7 Tips For Getting The Most From Professional Headshots

In today’s world of social media and with the opportunities available for online networking and Professional Headshotsmarketing,  great professional headshots are more important than ever.  So where do you start?  How should you go about it?

7 Tips For Getting The Most From Professional Headshots:

  1. Go to a pro.  Okay so we’ll admit that this tip is a little self serving – this is a blog for a professional photography studio after all…  But whether you live in Metro Detroit and come to us, live in Metro Detroit and don’t come to us, or wherever you might be reading this, the point is do NOT leave your professional reputation and image to a friend with a camera phone, and choose your studio carefully.  Headshots are not that expensive and you need to make a good impression – it’s worth spending the extra 100 or even 200 dollars to have a high quality photo.  A good headshot by itself is not likely to land you a million dollar deal, but a crappy unprofessional headshot could potentially lose you one.
  2. Have your headshot match the type of business you are in and your approach to that business.  For example, if you are an attorney you will want a different headshot if you are in the business of putting away the bad guys or enforcing non-competes for corporations than if you are an amicable divorce attorney.  If your job requires you to be tough and serious than you may want to look serious in your photo.  If your job requires you to be helpful and understanding than you may want to look caring and inviting – with a nice smile.
  3. Try to stand out a little.  Depending on your business it helps to not be boring.  If you are in a creative business and you are trying to increase sales based on your ability to come up with a wow factor then it’s okay to be edgy.  A cool hat, an unconventional expression, a different color background – if you are an artist be true to your style.
  4. Be careful in trying to stand out.  Don’t go overboard.  If you are trying to stand out and it comes off as silly or unprofessional it can backfire.  If you find yourself asking if your idea is a little too cheesy than it probably is.  Use the advice of your pro who is in the business.
  5. Be prepared.  This would seem to go without saying, but think about your clothing ahead of time.  Make sure your hair is done/combed properly, and if you are a woman a good rule of thumb is 30% more makeup than usual.
  6. Make sure you update often enough to match how you look.  If you gain or lose a considerable amount of weight, if you have decided to shave your head or shave your beard after wearing one for 5 years, if you have gone grey since your last headshot, it’s time for a new one.
  7. Update your profiles.  Once you get your headshot make sure you update every profile you use online – especially the personal profiles you use for business.  This includes your website as well as your LinkedIn, twitter, and others for example.  As an extra tip within a tip, consider how you use your different profiles.  For example you may use facebook purely for personal purposes and therefore you may not want to use your professional headshot for your facebook profile.  That’s fine, but be aware that just because you’ve distinguished your personal profile as personal that doesn’t mean that how you conduct yourself there may not impact your professional reputation.  It can – absolutely.

We hope this helps and we wish you success!  What other tips do you have that have helped you for getting great professional headshots as a client or taking them as a photographer?

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Frameable Faces Photography
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Frameable Faces Photography is a small biz retail mom & pop shop of Doug&Ally Cohen located in the Orchard Mall in West Bloomfield, Michigan, United States Of America!
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3 responses on “7 Tips For Getting The Most From Professional Headshots

  1. Colleen Conger

    The headshot I presently use across all of my social medium platforms (business and professional) was done by a professional photographer. However, the shot was completely unplanned as she had already taken several traditional headshots.

    We work together quite a bit and I have the good fortune to do a lot of her retouching work. To that end, when she asked me if there anything else I wanted to try, I though “What kind of picture would match my personality.” Also, what kind of shot would minimize my larger frame. The solution was sitting perpendicular on a bench, busting out a great big laugh and throwing my head back. It was perfect and I know that for a fact because when I’ve used it, I get the following comment, “That picture is totally you Colleen.” Mission achieved!

    1. Doug Post author

      Love hearing the story behind your headshot Colleen! Sometimes the best shots are unplanned – they just happen when inspiration strikes. Now never let it be said that I’m too proud to ask for tips where my expertise is a little lacking…. While we may be experts in photography, alas I am still not an expert in WordPress. For the life of me I haven’t been able to figure out how to get my profile image to stick on WordPress when I post comments. I’ve got the blank avatar sitting there… Please share your knowledge with me and our readers oh sage…. 🙂

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