PROFESSIONAL HEADSHOTS
I am asked all the time if a professional needs a headshot, are they important and why are they so important?
Well, a headshot is very important to your own branding. It is the “First Impression”. You always hear people say: “ You only have one chance to make a good first impression.” It conveys to other professionals that you are serious about your craft, it tells your prospective employers or clients that you are a competent professional. The headshot brings to life the person behind all the experience on your resume, and it gives people the idea of who you are before they meet you.
A headshot should typically be taken by a professional, rather than be a selfie. Selfies do not make great headshots. Many make an awkward or emotionally blank face. They can be very distorted. They do not give a positive impression. A professional headshot must have a great expression. It needs the interaction of another human to bring that expression out in you. Someone who is trained to make you look your best. A trained photographer will be able to choose the best lighting for you. Most people’s faces are not symmetrical, therefore a trained photographer can minimize the asymmetry in your headshot, enhance your face’s best features and hide your not so good features.
You may wonder if I have a casual job, I don’t need fancy clothing. Does that make you look like a serious professional? I always tell clients to dress like your boss. Avoid overly casual clothing and especially avoid older clothes that might have stains, pills, or be slightly torn. Iron your clothes and put them on in the studio to avoid re-wrinkling. You will want to wear something that is comfortable, that does not irritate you in any way, be too tight or too loose. I would also avoid distracting patterns, jewelry, or distracting props. You want the client to see you and not have their eyes drifting to other items in the shot. I look at Realtor photos and some are with their kids or their horses, but I always find myself looking at the horses and forget about what the Realtor looks like. There is a good chance that the initial conversation will be all about horses or kids, rather than your capabilities. You want to STAND OUT.
A good headshot should be from the shoulders up. It should be recent and reflect what you look like today. There is nothing more shocking than meeting someone for the first time who is literally 30 years older than their headshot. It is hard to focus on the person during the initial meeting, if they look nothing like their headshot. Therefore, it is a good idea to update your headshot every one to two years or if you underwent a major change, you may have cut your hair or lost a lot of wait, may be colored your hair. You want to be the one making the first impression not your situation.
Remember, a great headshot should be a reflection of you today. It should make you stand out a bit above the rest. It should exude confidence, a statement that says that you are ready and capable of taking on the job!