From Six Weeks to Two Hours: Foundation Academy Transforms Staff Headshots with Aragon
From Six Weeks to Two Hours: How Foundation Academy Transformed Headshots with Aragon
Foundation Academy cut weeks of coordination and thousands in costs by moving from traditional photography to AI-generated headshots with Aragon.
Company name: Foundation Academy
Industry: Education
"That [Traditional Photoshoot] process with a photographer would take, just for one person, at least days if not weeks to get that done. And like I said, I was able to solve that need in two hours… In a weird way it [the process of viewing our AI headshots] was almost a team-building project that provided some camaraderie in a way that ordinarily in a photoshoot, you would never get."
— Joe Cioffi, Director of Communications, Foundation Academy
About Foundation Academy
Foundation Academy is a private Christian school in Central Florida with three campuses with over 200 staff across elementary, middle, and high school. Their rapid growth created challenges in maintaining consistent, professional headshots for staff communications, websites, and media collateral.
The Challenge
Coordinating professional headshots for nearly 200 staff across three campuses was quickly becoming a logistical nightmare for Foundation Academy. What should have been a simple way to present a unified, professional brand image turned into a complex process involving multiple schedules, campuses, and vendors.
Every new staff member or department update meant reaching out to photographers, coordinating schedules, and waiting weeks for the final images. Not only was this time-consuming, but it was also expensive and inconsistent. Each photoshoot looked slightly different: lighting, backgrounds, and styles varied, leaving the school without a truly cohesive look across its communications.
The effort required to achieve something as simple as staff directory photos was draining resources that could be better spent on education and growth.
- Logistics: Scheduling photographers and staff across multiple locations and days.
- Time: 4–6 weeks from booking to delivery.
- Cost: $500–$750 per shoot day + $150–$200 per edited photo.
- Inconsistency: Lighting, backgrounds, and styles varied from one photo to another.
"That process with a photographer would take, just for that one person, at least days if not weeks to get that done."
— Joe Cioffi, Director of Communications
The Solution
Foundation Academy needed a faster, more scalable approach that would save time without compromising on quality. That is when they turned to Aragon's AI-generated headshots.
By moving the process online, the school eliminated the headaches of scheduling and coordinating across campuses. Staff simply uploaded their photos, and within hours they received polished, professional images that were ready to use. Instead of waiting weeks, teams could see results in the same afternoon.
Instead of a frustrating chore, the process became a shared moment of awe and fun. Teachers and staff compared styles, swapped favorites, and, often for the first time, experienced the magic of AI photos together.
- Rapid Turnaround: What once took weeks was reduced to two hours from upload to delivery.
- Creative Flexibility: Each staff member received 100 varied options across backgrounds, lighting, and outfits.
- Consistency at Scale: Unified look and feel across 200 staff headshots, aligned with the school's brand identity.
- Empowered Staff: Team members could choose the headshots that best represented them, creating ownership and higher satisfaction.
- BONUS! Camaraderie Boost: The process sparked excitement, with staff gathering to view and share their new images in real time.
"Like I said, I was able to solve that need in two hours." — Joe Cioffi, Director of Communications
An Example: Transforming selfies into Professional Headshots
When Foundation Academy's Chief Information Security Officer needed a refreshed set of professional images, the transformation was immediate. With just a few uploads, Aragon generated a gallery of headshots that looked studio-quality without the overhead of studio time.
He went from having only a handful of outdated photos to a versatile collection fit for every professional setting. The consistency across the set gave their personal brand a sharper, more polished presence, while still keeping a natural and approachable look.
What once felt like a hassle became a seamless experience. In a single afternoon, the CISO and leadership team had professional-grade photos that would have taken weeks and thousands of dollars to arrange through traditional photography.
Professional vs. AI: A Clear Difference
When the CISO first relied on traditionally taken headshots, the results were mixed. The lighting left harsh shadows, some angles felt unflattering, and after an entire session he only walked away with a handful of photos worth using. The rest felt too staged or inconsistent, fine for one or two platforms, but not enough to cover the variety of professional needs he had.
With Aragon's AI-generated headshots, the experience was completely different. In just a few hours, he received a full gallery of high-quality images, all consistent in tone, polished in lighting, and styled for different contexts. Instead of a limited set, he now had dozens of options, perfect for LinkedIn, speaking engagements, press features, and internal use.
Comparison Table: Regular Photoshoots vs. Aragon.ai
| Factor | Traditional Photography | Aragon AI Headshots |
|---|---|---|
| Turnaround Time | 4–6 weeks | ~15 mins to ~30 mins |
| Cost | $500–$750 per day + $150–$200 per photo + other additional expenses | Flat rate, based on plan |
| Consistency | Varies by outfit, setting, lighting, and others | Unified brand look |
| # of Photos | 1–2 edited shots per person | 100+ options per person |
| Ease of Use | Difficult to gather all employees in one location | Instant, can be handled remotely |
| Team Experience | Stressful coordination | Fun, team-building moment |
The Results
With Aragon, Foundation Academy achieved in hours what used to take weeks at a fraction of the cost. Beyond the financial and time savings, the process created a sense of shared excitement among staff. What once was a tedious obligation turned into a moment of pride and team spirit.
- 200+ staff covered across three campuses.
- Turnaround time reduced from 4–6 weeks to 2 hours.
- Thousands saved in photography and post-production costs.
- Stronger brand consistency across all communications.
- Unexpected benefit: The process became a fun, team-building moment.
"In a weird way it was almost a team-building project that provided some camaraderie in a way that ordinarily in a photo shoot you would never get." — Joe Cioffi, Director of Communications
Ready to save weeks and thousands on headshots?
Generate your team's headshots in minutes →
Learn More with Aragon
Want to explore more about how AI headshots can help your team? Here are some resources from our blog and product updates:
- Customize your headshots – see how you can change outfits, backgrounds, and poses in seconds.
- Keep your data secure – discover how Aragon meets the highest standards for security and compliance.
- Create professional results – learn how we achieve realistic, consistent photos at scale.
- Compare AI headshot tools – find out why Aragon stands out among alternatives.
- Headshots for remote teams – see how distributed organizations get consistent headshots quickly.
- Branded backgrounds for teams – apply your own backgrounds and styles across all staff photos.
- Enterprise team controls – manage permissions, consistency, and styling at the admin level.
FAQs
Q: Is creating headshots with Aragon AI secure?
Yes. Aragon is SOC 2 Type II compliant, which means all photos and data are encrypted and handled with the highest security standards.
Q: How long does it take to get staff headshots with Aragon?
Our users receive ready-to-use images in under ~30 mins to an hour.
Q: Do staff get to choose their own headshots?
Yes. Each person receives up to 100 photos or variations and can select the images they prefer.
Q: Is this more cost-effective than traditional photography?
Absolutely. Schools and organizations can save thousands of dollars per year—sometimes tens of thousands—by avoiding photographer fees, travel, and editing costs.
Use our cost savings calculator to estimate your savings.
Q: Can AI headshots provide brand consistency?
Yes. Aragon provides consistent backgrounds, lighting, and styles across all staff images. Teams can also set custom backgrounds, outfits, and brand styling, which are automatically applied across the entire team for a unified look.
