I never thought I would be a dating photographer in London, let alone a lifestyle photographer. It’s a style of photography that I’ve embraced and fallen in love with.
Before I made the move a year ago to become a Canadian photographer living in London, if you had told me that dating photography would be one of my primary sources of income here, I probably wouldn’t have believed you.
What is lifestyle (and dating) photography?
What is lifestyle photography? In its simplest sense, lifestyle photography is candid-feeling photos, often looking away from the camera, that aren’t necessarily candid. They may be highly choreographed, but ultimately achieve an organic, natural feeling photo of a subject in their element or environment – almost as if the camera doesn’t exist.
Lifestyle photography is a broad umbrella that covers all different kinds of storytelling-based images. I embraced this genre back in Vancouver, where the photography world is smaller than in London, because lifestyle photography covers a range of well-paid, commissioned work with ample opportunities in most major cities. However, what started as a necessity quickly became a passion.
What’s most attractive in lifestyle photography is commercial advertising. It uses this style of imagery for advertising campaigns and to grow businesses. For example, I followed the Vancouver Fire Department around for a day to highlight a day-in-the-life story for firetruck manufacturer Rosenbauer.
These campaigns have big reach, big budgets, and are always different – but they’re harder to come by unless you’re further into your career.
Beneath big brand work, there’s working with individuals on a professional level. This includes personal branding photography services I offer in London, and headshot photography, too. Lately, most brands want organic-feeling lifestyle imagery that breaks the mould of traditional headshots; my clients ask for them less and want environmental portraits in their element to help them stand out and create an approachable feel. In fairness, I don’t treat personal branding photos in London much differently than dating photos, aside from the polish and precision.
That brings us to dating profile photography: on a professional level, it’s probably not something you knew existed until you looked for it. I’ve added dating photography to my lifestyle photography services because of the volume of requests I receive, and there are a lot of them. The vast majority of my clients have just left a multi-year relationship and have no photos by themselves. In a city as competitive as London, especially for working professionals who are selective with their time, professional dating profile photos are a must.
How (and why) I became a dating photographer in London
In Canada, I offered dating photos by request. However, when I got to London, it took months for my lighting equipment for commercial advertising shoots to cross the Atlantic (due to a shipping container waiting to be filled). Knowing I could deliver high-quality dating photos with the minimal equipment I had, especially because clients for dating shoots don’t want it to look like they had a staged photoshoot, I made my London dating photographer page, which has since exploded.
I have clients who fly from all over Europe (and the world) just for a dating photoshoot in London. You may not believe me, but dating photoshoots are rare to non-existent in countries that don’t speak English. Clients who’ve flown to me from Italy, Poland, and as far as Argentina have told me it isn’t a thing in non-hub creative cities like London. If dating photos are offered, sessions are treated more like a fashion shoot than a carefully curated lifestyle photography session. My clients have validated how specific, yet immensely relevant, this niche is.
Having now worked with over a hundred singles for dating photos in London, I’ve refined an approach that creates candid-feeling images that tell a story, invite conversation, and do not make a viewer wonder “Why this photo was taken?”. They make sense, there’s a reason why a friend would’ve taken that photo, and they highlight subjects in their best light without appearing posed. I even wrote a guide on the best dating app photos for Tinder, Bumble and Hinge.
If you’re curious about how I approach my dating photoshoots, I encourage you to watch my introduction video below, which I share with all my clients. I also recommend my guide on how to dress and prepare for professional headshot photography, which covers many of the same aspects.
Professional dating profile photography, especially in London, is a hidden secret art form you don’t know about until you look for it – or need it. Maybe that’s how you came across this article: because you’ve come to a stage of your life where you need to create a visual, personal brand for yourself on dating apps and social media. That’s the reality of the digital era we’re in; dating has never been the same after COVID (and I’ve never had requests for this kind of service until then, too).
Dating photography isn’t something people like to talk about. It’s the only lifestyle photography service I provide that I never get referrals for, because nobody spreads the word that they’ve gone and hired a dating photographer like me. I am fortunate that all my clients find me through organic Google search or even ChatGPT: they’re looking for a photographer for the kinds of services that I offer.
If you’re a photographer looking to be discoverable on Google and ChatGPT too, I’m working on my “SEO for Photographers” course – join my email newsletter to be the first to know when it’s released.
Even on my photography portfolio, only a couple of images have come from these dating shoots. The rest are commercial advertising, street photography, or editorial fashion photography: photography disciplines that create the artwork that I love, but are ultimately supported by my commissioned work, like dating photography. Dating photography allows me to find my artistic balance, build a fashion photography portfolio that energises me, and not stress about keeping the lights on. At the end of the day, all of my photography pursuits are interconnected: I create relaxed, candid-feeling images in all the photos I make.
The essential photos to create for a dating profile
When I work with dating photography clients in London, they rarely reach out knowing exactly what they want. In my guide to the best dating photos for Tinder, Bumble, and Hinge, I recommend six essential photos to include:
The confident portrait
The candid lifestyle shot
The athletic action shot
The smart-casual or formal shot
The social or travel photo
The “potential date” photo
If you’re curious to learn more about what each of these essential photos, designed around Hinge (which only allows for six images), I encourage you to read more about it in my guide to the best dating app profile photos.
In terms of what we shoot to cover each of these six essential photos, there are endless ways we can approach our photo session – but there are some key characteristics we want to follow.
We want these photos to look natural (like a friend took them), we don’t want the audience to wonder why it was taken (it needs to make contextual sense), they need to look approachable (not necessarily a big grin, but a serious look needs to remain inviting), and they need to look elevated (think nice, polished locations versus cluttered and rundown).
Above all, these photos need to be authentic to my client. I do not want to give them a new personality: I want to show them in their best light, so they can be themselves and not someone they’re not.
I get on a video call with all my clients, and the number one question I ask is “How do you spend your time?”. I may often follow with “What do you do on your weekends?”.
Now, some clients will give me an exhaustive list of everything that they’re enthusiastic about – and that’s perfect. However, most clients in London name work being their biggest source of time (understandably), closely followed by the gym, and then “hanging out with friends”. And that’s also just as perfect.
The reality is, in a city like London, people are here for work – myself included. Most people want to turn their brains off at the end of the day. You don’t need to be the most interesting person in London, be the most immaculately dressed, handsome, or have a laundry list of hobbies (I find most of my clients dust off their hobbies from years ago when I ask). Where I come in as an image consultant is I turn the creative wheels and create scenes – not poses and prompts.
Understand and create “scenes” – not just poses and prompts
For each of the image situations we create, I call them “scenes”. They’re closer to “scenes” rather than poses or prompts because they go farther than simply how a body is positioned. Scenes incorporate the environment that the subject is in, the action that they’re doing, and the props they’re interacting with. These elements are equally as important as body language, because they tell a story and give a reason why the photo was taken. A dating shoot is not a fashion shoot. You can maybe get away with one posed shot for “1. Confident portrait”, but you cannot do that for every image.
For subjects who are not models (which are most dating photography clients), giving them an action (from walking down the street holding a coffee to chopping vegetables) gives them something to focus on. It is always easier for them to get a natural expression. I only save the more traditional portraits (that’s often the opener image on a dating profile) for the very end, once we’ve warmed up to working and shooting with each other.
For traditional portraits, I wrote a guide on how to pose people who aren’t models for portrait and headshot photography. While this guide highlights portraits in a more professional context, my techniques for strong body language, hand and feet positioning, eye levelling, and manifesting a natural smile – even if you only have a few minutes with someone – I still use in all my dating photography and lifestyle shoots.
To generate ideas for “scenes”, what I share with clients is my master list of Scene Ideas. Every time I’ve executed a successful scene that a client is confident with in London, ranging from dating photography to personal branding photography, I add it to this list. I ask my clients to review this list, let me know the ones they resonate with most, and depending on the dating photography package they’re proceeding with, we narrow them down to an effective list that covers each of the six essential dating profile photos.
Why am I sharing this?
One might think I’m sharing all the cards in my hand by showing other photographers and potential dating photography clients exactly how I plan my shoots. The reality is, it isn’t a secret. All these images are in my dating photography portfolio. One might be able to determine a particular approach just by taking inspiration from those images. Furthermore, these are certainly not proprietary. While I’ve made this Scene Ideas list purely from my own imagination and client suggestions, I am by no means the first person to take a portrait of someone holding a takeaway coffee cup.
These lifestyle photography poses, prompts, and ideas for dating profile photos are inspiration for others, not execution. Having moved to a new city like London only last year, I am by no means here to gatekeep. Rather, I’d love to take the opportunity to help someone find their life partner because of their eye-catching dating profile.
On the photo subject or client side, everyone is at a different stage when they re-evaluate their dating profile. Most people may opt to try and do it themselves or coach their friends to take better photos, and that’s awesome. For me, I find I nearly always work with educated, working professionals who have just left a long-term relationship, moved to London, or are rethinking their approach to online dating. They’re selective with their time and want to invest intentionally in their dating life to attract better connections – and skip bad dates or doom-scrolling for matches.
I admit that’s not everyone who’s reading this article, but if you connect with those words and if you feel a potential life partner is worth investing in attracting, I encourage you to check out my dating photography services page and to get in touch for a consultation.
For the photographers reading this, I hope these poses, prompts, and scene ideas drive you to create captivating images for your friends or clients. Most people having their photos taken for dating rarely have their photos taken, if ever. These images will mark a period of time for their family, friends, and future life partners.
If you find these suggestions valuable, I encourage you to follow my recent work on Instagram (and no, it’s not me posting dating photos).
I wrote about how all my paid clients discover me through Google and ChatGPT, and rarely through referrals for dating photography because of the nature of these sessions. If you want clients to discover you for any kind of photography you offer, including fashion, portraits, headshots, weddings, and more, I’m currently producing my SEO for Photographers online course.
I encourage you to join my newsletter at the bottom of this page or follow my Instagram to be the first to hear about it.
Now, onto my pose and prompt Scene Idea list (with photo examples) that I share with all my dating photography clients when we plan out our session:
70+ Lifestyle photography poses, prompts, and ideas for dating app profiles
For Tinder, Bumble, Hinge, Raya, and more
This is an ongoing list that I’ll continue to update as my dating and lifestyle photography sessions develop (hence the “+”). Be sure to bookmark this article for updates.
For each of these scenes, I include a difficulty level and a publicity level (ranked 1 to 5), which is important to set expectations for clients before scheduling it as part of our day:
Difficulty level: Appearing candid and not staged
Ranked 1 to 5: 1 being easiest, and 5 being hardest
Some scenes are easier to make appear candid and not staged than others. The ones that involve actions (i.e. doing something) and a prop to hold are almost always easiest (like cooking), because a subject is naturally doing the thing they’re supposed to. On the other hand, some scenes (like reading a book) are tougher to shoot in a natural way, where someone wouldn’t wonder why a photo was taken. It makes sense in a bookstore or hotel lobby, but some of my clients are more nervous and stiff, and I ultimately discourage more difficult scenes for them. I generally determine this by how many times I’ve shot this scene versus how many of my clients feel confident that it’s a strong image for them.
Publicity level: Will random people be watching us?
Ranked 1 to 5: 1 being the most private, and 5 being the most public
Some clients are more nervous or insecure than others – and that’s totally okay. While the difficulty level is more important than the publicity level for most clients, I find it’s important to communicate this ahead of time. Shooting in my home studio is an example of the most private, while shooting in a museum is the most public (especially because we have to be quiet and mind how conspicuous we are when shooting). This is why I almost always shoot on weekday mornings in London because popular locations are far less busy than on the weekends.
1. Sightseeing
Difficulty: 2/5
Publicity: 1-5/5
A casual portrait in front of somewhere noteworthy in London (or any city) – made to be recognisable or geographically ambiguous. An easy way to get a flattering picture looking at the camera, where no one would question why the photo was taken. Some of my clients may like to try this in a couple of different locations.
The level of publicity ranges, whether we want a recognisable landmark or somewhere geographically ambiguous – this depends on comfort level
2. Cycling
Difficulty: 2/5
Publicity: 4/5
It’s cumbersome to bring a bike along on a photoshoot, but using a bicycle share like Santander in London or Lime is great. Always gets a great, natural smile.
3. Getting ready for a workout or sports
Difficulty: 2/5
Publicity: 2/5
Prepping for basketball, football, golf, gym workout, tennis, etc.. A portrait centred around the activity (clearly showing what you're about to play or do) but not necessarily playing it: this gives us more control and focus on you. I often book out a private court for this, when applicable. The goal is not to make it look like you take yourself too seriously, so a portrait taken "before or after a workout set" makes the most sense.
It adds storytelling context to a sport you like, and tastefully shows your physique in a casual way that doesn't show you take yourself too seriously
4. Focused action shot playing sports
Difficulty: 4/5
Publicity: 2/5
Focused action shot playing or practising for a sport, like running, stretching, weight training, etc. This can include the gym (a popular ask), but we're unable to shoot inside most gyms comfortably (outdoor gyms in parks are an option and photograph better). Using a piece of equipment, like a resistance band or medicine ball in the park/outdoor gym, for example, makes for a far more authentic-feeling photo. Indoor spaces for courts or private gyms for action shots can be rented, too, upon request.
Action shots are great, but it's good to get this tastefully. It's very easy to make this look like a staged photo. For the gym, I recommend using a colourful resistance band or an alternative piece of equipment to a dumbbell. It's more conversational and creates the appearance that you're in a HIIT class – rather than just lifting at the gym and someone taking a photo of you. I've often shot this outdoors at outdoor gyms, but this can be done against a white wall in my studio
5. Restaurant with a meal
Difficulty: 1/5
Publicity: 4/5
One of the easiest ones to get with you looking at the camera and emulating a date.
6. Comfortable, in your own home
Difficulty: 4/5
Publicity: 2/5
If you feel that your home is presentable and aesthetic, photographing you where you're most comfortable is a great starting point for photoshoots – especially if you've put much thought and detail into your interior design. I otherwise substitute for my own home studio.
7. Photo with your dog or cat
Difficulty: 1/5
Publicity: 2/5
Pet photos perform incredibly well on dating apps. However, it only makes sense if it is YOUR pet – or a close friend's. If it's a stranger's pet (which I've done before), awkwardness is very visible in the photo for both you and the animal.
8. Reading at, or enjoying, a café with your travel bag next to you – as if you’re waiting for a flight
Difficulty: 3/5
Publicity: 4/5
Nearly all of my clients say they love travelling as one of their main hobbies – but we can’t always travel for photoshoots. My clients almost always have a rolling suitcase with them for outfit changes, and using that as a prop to emulate a flight layover is the perfect way to create a scene that illustrates that interest and story.
Reading looks great and gives you an action, but it can be difficult to get a feeling of candidness and not staged. We can always just place a book on the table. Reading looks best when you're in a cool space, so it looks like your friend is capturing the whole scene and not just you looking like you're reading.
9. Walking in the park with a coffee in your hand
Difficulty: 1/5
Publicity: 2/5
One of the easiest ones – and it's a great prop to have with your hands that varies up just putting them in your pockets: which is arguably one of the best approaches (done while walking), but we can't have every photo with your hands in pockets, though.
10. Sitting on the steps of a beautiful building
Difficulty: 2/5
Publicity: 3/5
Mix in a sitting shot to break up the standing and walking angles.
11. Back shot (or looking back) while walking away from the camera
Difficulty: 3/5
Publicity: 4/5
Through a market like Leadenhall, Burlington Arcade, on the street, or in the forest on a trail are all great scenes for an angle like this. It’s a great shot that makes sense: you’re walking with someone, and they snap you as you walk ahead.
12. Cooking on a kitchen island
Difficulty: 1/5
Publicity: 1/5
If you like to cook, this is a great one to show off – like you’re cooking for a dinner party or having friends over. I almost always start with this one on my shoot day in my studio with clients if they request it: it’s a great way to build comfort while offering a clear action and activity to take the mind out of rigid posing.
13. Eating in a food market in London
Difficulty: 3/5
Publicity: 5/5
Emulates a date idea and shows you out in public with people around.
14. Walking out of a hotel lobby
Difficulty: 4/5
Publicity: 4/5
Most hotel shots inside would need be to shot with a phone as professional cameras are rarely allowed. This is a great one to emulate travel, show off a nice exterior, and shoot without getting quickly escorted out (you’re already on your way!).
15. Walking down the grand staircase of the St. Pancras Hotel in London
Difficulty: 4/5
Publicity: 4/5
In this image, you can see the contrast between a phone photo and one from a dedicated camera. While it’s great to get some phone photos to vary up the batch, I much prefer the compression from a dedicated camera.
When shot with a high f-stop (i.e. everything looking sharp and in focus), it looks less like a portrait camera with the overly blurry, bokeh background – but it still keeps the image refined and solves the problems phones create.
I shoot with two different camera bodies from two different systems (Fuji and Canon) on dating shoots to further the appearance that the images were photographed by different people, on different days.
This image was taken with an iPhone 14 Pro Max (using available indoor light), versus a Canon R5 and Fujifilm X100V, which I shoot all my dating photography sessions with in London.
You can see the difference a phone makes versus a dedicated camera; however, a phone does enable you to shoot where a camera won’t get you.
Any camera will perform great with good lighting; expensive equipment merely mitigates unfavourable conditions. Meaning, an iPhone camera will work great for daylight outdoors, but for indoor shots like this, the difference is far more noticeable.
16. Sitting at a pub, bar, or café with a beverage in front of you
Difficulty: 1/5
Publicity: 3/5
17. Inside a museum like the V&A or British Museum in London
Difficulty: 2/5
Publicity: 5/5
Taking advantage of free museums in London for photoshoots is always great, but they are often crowded with tourists. Tourists seem to stare more often than commuters who are on autopilot. I find going in the afternoon is best to avoid the morning tourist crowds who start their day there.
18. Well-dressed photo among glass buildings in Canary Wharf in London (or other business areas with nice architecture)
Difficulty: 4/5
Publicity: 4/5
19. Athletic shot emulating hiking in the forest (to contrast the city)
Difficulty: 2/5
Publicity: 1/5
You don’t need to leave the city for this! Tons of great parks are easily accessible. Find the right angle to make it look densely wooded. Sometimes you just need to bushwhack to get the perfect.
20. Walking through the aisles of a bookstore
Difficulty: 5/5
Publicity: 5/5
Book stores always have much better lighting than libraries – and it’s much easier to get away with shooting. It’s a great photo when done well; however, it is challenging to make it not look staged.
21. Checking out or reading a new book in a bookstore
Difficulty: 4/5
Publicity: 5/5
As an alternative to browsing the aisles of a bookstore, taking a seat and reading a new selection is an easier action to make it appear less staged.
22. Playing an instrument in a studio, or at home, to make it look like a café, practice, or performance space
Difficulty: 2/5
Publicity: 1/5
23. Playing an instrument in a music store, making it look like it’s a performance or practice space
Difficulty: 3/5
Publicity: 5/5
If you’re in London, the Yamaha Store in SoHo is a terrific location for piano players
24. Browsing an art gallery in London, like the National Gallery
Difficulty: 2/5
Publicity: 5/5
25. Going on a photo walk in London, if you have a camera you like
Difficulty: 1/5
Publicity: 2/5
26. If you’re a coffee connoisseur (or enjoy tea), making coffee or tea on a kitchen island
Difficulty: 2/5
Publicity: 1/5
27. For plant lovers, shopping in a plant store with a basket full of plants
Difficulty: 2/5
Publicity: 4/5
One that I’m excited to try and waiting for the right client who connects with it.
28. Golfing: lining up the shot
Difficulty: 3/5
Publicity: 2/5
While it’s tough to find an accessible golf course in London (driving ranges do fare well), it is very easy to fake with a golf club and ball in a wide-open park. Also waiting for the right client to put this idea into action.
29. Renting a Pirate Radio DJ booth as a unique performance space
Difficulty: 1/5
Publicity: 1/5
30. Giving a presentation or leading a panel discussion
Difficulty: 3/5
Publicity: 1/5
31. A candid portrait in your car or on your motorcycle
Difficulty: 4/5
Publicity: 1/5
A photo inside the car makes more sense than one outside – as if a friend took it on a road trip (unless it’s positioned like a stopover at a rest stop or gas station). It's tempting – especially for men – to want to show the exterior of your car, but it can feel staged and only impresses other men while often doing the opposite for women.
32. Games night, playing board games or cards
Difficulty: 2/5
Publicity: 1/5
I usually put my camera on a tripod, and I put myself in the photo, shooting over my shoulder so it looks like a table full of people. Otherwise, I’ve taken close-ups depending on preferences.
I’ve often found that for photos, when I put myself in the image and my camera is on a tripod, I capture the most natural smiles. This is because I’m actually making eye contact with a subject during the shot, versus looking through the camera. It’s been an interesting dynamic to observe.
33. Fashion-focused street style shot walking down the sidewalk
Difficulty: 2/5
Publicity: 3/5
A strong portrait that I recommend everyone go for: walking rather than standing creates a relaxed image. Looking into the camera builds trust. I find this often becomes most people's opening portrait. This is often with someone looking away, looking more candid with the movement.
That said, stick to only one of these in your profile – maybe two, if it’s in a contrasting location with a different angle, different distance from the camera, the hands are in a new position, and looking either at or away from the camera.
34. Walking towards the camera, hands in pockets on a bridge, canal, or park
Difficulty: 2/5
Publicity: 3/5
This is like the one above, but what we’re doing is taking fashion out of the equation and focusing more on the body language and movement.
Something held in your hands for storytelling is recommended for this, or keeping them in your pockets is great body language: it keeps a bend in your elbows, keeping your arms off your body and creates a more flattering silhouette.
35. Leaving St. Pancras, Liverpool, Euston, Victoria, or other popular train stations in London
Difficulty: 3/5
Publicity: 3/5
This emulates a work commute or returning from a holiday. A really great fit if you love travel – though it needs to look like you're walking to meet a friend (or waiting for them) to not appear staged
36. Relaxing on the sofa
Difficulty: 4/5
Publicity: 1/5
Great photo, but more difficult than you’d think to get the right posture. Best if you've got a slim build, because a sofa tends to swallow you up – unless you sit on the edge, but it becomes less relaxed that way.
37. Shopping at a record shop or other hobby-focused store that represents your interests
Difficulty: 3/5
Publicity: 5/5
This one is a really great conversation starter, but we often need to be strategic to get the right shots and not annoy staff members. I often use a smaller camera for this one.
38. Window shopping outside a luxury store
Difficulty: 3/5
Publicity: 5/5
39. Walking outside the Oxford Circus underground staircase into the daylight
Difficulty: 5/5
Publicity: 5/5
An incredibly busy spot, but it lines up well with a sightseeing-type photo. I shot this image for a Burberry campaign, but I’ve been wanting to apply it in a more casual tone for a dating shoot – more like a tourist photo.
40. Waiting on the tube platform, the train blurred passing by
Difficulty: 3/5
Publicity: 4/5
This very often looks staged, but a cool photo nonetheless.
41. Waiting for the bus at a bus stop, with a red London double-decker bus as the background
Difficulty: 3/5
Publicity: 5/5
London has one of the largest bus riding populations in the world, and its buses make fantastic backdrops. I’ve wanted to create an image for a dating profile, casually waiting with bags or other items in hand, with the bus just pulling up behind the subject. This takes advantage of the great light on the street versus the tube platforms.
42. Classic tourist portrait on the south side of the Thames with Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, and Westminster Bridge
Difficulty: 4/5
Publicity: 4/5
A popular photo spot for everyone visiting London. While I’ve shot here as part of an engagement present for friends, it’s a timeless backdrop for any dating profile.
43. Walking through the heritage architecture and florals of Kynance Mews in Kensington, London
Difficulty: 3/5
Publicity: 3/5
44. Well-dressed portrait outside historic Building, as if before entering a private event
Difficulty: 3/5
Publicity: 3/5
45. Working on a laptop, writing, or drinking coffee on a dining table (to feel like a co-working space)
Difficulty: 3/5
Publicity: 1/5
A popular one for business founders and others with a strong personal brand. An easy one to shoot if it is in my studio or a private working area.
46. Traditional portrait with nice, slightly blurred background
Difficulty: 2/5
Publicity: 3/5
Like a traditional headshot, but far more relaxed and with more body in frame. Where you choose to shoot this image can easily reflect the person. For example, I had a client who loved theatres and cinema. While it’s near impossible to effectively shoot inside one, we captured a confident portrait outside of one, leaving more to the imagination.
47. Practising yoga: sitting upright against a wall or mid-movement
Difficulty: 4/5
Publicity: 1/5
48. Reading on a window’s ledge or reading nook
Difficulty: 5/5
Publicity: 1/5
A really great one when done well, but reading can feel staged. If we shoot this one last, it's easiest to get it feeling more natural.
49. Walking along the water’s edge on the Thames or East London canals
Difficulty: 3/5
Publicity: 2/5
50. Urban exploration (ex. St. Dunstan-in-the-East in London)
Difficulty: 4/5
Publicity: 4/5
51. Standing among graffiti at Leake Street Arches, Hackney Wick, or Camden in London
Difficulty: 4/5
Publicity: 3/5
52. LinkedIn headshot: an outtake from a professional headshot session
Difficulty: 4/5
Publicity: 2/5
A traditional, polished portrait that's mostly recommended for professional profiles. If we catch you looking away or a relaxed expression (close-up), this can work well for more casual profiles like dating. If it’s a formal-feeling headshot, that’s not best to put as your first image. But if it’s an outtake, looking away or in between photos, that can feel more relaxed and not appear like you take yourself too seriously. We want you to appear approachable and not someone who has their career as their defining personality trait.
If you’re exploring professional headshots, I offer headshot photography in London alongside more environmental portraits called personal branding photography (like dating photos, but tailored to a professional audience).
53. Leading a professional group discussion at a table
Difficulty: 3/5
Publicity: 1/5
Consider walking through a slide deck or explaining with your hands across the table. This takes more of a work or academic focus.
54. In between sets of a workout outdoors
Difficulty: 4/5
Publicity: 3/5
55. Standing in a queue, or eating at, a popular takeaway spot
Difficulty: 4/5
Publicity: 4/5
56. Walking along heritage row homes
Difficulty: 2/5
Publicity: 2/5
I often use the ones in Mile End the most because of their proximity to my studio, but they can be found all over London and offer great privacy.
57. Jiu-jitsu or martial arts sparring session
Difficulty: 3/5
Publicity: 1/5
Believe it or not, this was taken in my home studio. Cheap mats on Amazon pushed against a plain wall made this corner look like the side of an industrial-feeling martial arts dojo. This was one of my client’s favourite photos.
58. Co-working day pass: Shooting on hot desks, call booths, or available meeting rooms
Difficulty: 5/5
Publicity: 4/5
Co-working spaces like WeWork offer a lot of variety. While you aren’t explicitly able to host commercial photoshoots in the spaces, it’s easy to both purchase a day pass and shoot alongside each other at hot desks, take a call from a call booth, or hop into an available meeting room for a working shot. Creates more of a personal branding focus, but offers a lot of variety as long as you don’t disturb others.
59. Riding on the Uber Boat along the Thames in London (or any water taxi)
Difficulty: 4/5
Publicity: 4/5
The Uber Boat is a great way to get around and a hidden gem tourist attraction to get an accessible cruise along the Thames. A shot on the back deck with a drink in hand, enjoying the view, is a great one I’d love to capture.
60. Seated in a boba or bubble tea shop
Difficulty: 2/5
Publicity: 3/5
61. Picnic in the park, enjoying a takeaway or a meal deal while enjoying a view and the sun
Difficulty: 2/5
Publicity: 2/5
62. Tasting and choosing wines in a wine bar
Difficulty: 2/5
Publicity: 3/5
63. Writing on a chalkboard or whiteboard, giving a presentation or explaining a concept
Difficulty: 4/5
Publicity: 1/5
64. Bouldering or rock climbing in nature with chalk in your hands
Difficulty: 3/5
Publicity: 2/5
Shooting in nature is ideal versus an indoor climbing centre. This is because, if you haven’t been to the climbing centre before, they'll usually ask you to proceed with an orientation session with practice falls and so forth – which makes shooting difficult and creates logistical challenges. Plus, the lighting isn't always great. Shooting in nature circumvents these challenges and adds a unique perspective.
