Making the Most of Your Headshot
“I can’t wait to get my professional headshot done,” said nobody ever.
You know you need to have a great professional image for your online brand, but you can also probably think of 10 other things you’d rather do than schedule a portrait session. There’s no getting around it though, with today’s digital marketing strategies people are going to meet you online before they ever meet you in person. Having an excellent illustration of who you are and who your potential clients are going to be doing business with is essential.
Very often I receive inquiries about getting headshots done. They start off with, “I just need like … one quick shot, for my email signature or LinkedIn.” True you do need a professional image for both of those however there are more opportunities to put your face in front of people to establish your business and your brand and, “just one shot” won’t cut it. So, if you’re taking the time to get cleaned up, get a haircut, update your wardrobe AND take time out of your busy day, you might as well make your professional headshot session pack a punch!
Wardrobe
Don’t know what to wear? That’s okay, sometimes it takes more than one outfit to satisfy all the places that your professional headshot might end up. A suit and a smart tie, or tailored dress certainly sets the tone for no-nonsense business, but is that all you are? Is there a time when you roll up your sleeves and sport the business casuals to get down to work with clients? Does your company have branded/logo sportswear that would work well in advertising pieces? Does your profession lend itself to a particular piece of clothing, like a lab coat, a construction hat or athletic wear? Do your work closely with a business partner or a team? If so, a few wardrobe changes during your photography session would enable you to get a wide variety of looks that are versatile enough to show off what you, your company, your industry and your brand do.
Posing and Style
Let me start off by assuring you that it’s my job as the professional photographer to help you get comfortable in front of the camera. I am going to use lighting and posing that’s both flattering and communicates both your personality and your profession. In order to do this, we’ll have a consultation prior to your session to plan out shots and storyboard your session. In many cases this involves talking about what exactly you’re going to do with the images. Your look and posing will vary from tight headshots, to three-quarter length images and lifestyle/editorial pictures to give you a full portfolio of images. Clothing colors, backgrounds and expressions should be coordinated with your brand and marketing materials.
How to Use Your Images
During your consultation we will talk about how you plan to use your images so that were making the most of your session. The obvious places to use your professional images are email signatures, LinkedIn and social media, there are other opportunities where you might be using stock photography or marketing templates that could also include your image. For instance, articles, blogs and keynotes can all contain images that are different from your email signature. Different types of social media may lend themselves to different images as long as they are cohesive with your brand. A personal website, a private Facebook group or online forums along with marketing materials can support a wider variety of images. With professional images that run the gamut from traditional business to casual and lifestyle portraits your online visuals will have a more robust and genuine appeal. Best yet, when you do meet with clients face-to-face, you’ll feel like a familiar friend!
It’s important to invest in your professional portraits. For all that you spend on hair, make-up, dentistry, eye wear, jewelry, clothing, purses, vehicles and electronics it’s not conceivable that the visual representation of all of that should be an arbitrary project. Putting the best you out there should be a project worth looking forward to. Your image is as important as you are!
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