Capital One
Headshots Initiative

Role:

Art Director | Photographer | Project Manager

Brief

What began as a passion project evolved into a market-wide visual branding initiative. I recognized that many associates across Capital One’s Los Angeles cafés lacked updated internal profile photos—or had none at all—making internal networking, onboarding, and visual branding inconsistent. I proposed and led a project to provide every associate with both professional and personality-driven headshots, aligning with Capital One’s mission of belonging, inclusion, and authenticity. My rallying mission: “Bring Our Faces to More Places.”

Approach

My goal was to create photography that was more than just a picture—it was a cultural snapshot. Each associate received:

A professional headshot (for internal systems and LinkedIn)
A personality portrait (to express individuality)
A group photo (to foster team identity and Slack/channel engagement)

I referenced Capital One’s brand guidelines to ensure visual consistency while maintaining space for individual expression. Each café’s shoot was tailored to reflect its unique architectural identity and the energy of its team. From concept to delivery, I led all creative and operational execution.

Obstacles & Challenges

Coordinating headshots across 9 café locations in LA and San Diego, with different layouts, lighting, and availability.
Solved this by leveraging quarterly team strategy meetings—turning them into pop-up studio days and reducing travel time/logistics.
Created and managed digital and print legal waivers for likeness usage, submitting them to Capital One’s legal and HR teams for compliance.
Adapted setups to each space, ensuring every café’s personality and local history shined through in the team photos.

Results

Headshots were used in:
Internal bulletins and culture campaigns
Design repositories and team hubs
Slack and internal messaging platforms
Thread Style Guide for onboarding
LinkedIn profile refreshes for dozens of associates
Received high praise from peers, market leadership, and internal communications teams.
Helped solve a broader visibility issue—allowing associates to put names to faces and increasing team connection across regions.
Became a model for internal storytelling without hiring external talent, showcasing that company culture can be authentically told by the people living it.

Art Direction Highlights

Developed the shot list, creative style, and production logistics independently.
Shot, edited, organized, and delivered imagery across 9 locations.
Created moodboards, shoot decks, and brand documentation to align with Capital One’s tone of inclusivity, professionalism, and personality.
Drew on my experience with my own modeling agency to help first-time subjects feel confident and authentic on camera.

Tools & Software Used