Keeping a Fresh Look In Your Marketplace
Tips and tricks for the Perfect Headshot!
It doesn’t matter what line of work you are in, a professional headshot is important. Some may find it common to shortcut this necessary element by looking at a headshot as redundant or a useless expense; however, your headshot should be used as a powerful tool to portray an image to your potential clients, to share your brand, and to show the face behind your business. Because facial recognition is wired deeply inside every human mind, it is to your advantage to provide a headshot that people can identify and remember you by. It is a key element in the ‘know, like, and trust’ factor.
What then, makes a great headshot?
A great headshot starts with a great photographer. Having a trained, artistic eye in order to capture who you really are is very important. Don’t you want to stand out from the crowd? If your answer was ‘yes’ (which it should be), you’ll know that a professionally photographed headshot will catch your audience’s attention a lot more than just a quick selfie or point-and-shoot picture. Without the knowledge of how to effectively use camera gear, lighting, positioning, and photo editing software, you are not going to draw attention to the professional image you are trying to portray. Do yourself a favor, and hire a professional photographer for your headshots.
Another aspect that we recommend would be to book an appointment with a professional hairdresser and makeup artist. If you are comfortable with tackling the tasks of doing your makeup and hair the day of your shoot, that’s just fine! However, this can often cause some unneeded stress, and we want you to be relaxed and your true self the day of your shoot. Plus, who doesn’t love to get the full hair and makeup treatment for a day?!
In a previous post, we discussed How to Look Your Best in Photos. We would advise that you check it out so you have some guidelines on what to wear, how to pose, and how to relax for any photoshoot. Of course, a professional photographer will help you with all of this during the session.
To help capture your personality, talk with your photographer beforehand about what you want to convey in your headshot. Take time to explain your business to them, so they know the outcome you are trying to achieve. Which faucets would you ideally like to represent yourself? Good humor? Style? Warmth? Sensuality? Intellect? The lighting and composition techniques will be adjusted according to what you are trying to represent in your headshot, so a conversation with your photographer beforehand will be beneficial.
We are often asked: “how often should a headshot be updated?” It is important to maintain a ‘fresh’ look in your marketplace. Does your outfit look outdated, has your glasses style changed, have you gained/lost weight, etc? Anytime you have made a significant change in your appearance, it is important to update your headshot. We recommend that your headshot be updated every year.
When was the last time you booked your professional headshot? We encourage you to book one today!
