That said most websites have light or white backgrounds which can really compliment headshots captured on white backdrops. For white background websites I think it looks really clean when the white background of the website bleeds seamlessly into the background of the headshot. This creates a really clean look that I think really compliments the overall design and thus makes the headshot stand out more.
Headshots are more than just the background they’re photographed on though. Arguably one of the most important aspects of a good headshot is the expression captured. A headshot for your business contacts should be inviting and welcoming, while a headshot for your website bio can arguably be more portrait like and individualistic. Max wanted portraits for both scenarios.
Max’s mural work is very colorful and after I felt that we had captured great portraits for the corporate world, I asked him what he thought of the idea of making things interesting with some colored gels for his final portrait. He loved the idea, so I grabbed some CTO (color temperature orange) and teal gels for a moody three light cinematic light set up.
I gelled the key and kicker lights orange and the shadow fill light teal. In post production I then cooled down the color temp to make his skin tone more believable, but not completely neutral so as to keep the colors complimentary.