Does your body language work 'for' or 'against' you in photos?
Do you LOOK strong as a female business leader?
Do you lean forward?
Or, without knowing, do you relinquish your power due to learned historical gender roles?
Are you giving out the right visual messages to assert your power? Or are you falling into the 'beauty trap'?
Photos can get it right for you, but equally they can be wrong.
I am a huge advocate of women leaders. I photograph them ALL of the time. But many successful women (& men) are used to a history of beauty/wedding styled photography as a benchmark for business and it is wrong. Platforms like IG/FB have provided mixed messages to how we should pose and look as women. They will continue to do so.
We have a chance to correct this in your business photos.
But how do you get the balance right in meeting shots?
Subtle things could be letting you down and giving clients mixed messages. From your placement in a meeting, to how you sit, body language within a team and so much more. I address and correct.
Professional photos are different.
Not only do they depict you, they provide the narrative of your role.
Your role in a company.
Relationship within a team.
Relationships with others.
Relationship in meetings.
I often watch a meeting play out as I photograph my client and I will correct body language if its not working in your favour.
A few years ago I photographed two engineers, one female and one male alongside their business consultant. The female engineer (equally as brilliant as the man) took a seat and sat back. Her male contemporary continued to stand over the consultant.
The brilliant female engineer had tacitly OR knowingly taken a secondary role. A back seat.
I made her stand. She glared at me. I explained that I was making her, rightfully, look stronger in the photo. She was suspicious of me and I get it.
She was a woman in a man's world.
She was used to having to fight for her place at the table.
I think she finally understood me.
And I hope she liked the photos.
So, to Melissa Melton 's brilliant photograph made as part of her branding photography shoot last year.
Melissa is CEO of Momentum Pharma Ltd
A global £-multi million company that recruits worldwide for clinical trials.
She is a true leader, dynamic, super smart, generous and easy going.
Her husband is MD.
Look at the strength of posture.
How she takes power, quietly but purposefully.
She is confident in a highly relaxed way.
She leans forward to take control.
Her shoulders are super relaxed.
She is in her comfort zone.
Whilst you might argue who stands for a meeting? I'd say she's just entered the room and joined this meeting. She may stand for introduction before being seated.
Standing in this way leaves no question whatsoever to her position as 'leader'.
What do your meeting photos say about you?
I'll happily take a look and tell you if you claim your power (or not)?
I'll happily discuss making photos that clearly do!
#brandingphotographer #brandingphotography