Big businesses have investors, and investors want to know how the company is doing. Annual reports are used to keep investors up to date with what the company is doing, where they are succeeding, and who is making them more profitable.
I have photographed people at Fuchs Lubricants Co, which is based in Germany but has offices around the world, and incidentally in the south suburbs of Chicago. Historically, Fuchs featured their German execs in their annual reports, but as the company grew, they expanded their reach to include up-and-coming professionals in other countries too. I’ve photographed a few of them, if they are based in Chicago.
If the image is to be used in a group of others on a page, they need a consistent look. Color tones, quality of light, angles to the body, and expression are all important. You can’t have one person photographed outdoors and every other with soft studio lighting, or one person with a big smile and everyone else with a more reserved, professional expression. Big companies ususally don’t want one person to stand out from all the rest.
So, for every project, I receive a very specific instructional guide to create the images the German art directors need for their printed pieces.
Each time I went to the company’s local office for a project like this, I study the directions German designers send me, and once I arrive, determine the best location for the shot. I prepare the lighting, so that once my subject arrives, I don’t need to take a lot of his or her time. For the subject, it may take about 15 minutes tops, because all of the planning and prep has been done. (See top photo.)
Does your company have offices in different locations, but you need images that fit a certain design scheme? Contact me and let’s talk.