Mr. Peter Schuller, the Global IT Services Director at McKinsey & Co. from Düsseldorf, perfectly represents the modern executive on the move. Constantly in transit between hotel rooms, airport terminals, and business meetings, he epitomizes the fast-paced corporate lifestyle. Yet, amidst the demanding schedule, he is also a family man with a home in Germany. Capturing how he balances work, travel, and personal life was the focus of this executive photo assignment for the German magazine WirtschaftsWoche (Economic Weekly). As part of this business portrait session, I met and photographed Mr. Schuller during his brief stop in New Delhi before his next flight.
The magazine’s brief was clear: they wanted to visually depict the isolation that often comes with frequent business travel. They referenced the film Lost in Translation, aiming for a mood that reflected the solitude of an executive constantly on the move. With this in mind, I arranged the corporate photography session at the Hilton Hotel in Gurgaon, just before Mr. Schuller departed for Europe.
To set the right tone, I began the shoot in the hotel room, creating a scene inspired by the famous movie poster featuring Bill Murray. This intimate setting captured the essence of a traveling executive, alone in a foreign city. This image ultimately became the opening shot for the feature. Next, I wanted a compelling executive photo inside a car, but a typical Delhi taxi wouldn’t match the refined corporate aesthetic. Fortunately, a McKinsey colleague had just purchased a new BMW and agreed to let us use it for the shoot. We circled Terminal 3 multiple times, with me shooting through the car window to capture the perfect angle and atmosphere. The final image of the session was taken as Mr. Schuller entered the terminal, symbolizing his never-ending journey between destinations.
Corporate photography portrait session for magazine editorial showcasing the isolation that often comes with frequent business travel and the modern business lifestyle of an executive on the move
This corporate project, focused on executive portraiture and business lifestyle imagery, provided a compelling glimpse into the life of a high-level executive constantly on the move. Through carefully crafted compositions, professional business portraits, and documentary-style visual storytelling, the images captured the essence of his fast-paced travel schedule, long hours in transit, and the solitude that often accompanies global leadership roles. By blending environmental portraiture with candid moments, this executive photography session highlighted both the challenges and the sophistication of corporate travel, creating a narrative that resonates with professionals navigating similar lifestyles.
Business Portrait Session with an Executive on the Move – Executive Corporate Portrait Session that Captures the Fast-Paced World of Global Leadership
This corporate photography assignment took me into the fast-paced world of a high-level executive whose career demands constant travel. The business portrait session aimed to capture not just his professional presence but also the reality of his life on the move—hotel stays, airport lounges, and long hours in transit between meetings. By blending environmental portraits with documentary-style imagery, I created a series of images that reflect the balance between corporate success and the solitude of executive travel. Thoughtful composition and lighting helped highlight both the authority and the personal side of leadership, making this business photography session a compelling visual story of a modern executive’s lifestyle.
Creative Executive Portraits and Professional Branding Imagery
Sephi Bergerson is a documentary photographer based in India since 2012 specialising in corporate photography and executive portraits. His work has already been published in The New York Times, Forbes magazine, Le Monde, The International Herald Tribune, Time magazine and more. He is available for corporate portrait photography assignments as well as editorial and commercial photography in India and worldwide.
