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Guide

Conference Headshots: How to Run an On-Site Headshot Station

Delegates love conference headshots, and a headshot station is one of the easiest extras you can add. Here's how we set one up so the queue keeps moving and everyone walks away with a photo they'll actually use.

Published 28 October 2026

01

Why Headshots Are Worth Adding

Give a delegate one of our conference headshots and they’ll be using it for years. It goes on LinkedIn, on their company’s team page and on the programme next time they’re speaking somewhere. Because the photographer’s already on site, it costs you very little extra. And people do notice.

It helps you as the organiser, too. You’ll need consistent, up-to-date headshots for speaker pages, press releases and next year’s programme. Chasing them by email weeks after the event rarely works. Taking them on the day sorts it.

We photographed a member conference at the Holiday Inn Manchester for around 85 delegates, where headshots ran alongside full conference coverage and the committee photo. That’s the most common way our conference photography clients use a headshot station.

Professional corporate headshot from an on-site mobile studio
02

Space and Setup

You need less room than you’d think. Roughly three by four metres and a power socket will do. We bring the backdrop and lighting, plus a laptop for checking images, and we’re set up in about half an hour before the first session starts.

Look for somewhere close to where delegates already gather, but out of the main flow of traffic. The edge of the exhibition or sponsor area is often ideal. A small breakout room nobody’s using works nicely, as does the end of a corridor near the coffee station.

Steer clear of rooms right next to the main stage, where a queue ends up competing with the sessions. It’s also best to avoid strong coloured light, like stage LEDs or bright sunshine through a window, because it’s much harder to control.

Professional corporate headshot on a grey backdrop at a Manchester office
03

Keeping the Queue Moving

The photography is rarely the problem. What can go wrong is twenty people arriving at once in the coffee break, with half of them giving up and wandering off.

Use time slots. Pop a simple booking form in the registration email so delegates can choose a time. Demand gets spread across the day that way. Leave a bit of room for walk-ups, though.

Keep it open during sessions, not just breaks. Anyone skipping a session is usually happy to spend that time getting their headshot done.

Get speakers in early. Catch them before they go on stage, while they’re dressed for it and before things get hectic.

Ask the host to mention it. A single mention after the opening keynote does more than any amount of signage.

Professional business headshot from an on-site studio
04

Getting Headshots to Delegates

People want their headshot fast, while they still remember having it taken. As standard, we deliver edited headshots within 24 hours. Add our live delivery option and delegates can have their image during the event. Our guide to live conference photo delivery explains how it works, and covers the face-search gallery delegates can use to find their other photos from the day.

It’s worth agreeing beforehand how the images will reach people. That might be individual emails or a shared gallery. Or we can put everything in one folder for your marketing team to send out.

Full conference room of delegates at an annual conference in Manchester
05

Fitting It Into Your Plans

Include the headshot station in your brief to the photographer, along with its opening hours and where it’ll be. Our conference photography checklist shows where it sits alongside the rest of the shot list.

As for cost, adding a headshot station doesn’t double the price of full coverage, because the photographer is there anyway. If your conference is big enough that you’d like the main room covered at the same time, a second photographer makes sense. Our guide to what a conference photographer costs in London explains how we’d quote for that.

Professional corporate headshot
06

Booking Conference Headshots

Our corporate headshot packages start at £450, and you can add one to any conference photographer booking in London or anywhere else in the UK. Send us your date, venue and expected numbers and we’ll suggest a setup that suits your day.

FAQ

Common questions

How many headshots can you take in a day at a conference?+

Honestly, scheduling matters more than the camera. Each headshot only takes a few minutes, so a station that's staffed all day can get through a good chunk of a mid-sized conference. Booked slots move more people than a walk-up queue does. Send us your running order and we'll give you a realistic idea of numbers.

How much space does a headshot station need?+

Roughly three by four metres, plus a power socket. A quiet corner of the exhibition area works well, and so does a spare breakout room or the end of a corridor near the coffee.

How quickly do delegates receive their headshots?+

You'll have the edited headshots within 24 hours. If you add our live delivery option, delegates can get their image during the event itself, often before they've left the venue.

How much does a conference headshot station cost?+

Our corporate headshot packages are £450, £650 or £850, depending on numbers. If you're also booking full conference coverage, we can add the station and quote for both together. VAT isn't applicable.

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