Behind the Scenes of a Fun Dentist Office Photoshoot

As a photographer, you never know what to expect when working with a new client. But sometimes, the stars align, and everything just clicks—this was one of those days! Recently, I had the pleasure of working with a fantastic team at a local dentist office, and honestly, it was way more fun than I anticipated!

From the moment I walked in, the vibe was lively, welcoming, and full of energy. The team was amazing to work with, and Monique, one of the staff members, really helped set the tone. With her background in fashion shows and modeling, Monique was key in making sure everyone was comfortable and had fun during the shoot. She was a natural at posing the team, guiding them to get out of their shells, and helping everyone loosen up.

It's often challenging to pose people who aren't used to being in front of the camera, especially in a corporate setting like this, but Monique's encouragement made all the difference. Sometimes, people can be their own worst critics, especially if they don't know what angles work best for them. Having someone they knew and trusted, like Monique, to guide them through it made the whole experience so much smoother.

The Shoot: Headshots and Hero Video

The main deliverable for the shoot was a set of professional LinkedIn-style headshots, along with a few playful, silly shots to show off the team's personality. These photos would be featured on their new website, so it was important to capture both the professional and fun sides of the staff. We also captured some behind-the-scenes footage for a short montage video, which will be used as a hero image on their homepage. It was a mix of corporate and candid fun—and the staff absolutely nailed it!

Gear and Setup

For the lighting, I used a lantern-style softbox attached to a Smallrig video light. The space had plenty of natural light coming in through skylights, but I wanted to ensure consistency, especially since the lighting could change throughout the day. Video lights were a better choice for this shoot because they’re easier to adjust on the fly. I also used a Godox Molus 60 Watt light for some additional fill, with a V-mount clamp to keep everything mobile and wire-free.

The key to using video lights for photography is making sure they’re powerful enough, especially if you're working in a space with fluctuating natural light. I shot with a Sony A74 paired with a Sony 35mm f/1.8 lens and an Osmo Pocket 3 for the B-roll footage.

Overcoming Challenges

As with any photoshoot, things don’t always go according to plan. One unexpected challenge was the background—there were some people in the hallway, and I wasn’t able to control the movement. Fortunately, I was able to use generative AI (Adobe Photoshop's new feature) to remove any distractions and clean up the images quickly. This saved a ton of time and ensured that the final photos were as polished as possible.

Another lesson learned: always check your surroundings! I didn’t realize that the water cooler in the corner could be moved until midway through the shoot. Little things like that can make a big difference in the final composition of the shots.

Post-Processing and Consistency

One of the things I’m always mindful of when doing corporate headshots is consistency. I want the images to look uniform, especially when they’ll be displayed side by side on a website. To achieve this, I used a template in Photoshop to scale the photos and ensure each headshot had the same relative size and positioning. It's a simple technique, but it ensures the final look is cohesive across all the photos.

One thing to keep in mind when working with video lights or flash is the positioning. You want to make sure the key light is positioned in front of the subject to create that signature catchlight in the eyes. Unfortunately, due to some movement during the shoot, I didn’t always get that perfect light angle, but it wasn’t bad enough to ruin any photos.

The Fun Moments

One of the highlights of the shoot was definitely the group shots. The team wanted to do some fun, silly poses (think jazz hands!), and we had a great time practicing and laughing through the process. At one point, some of the team members were doing "come hither" finger motions, which we quickly turned into a joke to keep things light and fun. Sometimes, those spontaneous moments are the best part of a shoot—they help build rapport and make the entire session feel more relaxed.

Wrapping Up

All in all, this was an incredibly fun and successful shoot. The team was awesome, the atmosphere was lighthearted, and the final photos turned out great. It’s always a bonus when you can have a little fun with a corporate shoot, especially in an environment like a dentist office, which is often seen as sterile or intimidating. This space was the exact opposite—modern, vibrant, and full of energy—and it was such a pleasure to capture that essence.

If you’re ever working on a project like this and have questions about lighting, posing, or post-processing, feel free to connect with me on Instagram. I’m always happy to share tips or chat about the process. Until next time!