews, and the setup is saved for new joiners.

Ready when every check passes. If one item fails, fix it or replace the candidate before publishing.

Final review

FAQ

Common questions.

Practical answers for applying the guide without overthinking the final choice.

Does everyone need the same phone or camera?

This workflow is designed for different equipment. Use the pilot to check whether the resulting files can work together at the intended display size. If one device cannot produce usable detail in that setup, help that person try a different location or arrange a separate capture.

What if someone does not have the requested background?

Ask for a test photo of an available alternative before they do the full session. Decide whether it fits the agreed background family. If several people cannot meet the request, revise the standard for the whole set or arrange access to a suitable shared location.

Should everyone use the same editing preset?

Treat any preset as a starting point for the editor. Photos from different rooms can start with different brightness and color. Review each result against the reference and alongside the other portraits while preserving the person's natural appearance.

Can we mix existing headshots with newly taken ones?

Try the existing originals in the draft grid first. Keep those that meet the shared requirements and allow the intended framing. Request a new capture when a mismatch cannot be resolved through ordinary preparation, such as a tight crop that leaves no room for shoulders.

Next Step

Make the next team photo easier to add.

Keep the accepted reference and setup sheet with the finished set. New colleagues can follow the same instructions, and the coordinator can check their photos in context.

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Use the setup sheet