Imagine business photos. Do you immediately picture a suit, tie, and a neutral smile against a gray background? That might be the case, but it doesn't have to be! Here at Photogenika Studio in Munich, we experience every day just how diverse business photography can be. We recently had a particularly exciting project that was anything but ordinary: an author photo shoot for horror novelist Cornelia Kiener. Intrigued? Then take a moment, and I'll tell you all about it!
From lawyers to yogis: The spectrum of business photography
We really have a wide variety of people and industries in our studio. Sometimes it's the Law firm that creates serious and trustworthy portraits for their website needs the Veterinary practice that radiates empathy and care One client might want to create a photoshoot. Another might be a yoga studio looking for relaxed, authentic images, or a design studio wanting to showcase creativity and innovation. Even banks and insurance companies come to us. As you can see, the requirements are as individual as the people themselves. Images for online presence, in particular, should inspire trust, signal competence, and at the same time appear friendly and approachable – all while, of course, aligning with the corporate design and ideally working across all channels, from the website to social media.
Special assignment: A portrait photo for the horror film
Author portraits are a rare sight in our everyday lives. And an author who writes in the horror genre? That was new for us too, and therefore doubly exciting! Cornelia Kiener commissioned us to take photos for her latest book and her publicity materials. It was immediately clear: this was a chance for us to get creative! We wanted to create images that were not only professional but also reflected the dark, mysterious atmosphere of her stories.
The chemistry has to be right: color, light, and good conversations.
Cornelia's business card and website are dominated by a vibrant red. So when she mentioned that her book also features vampires, the association was perfect! Red became one of our key colors for the shoot. We experimented a lot with light – sometimes softer for more classic portraits, Sometimes harsher and with higher contrast to create a more dramatic, darker mood. The goal was to create a range of images that she could use flexibly, but that would always have a special look that suits her and her genre.
Behind the scenes: More than just taking pictures
What I love about these kinds of shoots is the glimpse into other worlds. While we were photographing, Cornelia told me a lot about her work as an author and self-publisher. It was incredibly fascinating to hear how it all works, what hurdles she faces, but also how much passion she puts into it. She even revealed that she sometimes contacts acquaintances in the police force for her research, to ensure that certain details in her stories are as realistic as possible. Conversations like these are what truly bring a shoot to life for me and help me capture the person in front of the camera authentically.
What exactly are author photos?
You might now be wondering what exactly Author photos or a Author portrait (often also) Author portrait (written) differs from other business images. Basically, they are Portrait Photos, which are specifically designed for writers and authors. They often serve as Image photos or Press photos. They are needed for book covers, blurbs, interviews, announcements of readings, your own website, social media profiles, and for press releases issued by book publishers or published by the authors themselves. The aim is to put a face to the name and reveal the personality behind the stories – sometimes thoughtful, sometimes mysterious, sometimes open and likeable, depending on the author and genre. Sometimes the term is also used. Author photo used.
Eagerly awaiting the result
That day we created a series of images that I think perfectly capture Cornelia Kiener's personality and the essence of her work – sometimes classic, sometimes darker, and perfectly suited to the horror genre. I'm incredibly excited to see how the final results turn out. Portrait Photos in the book and on their website! It was definitely a highlight and a great example of how diverse and creative they are. Author photos can be – far from Standard business portrait.
Your Barbara
