Showing Up Again: Business Portraits (Headshots) & New Connections

Janet G.

Oct 14

4 min read

Earlier this year, around April, I decided it was time to get myself back out there.

I had taken a little break from my photography business while a lot was changing in my personal life. I moved out of my house, moved into an apartment with my boyfriend, and was starting a completely new chapter.

Once things started settling down, I wanted to get back into my business, start creating again, and most importantly, start connecting with people again.

That’s where the idea for a Business Portrait Pop-Up came in.

A Little Networking Turned Into a Collaboration

I met Yesenia, the owner of Chiki's Sweets & Treats, through a networking event that was hosted at her location near Central and Camelback in Phoenix.

We started talking, and she mentioned that she was open to collaborating and using her space for events. It may have taken us about a year to actually make something happen 😂, but eventually we did!

I hosted a Business Portrait Pop-Up at Chiqui Sweets & Treats where local professionals could stop by, get updated business portraits, network a little, and of course grab something sweet while they were there.

And speaking of the sweets—the mini pancakes are DELICIOUS. Definitely recommend them!

Business Portraits Without Making It Complicated

One of the reasons I enjoy offering these Business Portrait Pop-Ups is because they’re simple. You don’t always need a huge branding session or dozens of photos. Sometimes you just realize, I only need a new profile picture. I only need a few good images.

For these pop-ups, I keep the setup simple too. I bring my camera, my speedlight flash, and work with the environment we have. Together, we create updated portraits that you can use for your social media, website, business cards, marketing materials, or wherever your business takes you. And if you need a clean background instead, I can remove or change the background during editing.

And no, I don’t just take three photos and say, “Okay, we’re done!” 😂 We take plenty of photos during your session, and afterward, you select your favorite three images.

Sometimes, that’s really all you need—a few professional photos that represent you and your business.

And through this simple idea, I ended up photographing professionals from several completely different industries.

Meet Some of the Professionals

Some of these portraits were photographed during the pop-up, while others came to my apartment/home studio for their session. What I love is that everyone had a different reason for needing updated photos.

Teresa | Finance

Teresa saw that I was offering business portraits and realized it was the perfect time to update hers. She works in the finance world and came over to my apartment/home studio for her portrait session.

And if you’re curious about what my little apartment/studio setup actually looks like behind the scenes, keep scrolling! I included a video at the bottom of this blog so you can see how we made it happen. And while you’re there, hit that heart button too! 😉

Brenda | Real Estate

Meet Brenda! Brenda is a real estate agent here in the Valley, primarily working with clients throughout the West Valley. Real estate is one of those industries where having an updated portrait is especially helpful because your face becomes part of your brand. Your photo can end up on everything from social media and business cards to signs and marketing materials.

Andres | Construction

Andres and his wife are currently working on putting everything together to launch their own construction company. I love this because business portraits aren’t only for established businesses. They’re also something you can create while you’re building the business.

Having professional images ready means that when it’s time to launch the website, social media, marketing materials, or business profiles, you already have something representing you.

Jovita & Bianca | Finance + Life Insurance

Jovita and Bianca are business partners who work in finance and life insurance, helping educate people about their finances and planning for the long term.

They each had their own individual business portraits taken, giving them updated professional images they can use while representing themselves and the business they’re building together.

Miriam | Real Estate

Miriam is another local real estate agent who came to my apartment/home studio for her portraits. She found me through social media, which is another reason I keep reminding myself that showing up online matters—even when sometimes it feels like you’re posting and nobody is paying attention. Someone is always watching!

You Never Know Where a Connection Will Lead

Something I’ve learned from doing photography for so many years is that networking doesn’t always have to feel like networking.

Sometimes it’s going to an event.

Sometimes it’s having a conversation with another business owner.

Sometimes it’s posting a TikTok or Instagram Reel.

Sometimes it’s someone from high school seeing what you’re doing now.

And sometimes it’s a friend referring someone they know.

Between these business portraits, I had people who knew me from high school, people who found me through TikTok and Instagram, and people who came through referrals.

That’s one of the reasons I wanted to do this pop-up in the first place. Yes, I wanted to photograph people, but I also wanted to give myself a reason to get back out there, talk about my business again, meet people, collaborate and create a little noise.

And it worked.

Maybe One Day, a Studio 👀

Right now, I’m working with what I have.

Sometimes that means setting up at another local business. Sometimes that means turning part of my apartment into my little home studio for the day.

And honestly, it’s been fun seeing what I can create with a backdrop, a flash, my camera and a little bit of space.

But maybe one day I’ll have my own dedicated studio where I can host more portrait days like this. Manifesting it. ✨

For now, I’m enjoying creating with what I have, meeting other business owners and seeing where all of these connections lead.

And if you’re a business owner or professional in the Phoenix area and realize your profile picture is a little outdated, send me a message. We can chat, take some photos and get you a few new business portraits you actually want to use.

And if you’re ever around Central and Camelback, stop by Chiki's Sweets & Treats and try those mini pancakes.

Tell them Janet sent you. 😉