From Stiff and Corporate to Corporate Baddie: A Salt Lake City Headshot Session with Brittany
ESTIMATED READ TIME: 5 MINUTES
When Brittany first reached out, her message was refreshingly honest. She’d had professional headshots done by another photographer six months earlier, hated them, and had an event coming up fast. She needed something better. She had a specific vision: urban, intentional, professional but not stiff. The kind of headshots that actually look like her.
The Bad Headshot Problem Is Real
Here’s something I’ve noticed over the years as a Utah headshot photographer: most people who come to me after a previous session with another photographer had photos that were technically fine. Good lighting, decent composition, and yet they hated them.
When Brittany arrived downtown, before I even picked up my camera, I asked her to show me the photos she didn’t like. She pulled out her phone and scrolled through them, and I was able to see the issue immediately The portraits were done in a studio setup and technically solid, but she looked stiff, older than she was, and uncomfortable.
Studio headshots absolutely have their place. But for Brittany, they were completely wrong for who she is. Professional headshots are supposed to be a photo of you feeling like yourself. That’s the authenticity factor that makes the difference between images you upload everywhere and images you quietly leave buried in a folder.
Branding/Headshot Session
Starting at $225
- Session typically lasts 60 minutes
- 50+ edited images
- $100 non-refundable retainer to book
- Remainder due the day before the session
- Studio fee will be added to total if needed
- Travel fees applicable if 35+ miles from West Jordan
Building the Vision: The Moodboard Moment
Before headshot sessions, I put together a moodboard based on what the client tells me they’re going for. I do this because I want us to walk in on the same page, not fumbling around trying to figure out the vibe mid-shoot. When I pulled out my phone and showed Brittany hers, she immediately said, “YES. This is 100% the vibe I’m looking for. You get it.” That moment never gets old.
The vibe we landed on? Corporate baddie, for lack of a better term. Powerful. Professional. Approachable. The kind of energy that says she means business but she’s also the person you want on your team. It’s a very specific sweet spot, and it translates beautifully in an outdoor, urban setting, which is exactly where we headed.
That moodboard moment is also where we start to build confidence before the camera ever comes out. When a client sees their own vision reflected back at them in a creative, intentional way, something shifts. They stop dreading the session and start looking forward to it. That shift shows up in every single photo.
These are amazing! I have not felt this confident in a photo in a long time. Thank you. A million times over. Thank you. Uploading to all the places today!
Email from client after gallery delivery
Why I Love Outdoor Headshot Sessions in Salt Lake City
As a Salt Lake City photographer, one of my favorite things to offer clients is the option to shoot outdoors in an urban setting rather than in a studio. Downtown SLC has so much personality to work with, and that personality shows up in the final images in a way a blank backdrop never could.
That said, I always leave the choice up to the client. Some people have a specific look they need for their industry, their company’s branding, or a particular platform, and a clean studio environment makes more sense for their professional image. Both options are on the table. What matters is that we’re shooting in a setting that actually supports your vision and elevates your brand.
For Brittany, outdoor and urban was the obvious call. I chose a spot downtown that gave us good variety within about a one-block radius, which is something I’m intentional about. I don’t want my clients walking a mile between shots or spending half the session in transit. I want them relaxed, focused, and able to stay in a good headspace. Keeping things contained but visually varied means we can move quickly and efficiently, and it gives the final gallery a lot of range. More variety in your gallery means more options for your LinkedIn profile, your website, your email signature, your online presence across every platform where you need a strong, credible first impression.
Three Looks, Two Outfits, One Great Wardrobe Strategy
Brittany came with two outfits, but we got three distinct looks out of them, which I always love when it’s possible.
Look one was a blazer and trouser combo: full power suit energy, polished and intentional. Look two was the same trousers but blazer off, just a sleek tank underneath, still professional, a little more relaxed, a slightly softer version of the same person. Look three brought in a sleevless blouse with different.
Three different stories from two outfits. That’s the kind of wardrobe strategy that makes a gallery feel full and varied without requiring you to show up with a giant suitcase. When I’m working with branding clients, I always encourage thinking in layers and mix-and-match combinations. The more mileage we can get from what you bring, the more options you walk away with, and the more versatile your professional portraits become across different platforms and contexts.
Keeping the Session Moving (Literally)
One of the things I hear most often before a session is some version of “I don’t know how to pose” or “I’m awkward in photos.” My answer is always the same: don’t worry about it, because you won’t really be posing.
During Brittany’s session, I kept her moving the whole time. We did full body shots, three-quarter crops, tighter headshots, but in between, she was adjusting, shifting, leaning, sitting. Hands in pockets. Arms crossed. Leaning against a wall. Sitting on some steps. Laughing at something I said. Turning slightly to catch the light differently.
None of it was rigid or choreographed. It was more like: okay, walk this way a little, now stop and look back, now lean here, now what happens if you put your hand on your hip? That’s it. That’s the whole process.
Keeping clients in motion is genuinely one of my favorite tools as a Salt Lake City branding photographer, because it takes all the pressure off. You’re not standing there holding a pose wondering if your face looks weird. You’re just existing in front of the camera, and I’m catching the good moments. It keeps things casual, keeps expressions natural, and sometimes real personality sneaks through in a way you couldn’t have planned for. That’s where the best images live. That’s where the confidence shows.
The Rush Request and the Results
At the end of the session, Brittany mentioned the event she had coming up and asked if there was any way to get a few images back sooner than the usual gallery turnaround. I love when clients tell me what they actually need. That kind of communication makes the whole process better for everyone.
I turned around a handful of images for her the next day so she’d have something to choose from right away, then finished the full gallery on the normal schedule.
Her response when the sneak peek landed in her inbox: “Oh my gosh, thank you!! I’m so excited. I love the ones you shared. You are a magician. Thanks so much for doing me a solid and sending these early.”
Ready for Your Own Headshot Session in Salt Lake City?
Whether you’re a professional in the Salt Lake City area who’s been putting off an update, someone heading into a big career moment, or a small business owner whose brand deserves portraits that actually look like you, I would love to be your Utah headshot photographer.
I offer outdoor sessions at urban locations across the Wasatch Front and studio sessions if that’s more your style. Head over to the contact form and let’s get something on the calendar.
