Why a professional headshot? (as opposed to a snapshot or selfie)

If you’ve spent any time on LinkedIn at all, you’ve probably seen it all when it comes to people’s profile photos. I’m sure you’ve seen a few really well-done professional portraits, but you’ve also seen blurry snapshots with an ex chopped out of the side. You’ve seen inappropriately “sexy” shots that would be better suited to an exotic dancer than an insurance agent. You’ve seen photos that clearly were taken 20 years ago. You’ve seen selfies taken from such a high angle that the person appears to have no neck and arms that are at least 12 feet long. You’ve seen over-edited photos with crazy-white teeth and no pores. And sadly, you’ve probably even seen photos with bunny ears, fake freckles, and big shiny eyes straight out of a snapchat nightmare.

So, if other people are using snapshots and selfies, why should you spend the money on a professional headshot? The answer is simple: You’re better than that, and you want prospective clients and employers to know that you’re better than that. You take your career seriously, and the fact that you’re willing to invest in a quality professional image shows that you are probably also investing in your education, career, and personal development. Your professional headshot gives your prospects an idea of how you will represent them and the care you will take in meeting their needs.

Hiring a professional to take your headshots is an investment in yourself and your career. Professionals, are just that - pros! They have the equipment and posing experience to bring out the best in you. They should also be able to digitally edit your photos to remove any small imperfections.

What makes a good headshot

A good headshot does the following:

• Conveys a message about who you are and what you bring to the table
• Looks like the real you, right now (on your best day)
• Is “neutral” enough to keep your options open
• Focuses all of the attention on you
• Makes people want to pick up the phone and call you

Planning and booking your session

There are many things that need to be taken into consideration before you even book your headshot session. What type of vibe are you going for with your headshots? Is it strictly professional, or will it also be used for social media/personal purposes? Do you need a great shot for your online dating profile? What kind of field are you in? A conservative profession? Sales? A creative field? Are you an actor, singer, or musicians who needs promo shots? Are you a business owner who wants more of a personal branding session? Do you fit into multiple categories?

You may be able to find a photographer who can meet all of those purposes in one session, as long as you plan accordingly, are up front with your photographer about your goals, and bring the appropriate wardrobe changes to your appointment. A good photographer will ask you these questions before booking your shoot, and you will do well to be prepared to answer them, so think about what you want ahead of time, and don’t be afraid to speak up.

That said, don’t prepare just to answer questions, be prepared to ask some too! Before your reserve studio time with the pro of your choice, do your homework. Write down a list of questions to ask your prospective photographer. Even once you have booked your session, be sure to ask how to prepare for your shoot. An experienced pro will always have a list of dos and don’ts for you.

Sample questions you may wish to ask:

• How long does a typical headshot session take?
• How many outfits should I bring?
• Do you offer hair and makeup services?
• How many different backgrounds will you shoot on?
• How long have you been in business?
• Are you a full-time photographer or is this a side hustle/hobby?
• Will I come to your studio, or will you come to my location?
• Do we have the option of shooting outdoors?
• How do you suggest I prepare for my session?
• What are your pricing/package options?
• What days and hours do you book your sessions?
• Can I combine multiple sessions types (i.e., headshot, glamour, lifestyle, etc., if applicable)
• Are any images included in the session fee, or do they need to be purchased separately?
• How many finished images are included in the price?
• What is your retouching policy?

And finally, if you ask nothing else, you should at least ask one question along the lines of: “Here are my goals for this session… (insert your own goals here)… What are your recommendations for me in terms of packages, settings, wardrobe, etc.?”

Preparing for your session

WARDROBE: Depending on the intended purpose of your headshot, the first thing to consider is your wardrobe. Obviously if it is professional, your outfit choice should convey that. If using your images for more personal reasons, feel free to go with something more casual, glam, and/or playful. In either case, it is best to avoid busy, loud, or large scale patterns. Smaller prints that read as more of a “texture” are fine, but you don’t want anything that will distract the viewer’s eyes from you. For the same reason, you’ll want to stay away from garish or neon colors, including bright yellows/greens/oranges which can throw a strong color cast onto the skin. Finally, pure white is usually a no-no for professional headshots, unless it is a white shirt underneath a darker-colored blazer. Unless your goal is to represent a specific brand in your headshot, definitely no logos or graphic tees.

ACCESSORIES: For women, don’t be tempted to pile on all the jewelry you own. It is best if accessories are kept simple and minimal. Avoid anything too fussy that may constantly need rearranging.

Will you be wearing glasses for your headshot? This one is always a bit tricky. In a professional setting, if people always see you in your glasses, leave them on. If you can go either way, leave them off to avoid the hassle of dealing with reflections and glare from studio lighting. In this case, be sure to remove your glasses early enough so that the red marks on the sides of your nose have time to disappear. If you decide to keep them on, make sure they are 100% clean, and have a glare-free lens or coating. Also important is to push your glasses up high up on your nose. If they are too close to the middle or tip of your nose, the frames will partially obscure your eyes.

MAKEUP: For ladies, you will likely want to keep your makeup mostly as you normally would wear it, with just a little bit of extra contrast and definition so you don’t wash out under the studio lights. HOT TIP: Do not skip powder! Shiny faces spoil pictures! That said, you don’t want to transform yourself into someone that doesn’t look like you, or distract the viewer, so it is usually advisable to stick with more neutral colors and stay away from heavy false eyelashes or any avant grade makeup trends.

Your photographer may offer optional add-on services such as makeup or hair styling. If you never wear makeup, or feel clueless on how to apply makeup or style your hair for a polished professional image, consider selecting these add-ons. If your photographer does not offer these services, you can always find a salon or freelance artist who offers these services. BONUS: You may learn a few great tips from your stylist/makeup artist that will help you refine and improve your every day professional image going forward! Just be sure to be clear that this is for a professional headshot - you don’t want to end up looking like you’re heading to prom.

Choosing a setting

The background you choose for your photos is an important consideration. Again, you don’t want anything that distracts the eye, so unless you’re working on branding for a very specific product or company, you’re almost always going to want to go with subtle, neutral backgrounds for a professional look. (In some instances, you may want your photographer to come to your work location to get a more environmental or "lifestyle" type of portrait.) If it's a studio portrait you decide on, then pure white or off-white, gray, earth-tones, or even a muted blue background are all classic for headshots. Black can be great too, if you want a more dramatic, edgy vibe to your portrait. However, if you have very dark hair and/or are wearing black clothing, this can be a tricky choice. If you have chosen a good photographer, he or she should be able to light you to make this choice work, but the end result may wind up being a bit “over-the-top” in terms of drama/edge for those in more conservative professions.

On the other hand, if you are looking for social media or dating profile shots, an outdoor setting or fun and colorful studio backdrop could be great too. Professionals will have multiple background options, and will advise you on which would work best for your intentions, wardrobe choice, and skin tone/hair color.

Present yourself in your best light

Now we're going to start to get into the really tricky stuff. Lighting matters. It reallymatters. Seriously, it matters a lot. You can be the same person with the same hair and makeup and wardrobe on the same backdrop, and look completely different depending on placement and power and modification of the light. It really comes down to your photographer’s experience and equipment. You don’t want to look flat or washed out. And you don’t want to look like a selfie with an overdone filter… or like a 1980s glamour shot. Check your photographer’s portfolio for images that have a look you would like to achieve. Screenshot those particular images. Then be sure to share with your photographer what you like about each one.

Posing: Separating the pros from the amateurs

But what does posing have to do with headshots? It’s just head and shoulders, right? Well, yes and no. Just as in a job interview, your body language in a headshot has a huge effect on the impression your make, so you are going to want to get this right. This is another area where hiring a pro is super important. Projecting an air of confidence and competence in your photos is absolutely possible with the right professional behind the camera, even if you have always believed that you “take bad pictures.”

Many people imagine a photo shoot as the photographer rapidly snapping pics while the client poses freely. Unless you are a seasoned professional model, this is not going to be the case. A great headshot or portrait photographer will direct every minute detail from the angle of your head to your facial expression to the position of your chin, shoulders, and hands. A true professional can use proper posing to make you look thinner, hide your “flaws”, and flat out just make you look the best you can possibly be. And he or she can do it while still making sure you look like you.

One trick of the pros is something we here at the studio playfully call “chin-chin”. It’s simple: Push your chin out and down — kind of like a chicken walking, or Mick Jagger strutting on stage. It feels weird when you first try it, but it looks good on camera, and here’s why: When most people have their picture taken, their natural nervous reaction to the camera is to pull their heads back into their necks. This creates a double chin, which, of course, nobody wants. Pulling the chin forward and slightly down immediately defines the jawline for a much more flattering portrait.

Along with “chin-chin,” make sure your shoulders are pulled down away from your jaw. Having your shoulders raised or hunched shortens your neck and makes you look apprehensive. (a great photographer will remind you of these important posing points throughout your session.)

Watch your posture!!! Back straight!

What to do with your arms and hands

There are many options to convey different vibes that you may or may not wish to project, and honestly, a professional photographer should direct your posing in this regard. The most common positions include crossed arms, hands on hips, hands at your sides, or even resting your arms and hands on a chair, desk, or table. A good headshot session will likely use all of these at some point, and the photographer will leave it to you when viewing your proofs to decide which option(s) are best for your stated intentions. If you have done your homework and selected a real pro, take their guidance and suggestions into consideration in selecting your final shot(s). We don’t always see ourselves as others see us, and advice from a professional never hurts.

To smile or not to smile

Your photographer should direct you on this, and make sure you end up with a few options both ways. Depending on your field of work, as well as on your position in the field and the attitude you wish to convey, you may want a big, friendly smile, a serious look, or a subdued “mini” smile. If you decide to go for a slight smile, do so with closed lips (no teeth showing). A big smile, on the other hand, has to be huge and genuine, with eyes that crinkle at the sides and lots of teeth showing. Otherwise it can end up looking forced and fake (remember elementary school picture smiles?). My recommendation: Even if you don’t think you want a big smile in your headshot, do take a few shots with a giant smile. Options are good. You might be surprised how much you like them.

The final polish

The final step in the process is post shoot. Editing the photos for such things as fly-away hairs, acne, or other flaws is almost always necessary. A professional will use software to accomplish this, and knows exactly how to edit the photo without going overboard. You need this head shot to look like you, not you from 20 years ago. Also, be aware of the cropping of the photo. Since your images will most likely be used for a variety of media (online profiles, business cards, letterhead, resume, etc., you may want to ask your photographer to crop for three different formats - horizontal, vertical, and square. Believe it or not, there is an art and a science to cropping and still keeping proportions that are pleasing to the eye. If you’ve invested your hard-earned money with a professional photographer, let the pro take it all the way through cropping, so you get the best end result possible.

Putting it all together and choosing the right pro

Achieving a perfect head shot requires patience, experience, talent, and skill. Finding a photographer is as easy as going online, but finding a true professional may require a little more legwork or research. Talking to prospective photographers on the phone is a good idea, as personality and professionalism can be better assessed that way as opposed to communicating solely through email and text. Is your photographer friendly? Responsive? Knowledgeable? Do you trust and feel comfortable with him or her? A good rapport with your photographer is uber-important in getting photos in which you look natural and relaxed.

Peruse portfolios, ask friends for recommendations, pick up the phone, and whatever you do, don’t skimp on your professional image. If you want companies and customers (or prospective dating partners) to invest in you, you must be willing to invest in yourself. Word to the wise: There is nothing more expensive than hiring a cheap photographer.

Lifestyle Photography

Lifestyle photography is a genre of photography that mainly aims to capture portraits of people in situations, real-life events or milestones in an artistic manner and the art of the everyday. The primary goal is to tell stories about people's lives or to inspire people in different times.

Personal Branding Photography

Personal branding photography refers to professional images that represent people, like entrepreneurs and small business owners that need help build their brand and earn money. The personal branding pictures you take fit your potential clients' visual identity through their use of tone, colors, props, style, and more. It includes headshots, Business Portraits and Lifestyle images.

5 Reasons Why Personal Branding Photography is Important

Personal branding is important to any business because it helps your business grow into the empire you want it to be.

This means investing in professional personal branding photography is an essential asset to help market your business towards your target audience.

In this article i’m going to educate you on what it means to use strong and impactful professional branding photography.

Professional Branding Photography Gives Your Customer a First Impression — Good or Bad!

Ok so Imagine this scenario (Sorry in advance):

You are dying of hunger after a busy day so you decide to head to a restaurant close to your home that you know the food is great and healthy.

As you’re on your way there or in between you’re scrolling through Instagram and see a photo posted by a burger restaurant you follow of a photo of a juicy burger with crispy bacon and melted cheese in a perfect and fluffy bun (Like i said, sorry).

I’m pretty confident that your next thought will be “screw the healthy food, I am going to have that burger”

Noticed what just happened in your decision-making process.

You see a photo and you want what’s in the photo, it’s that simple!

We are visually orientated creatures us humans, we shop with our eyes.

Now put this situation in your personal brand and business and think about it!

Tell Your Story with Personal Branding Photography

Personal branding photography as part of the marketing for your brand helps to show your customers who you are and allows them to get to know you.

It’s a way to connect and build a relationship with your customers on a more deep and meaningful level, and create affinity that goes beyond your brand name.

Stories are what connects us all and good personal branding photography makes that connection possible.

Don’t Be Boring!

While a lot of other brands and businesses are using poor quality smartphone pictures (compared to a DSLR or Mirrorless camera) or stock photos to showcase their business, hiring a personal branding photographer allows for your brand to look less bland and more powerful and unique leaving a long lasting statement.

And let’s be honest, the last thing you want is for your brand or business to look flat and boring or the same as your competitors.

Make sure that you always keep your image library fresh and updated!

Increase Your Conversion

Im sure this section will get your attention.

If you want to attract attention and customers to your brand, you need to have an impactful first impression with your audience by having great personal branding photography.

Professional high-quality photos allow your customers to have a better understanding of you and allows them to look at your product or services.

Then you can easily convince your audience that you take your work, and your personal brand presence very seriously which they will appreciate and use in their consideration.

Personal Branding Photography is a Part of Your Marketing Strategy

The big question I have for you is, how much is your brand worth to you?

Just as you budget for your logo, website, scheduling platforms, marketing strategies and the list of other expenses, it is just as important to set aside some marketing budget for personal branding photography.

And it’s often overlooked and not even considered.

A lot of businesses don’t see personal branding photography essential.

Business owners and personal brands think their smartphones are good enough.

Is it though? Like really? i challenge you to compare the difference of a smartphone picture to a professional camera.

The list of specs on a professional camera will always destroy a smartphones.

Don’t disconnect with your clients by using poor, low-quality images across your marketing platforms.

In The End

There you have it, those are my 5 reasons why personal branding photography is important to building your personal brand and business.

Professional photography is something i hope i can motivate you to not overlook, it’s extremely important to your overall marketing strategy and growth.