Norton Loxley HR Team Photo Refresh Day

Norton Loxley HR Consultancy – Corporate Team Photography for a Growing HR Consultancy in North Yorkshire

Executive Summary

  • Norton Loxley needed a consistent, up-to-date image library to reflect a growing HR consultancy team.
  • The brief focused on professional but approachable photography, avoiding stiff or overly posed headshots.
  • A relaxed, people-first shoot approach helped a nervous team feel comfortable and enjoy the process.
  • The result was a versatile, future-proof image library suitable for websites, LinkedIn, and marketing use.

The Brief

Norton Loxley is a Yorkshire-based HR consultancy supporting SMEs with outsourced HR, recruitment, and flexible people support. As the team had grown, their existing photography no longer reflected who they were or how they worked.

The brief was to create a new, consistent library of professional images that showed the team as knowledgeable, human, and approachable. The images needed to work across their website, LinkedIn, and wider marketing without feeling corporate or intimidating.

Goals

  • Replace outdated and inconsistent team photography
  • Create a cohesive visual style across all images
  • Show the team as friendly, credible, and easy to work with

Channels Needed

  • Company website
  • LinkedIn and social media
  • General marketing and PR use

The Challenge

HR can often be perceived as formal or intimidating, so the photography needed to soften that impression without losing professionalism.

There were also practical challenges. The shoot had been delayed several times due to availability, and when it finally took place in early December, the weather was extremely cold. While the rural farm-based office offered character and charm, outdoor shooting time had to be kept short to avoid discomfort.

Pain Points

  • Team members were initially nervous about being photographed
  • Previous imagery no longer matched the size or maturity of the business
  • Cold weather limited time available for outdoor shots

The Creative Strategy

The approach was deliberately relaxed and flexible. Rather than forcing traditional headshots, the focus was on interaction, conversation, and natural movement.

Sofas were positioned facing each other so the team could chat naturally while being photographed. This created genuine expressions and body language, helping the images feel authentic rather than staged.

Brand Alignment

  • Approachable rather than corporate
  • Professional without feeling stiff
  • Human, warm, and trustworthy

How the Shoot Was Run

The shoot took place at Norton Loxley’s office just outside Thirsk, making full use of the characterful interiors, including exposed beams, sofas, and informal meeting areas.

The session started with group sofa setups to ease everyone in. As confidence grew, this expanded into individual portraits, desk-based working shots, and small group interactions. Outdoor images were captured quickly at the end once the team were relaxed and enjoying themselves.

People Direction

  • Conversation-led, unposed setups
  • Clear reassurance and feedback during the shoot
  • Allowing the team to see images as they were captured

Selected Images

The final image set included:

  • Relaxed group images on sofas
  • Individual headshots using the office as a backdrop
  • Team collaboration and desk-based working scenes
  • A small set of informal outdoor images

What Was Delivered

  • A curated and edited 200+ photo image library selected from approximately 900 captures
  • High-resolution files suitable for print and press use
  • Web-ready versions sized for websites and LinkedIn
  • Both retouched and non-retouched versions of each final image

To make downloading manageable, web-sized images were organised into four themed zip files: outdoor shots, headshots, sofa images, and office scenes.

The Results

While no quantitative metrics were tracked at time or writing this case study, the qualitative outcome was clear. The team moved from feeling nervous and unsure to relaxed and confident in front of the camera.

The resulting image library gives Norton Loxley consistent, professional visuals that reflect who they are today and can be used confidently across multiple platforms.

Client Quote

“You were absolutely amazing yesterday, we were all raving about how much fun we had and we would definitely like to do it again in the brighter months.

These are great and thank you so much for sharing them in the different formats. “

Is this right for you?

Ideal for

  • Professional services teams who feel uncomfortable being photographed
  • Growing SMEs needing consistent team imagery
  • Businesses wanting natural, unforced corporate photography

Not for

  • Highly stylised or heavily posed studio photography
  • Fast, impersonal volume headshot sessions

Next step: Book a planning call to talk through your team, your brand, and how photography can support your growth.