Professional Photo Investment
Required Images
Main Image
Professional Headshot Photo
Used for website, marketing, speaker media kit3 Additional Images
1 Backup Professional Headshot
2 Additional Photos – On stage, at event, in the field, different setting
Used for video thumbnails, 1 backup headshot for speaker media kit, marketingProfessional Image Standard
- Professional headshots are required and are the most commonly used for all platforms
- Professional headshots are a first impression and have a direct effect on final decisions after being shortlisted
- Centralize your media with photographer/videographer for long term success
- Request the photographer to save all copies from different shoots for database
Images General Standards
- Images must be non-copyrighted
- Submit multiple photo options to standard
- Must follow specs, size and file type below
- Update headshots every 2-3 years
- Offer organizer image options when marketing you at events
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Key Rules
- Always share the brief with your photographer first
- Do not try to save money or cheap out on your photographer
- Never submit black and white or filtered images
- Do not skip the copyright confirmation step
- Do not submit selfies or low-quality images
- Avoid busy backgrounds that distract from the face
- Avoid accessories, hats, or sunglasses in the main image
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Success Standard
- Clearly communicate who the speaker is visually
- Showcase character, credibility, and confidence
- Provide variety across all additional images
- Ensure you are the only person in the frame
- Rotate attire, backgrounds and scenes for variety of different photos
- Final output should present multiple options to standard
Photographer Selection & Shoot Preparation
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Research Photographers
Use our resources or ask colleagues for photographers who specialize in portrait headshots and speaker branding.
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Review Photographer’s Portfolio
Compare portfolios, save your top options, and rate each photographer out of 5 before requesting pricing.
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Contact Photographer’s to Understand Scope
Confirm their headshot experience, event availability, team support, and whether they can handle video or other media services.
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Pricing Packages & Quotes
Ask for package options, session length, location, studio needs, ownership rights, and exactly what is included.
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Request Timelines
Confirm shoot availability, draft turnaround time, and any expected delays before you book.
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Select Photographer
Re-rank your shortlist by quote, timeline, and references, then choose the best fit and request a contract.
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Review Standards
Share this guide and all copyright requirements with your selected photographer before booking. Confirm they understand the technical specs and commercial use requirements.
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Intellectual Property
Confirm all images are non-copyrighted, in your full control and ownership, cleared for commercial and marketing use before proceeding.
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Sign Contract
Review the contract with a fine comb, and plan your shooting date and setting before signing.
Pre-Shoot Preparation
Plan Shot List
Prepare attire, settings, and angles in advance. Plan for the main headshot first, then 3–4 additional image variations using different backgrounds, outfits, and scenes.
Feedback as Preparation
Run your ideas, attire, and accessories by your peers and photographer before the shoot. Get critical feedback and involve them in final decisions for your look, setting, and style.
Shoot Day
Execute the main headshot first. Then capture additional shots including action poses, environmental settings, and character-driven variations. Stay focused on the brief.
Post-Shoot Review & Submission
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Check framing, composition, attire, and compliance with all technical requirements per image type.
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Quality check the main image to ensure it meets all standards and requirements.
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Request full shoot results to review and ensure you can select images you wish to purchase.
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Select the Images for SBC
2 headshot images
2 additional images
Decide which headshot will be main -
Review standards table with photographer and confirm they will provide resolution, file size, file types and specs to standard
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Request portrait of all images and multiple versions, sizes, copies, etc for socials, websites, and all use cases
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All photography updates must be submitted to profiles@speakerscanada.com. Clearly indicate whether your submission is an edit, a replacement, or an addition. Once accepted, images are applied automatically across the full system including your speaker media kit.
Make sure your photographer saves all images taken from shoot in their database.
Main Image
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Purpose and Use
The Main Image is a high-impact, straight-on professional portrait headshot that defines who the speaker is at first impression. The Main Image focuses on identity, professional presence, and visual credibility and must immediately communicate who the speaker is and why they command authority. If you command a high fee, your image must directly reflect the professional standard your fee represents.
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Consistency & Public Figures
The image must meet technical standards due to consistency when appearing in speaker media kits, marketing lists, website profile and social media. We have many public figures on our website, and your main photo should reflect the expectations of speakers and organizers who expect the same standard. We reserve the right to remove your profile until an approved image in in place.
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Direct Effect on Bookings
Speakers have lost bookings with our clients due to their image quality. If speaker does not have a high-quality image to standard, they will often be passed on, as leadership who are involved in the decision will compare that image with other speakers whose images are to standard. Having a high-quality image shows organizers you care, leaders that you are qualified and builds credibility and trust.
Main Image Standards
- Portrait Headshot Image
- Clear, High Definition
- Professional Background
- Looking at Camera
- Standing or Sitting
- Facing Forward
- No Side Poses
- Face in Upper Half Frame
- Torso or Above Torso in Lower Frame
- Shoulders Visible on Both Sides
- Equal Padding Space Left and Right Side of Arms
- Hands Should Not Be Visible
Attire & Accessories
- Business or Business Casual Attire
- Attire No Visible Branding
- Clear Eyeglasses Permitted
- No Hats
- No Sunglasses
- Mic or Other Items Not Permitted
Specs & Sizes for All Images
- File Size: Under 500KB (up to 1MB if necessary)
- Aspect Ratio: 2:3
- Minimum Width: 600px
- Minimum Height: 900px
- Format: PNG or JPG
- Top Space: At least 80px above the head
- Color: Color only, no black and white or filters
Additional Images
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Purpose and Use
Additional images are used for social media, speaker media kit, speaker profile, video thumbnails, and digital marketing. The Additional Images set expands on the Main Image by providing 4 complementary portrait and action shots that show the speaker in varied angles, attire, and settings. They are used across social media, event marketing, promotional materials, and digital platforms. The Additional Images reinforce the speaker’s identity, personality, and professional range while providing content options for different contexts and audiences.
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Additional Image 1 — Second Headshot Version
Image 2 should be a second professional portrait headshot version to standard. It should differ from the main image in at least one meaningful way through attire, background, or subtle angle etc. while maintaining the same level of professionalism and image quality as the main image. It follows the same core composition standards as the main image but may permit accessories such as glasses or a jacket variation. This image is the closest substitute to the main image and must be interchangeable across most platforms.
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Additional Images 3 & 4 — Action & Setting Shots
Images 3 and 4 may include on-stage shots, business setting portraits, audience interaction captures, or environmental portraits that place the speaker in a professional context. These images are more personality-based and may include natural side angles, seated or standing variations, indoor and outdoor settings, and venue environments. Accessories are permitted. The goal is to showcase the speaker’s confidence, energy, and professional character in real-world speaking or business environments.
Additional Images Standards
- Portrait Images
- Second Headshot Version
- Headshots & Action Shots
- Accessories Permitted
- Business or Business Casual Attire
Additional Images Variation Elements
- Attire & Background
- Side Angles or Head On
- Standing or Seated
- Facing Forward or Natural Side Angle
- On Stage or Business Setting
- Indoors & Outdoors
- Venue Setting & Interacting Audience
File & Format Specifications
- File Size: Under 500KB (max 1MB if smaller not available)
- Image Ratio: 2:3
- Minimum Width: 600px
- Minimum Height: 900px
- Format: PNG or JPG
- At least 80px of space above the head
- Color only — no black and white or filters
- Main image should be a straight-on headshot
- Above torso
- Both shoulders in upper frame
Photography Insights from Master Portrait Photographers
The world’s leading portrait photographers offer timeless principles that apply directly to professional speaker photography. Platon — widely regarded as one of the world’s greatest portrait photographers and known for his iconic portraits in Rolling Stone, TIME, Vanity Fair, and GQ — built his style around radical simplicity. He uses simple lighting setups and plain backgrounds, placing all emphasis on the subject. His core principle: strip everything away until only the person remains. For speakers, this means clean backgrounds, intentional lighting, and a direct connection between the subject and the lens.
Platon’s approach to portraiture — researching his subject, building connection before the shoot, and creating an environment where the subject’s authentic presence can emerge — translates directly into the speaker headshot environment. A great speaker portrait is not about aesthetics alone. As Platon has described his own practice, the goal is to capture the spirit of the individual, not just their appearance. For a speaker, that means a portrait that communicates confidence, credibility, and character in a single frame.
From a technical perspective, master portrait photographers consistently apply the same foundational principles: shoot with a telephoto lens (85mm or longer) to avoid facial distortion; use controlled, flattering light — butterfly or loop setups — to shape the face without harsh shadows; position the camera at or slightly below eye level to project presence and authority; and keep the background simple so the subject commands the full frame. These are not stylistic preferences. They are the technical foundations of a professional, credible speaker portrait.
Invest in a professional photographer every 2 to 3 years. Share this standards guide before every session. Request multiple file size and file type versions from the photographer as a standard part of your delivery package. The quality of your speaker photography is a direct extension of your professional credibility — treat it as the investment it is.
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