From Romania to the Netherlands
Diana has worked in IT for most of her life. She gained experience at IBM and Electronic Arts, primarily in the area of infrastructure. She moved from Romania to the Netherlands for work, where she now lives as an expat.
Today, she is Head of Engineering at a French banking group, where she leads large teams. It’s a role with a lot of responsibility in a rapidly changing environment.
Just start from scratch
Over a nice cup of coffee in our studio in Willebroek, Diana was very direct—just like she is at work. The conversation and the entire photo shoot took place in English. Anyone who sees a profile photo of her in a professional setting immediately creates a story in their mind.
As a manager, you always have to prove yourself—that’s just part of the job. But Diana doesn’t want to have to start a conversation by correcting an impression that people formed long before they even met her. No head start, but no disadvantage either. Just start from scratch, so that her expertise is immediately credible.
At the same time, a professional portrait should never promise more than you can deliver. Otherwise, trust will crumble just as quickly. You can also read about why that first impression carries so much weight in our article A good profile photo: Why is it so important?
What Diana’s headshot was meant to convey
- Self-confidence: someone who knows what she's doing, without coming across as arrogant.
- Reliability: Teams and colleagues need to feel that they can count on her.
- Experience: Years of experience in IT, working for major international companies. You can see that.
- Ownership: someone who takes responsibility and sees things through to the end.
Finding the right balance was key: someone who’s pleasant to work with, but certainly not too nice. In an environment like that, anyone who comes across as too friendly is quickly underestimated. You can read about how we strike that balance with managers on our page Portraits for Managers.
Genuine, unpolished
At a time when AI is popping up everywhere, Diana was particularly keen to avoid an image that looked artificial. Emiline We did her makeup and hair in a natural style. Even during post-production, we stayed far away from smooth, overly polished skin.
Together with Diana, we opted for a dark background with high contrast, and for color instead of black-and-white. We worked with two looks.
Making choices together, just as we do with every customer
For every shoot, we select the photos together with the client. After each series, we review them together on the screen and rate the images. That way, you can see right away what works, and we make adjustments as needed. It’s all part of Our Approach to Business Portraits.
The final decision is always yours. You decide which photos to choose and how many images you’ll take home. In Diana’s case, she chose one strong main image and a few variations for LinkedIn, Teams, and her email profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the process for a business photo shoot at Fotostudio Kwinten?
We’ll start with a conversation about who you are and what you want your portrait to convey. Then we’ll do the photo shoot in our studio in Willebroek, taking breaks to review the photos together. You get to choose your own photos.
Can the photo shoot be done in English as well?
Sure. We'll guide you just as smoothly in English. The shoot with Diana was conducted entirely in English.
Can I have a professional portrait taken if I live in the Netherlands?
Yes. Willebroek is located between Antwerp and Brussels, and we regularly photograph clients from the Netherlands, such as Diana, who lives in the Netherlands as an expat.
Is a headshot heavily retouched?
No. We edit in a natural and authentic way: fresh and polished, but without a slick, artificial look.
Want to read other stories? Find out how we created the professional portrait of Peter Walleghem (Aremis) and Bart Van den Eynde (EGHT Care, GLIZZ) tackled.
Diana, thank you for your openness and your trust.
