Image Overview & Standards
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Please review and follow the copyright standards at: www.speakerscanada.com/copyright-ip/
Professional Investment
Professional images are primary marketing assets that strengthen speaker positioning, credibility, competitiveness, and booking opportunities
First Impressions
Organizers often evaluate a speaker’s professionalism, credibility, and audience fit through images before reviewing profiles or comparing other speakers
Long-Term Assets
Build a professional image library with current photos from headshot sessions, events, media appearances, and business settings
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Profile Image Requirements
- Headshot: Required across all SBC platforms
- Primary: 1 professional headshot as main image
- Alternate: 1 professional headshot as backup
- Additional: 2 stage, event, business, casual images
- Variety: Different attire, settings, angles, environments
- Presence: Confidence, professionalism, approachability
- Identity: Brand-aligned imagery without logos
- Current: Appearance accurately represented
- Quality: High-resolution, clear, professionally composed
- Commercial: Non copyright, approved commercial use
- Usage: Website, media kit, event programs, marketing
- Frequency: Headshots replaced every 2 to 3 years
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Image Quality
- Professional Photography
- High Resolution
- Clean Composition
- Controlled Lighting
- Natural Expression
- Commercial-Use Approved
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Speaker Presence
- Confidence
- Credibility
- Professionalism
- Approachability
- Authenticity
- Personality
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Photography
- Clean Backgrounds
- Eye-Level Camera Position
- Portrait Lens
- Consistent Lighting
- Professional Editing
- Commercial-Use Approved
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Long-Term Investment
- Update Every 2–3 Years
- Keep Original Image Files
- Request Multiple File Sizes
- Archive All Image Versions
- Build Image Library
- Review Images Annually
Headshot Requirements
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Image Composition
- Portrait headshot
- Looking at camera
- Facing forward
- Standing or seated
- Face centered
- Above waist
- Torso visible
- Shoulders visible
- Hands not visible
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Technical Specifications
- PNG or JPG
- High-definition colour
- 2:3 aspect ratio
- Minimum 600 × 900 px
- Preferred under 500 KB
- Maximum 1 MB
- Minimum 80 px from edges
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Presentation Standards
- Professional background
- Professional appearance
- Business or business-casual attire
- Clear eyeglasses permitted
- No hats or sunglasses
- No microphones or props
- No visible event, speaker, or clothing brands
Additional Image Requirements
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Image Composition
- Portrait images
- Backup headshot
- Stage images
- Audience interaction
- Business setting images
- Event images
- Environment images
- Lifestyle images
- Indoor or outdoor images
Technical Specifications
- High-definition colour
- 2:3 aspect ratio
- Minimum 600 × 900 px
- Preferred under 500 KB
- Maximum 1 MB
- Minimum 80 px from edges
Presentation Standards
- Standing or seated
- Head-on or side angle
- Single subject
- Natural expression
- Professional setting
- Different attire, angles and backgrounds
Photographer Selection & Shoot Preperation
Photographer & Portfolio Review
Research photographers, obtain referrals, and compare portfolios, style, quality, commercial rights, and pricing before booking
Professional Standards
Photographer Selection: Select paid professional photographers experienced in headshots who understand speaker brand positioning
Commercial Ownership
Review contracts, image ownership, commercial usage rights, licensing, photo shoot settings and file delivery before session
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Photographer Considerations
- Specialty: Executive portraits, speakers, public figures
- Referrals: Colleagues, speakers, professional networks
- References: Feedback, testimonials, previous client ratings
- Portfolio: Style, quality, composition, speaker experience
- Experience: Speakers, executives, public figures
- Services: Packages, pricing, editing, delivery
- Timeline: Availability, session timing, final delivery
- Rights: Ownership, licensing, commercial usage
- Contract: Deliverables, formats, rights, timelines
- Standards: SBC image requirements shared before booking
- Planning: Image types, locations, backgrounds, settings
- Selection: Photographer aligned with brand, standards
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Shoot Preparation
- Objectives: Image purpose, concepts, intended use
- Brief: SBC image guide, standards, requirements
- Delivery: Required images, formats, edits, specifications
- Shot List: Headshots, stage, event, business, supporting images
- Variety: Attire, backgrounds, settings, expressions
- Locations: Environments supporting speaker positioning
- Backgrounds: Clean, professional, distraction-free settings
- Attire: Clothing supporting brand, audience, environment
- Grooming: Hair, makeup, appearance, presentation
- Accessories: Approved items without visual distraction
- Wardrobe: Prepared combinations for each setting
- Priority: Main Image captured before supporting images
- Library: Long-term image assets from each session
- Outcome: Professional images, and library for continuity
Image Review, Selection & Submission
Image Discovery
Review the complete image gallery, compare options, and create a shortlist with your photographer
Final Quality
Confirm image quality, composition, and technical standards before making final selections
Image Selections
Select the Main Image, Backup Image & Additional Images that meet SBC standards
File Delivery
Request original files, edited versions, multiple formats, future-use copies and file naming
Complete Package
Organize images, instructions, and supporting files into one complete submission
Future Use
Maintain an organized image library for future use, updates, marketing, history and continuinity
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Image Review & Submission
- Quality: Composition, lighting, focus, appearance, standards
- Selection: Strongest image for each required category
- Headshots: 1 primary plus 1 alternate headshot
- Additional: 2 supporting images for marketing, promotion
- Technical: File size, format, resolution, specifications
- Delivery: Originals, edited files, sizes, formats
- Naming: Descriptive, consistent file names
- Storage: Centralized cloud image library
- Package: Images, files, instructions organized together
- Changes: Add, Replace, Remove identified per image
- Submission: profiles@speakerscanada.com
- Approval: SBC review required before publication
- Removal: Replaced images removed after approval
- Updates: Profile, proposals, marketing, media kit
