Founder portraits — the brief Edinburgh's tech and finance scene keeps getting wrong
Why most founder portraits in this city read the same, and the small set of decisions that produce one that doesn't.
Every founder in Edinburgh has the same headshot. White background, arms crossed, half-smile, blazer-no-tie. It is not the founders' fault — it is the brief they are handed by their marketing team, which is the brief that has been handed to every marketing team for fifteen years.
Three decisions that change the image
- 01Shoot on location, not in a studio. The founder's actual environment carries more information than any backdrop.
- 02One light, hard, from a single direction. Two lights flatten the face. Three lights produce the LinkedIn aesthetic everyone is sick of.
- 03No half-smile. Either a full laugh or a closed mouth. The in-between is what reads as corporate.
Working with us
Founder and team portrait commissions run as a half-day or full-day on location, with a clear deliverable: one hero frame per subject for press and the website, plus three crop variations for social and decks. Usage is included. Bookings are typically two to three weeks out; rushed turnarounds are possible.
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A short form, a personal reply within 48 hours, and an honest read on fit.
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