Whether you are starting a new business or sprucing up your existing enterprise, you will find yourself fielding requests for a headshot. A good headshot is a business essential. It gives you a leg up when it comes to publicity, a professional web presence, or a potential speaking contract. A strong business portrait personalizes your business. People see who you are and are more likely to want to work with you.
In contrast, an unflattering, badly posed or technically inferior headshot can work against you. The subconscious questions that may come up are: Does this person take herself seriously? Is she a consummate professional? Will she give my account the attention it deserves?
Your headshot should showcase you as an accomplished yet accessible professional. Depending on your business, you may want to show a softer side, a no-nonsense attitude, good listening skills, compassion, or a combination of these. And you want to look your best!
It’s important to choose a seasoned photographer who will be proficient in lighting, composition, and posing, and who will work with you to understand the nuances of your business and the message you want to send. Here are some questions you might want to ask your photographer before booking:
- How long will the photo shoot last?
- Will I have an opportunity to be photographed with a variety of expressions?
- How do you elicit different moods?
- How many images will be taken?
- How many do I get to keep?
- How are the proofs presented? As digital files? As contact sheets? As prints?
- Will I have the opportunity to have a clothing change for a different look?
- Are the images available in print, as a digital file, or both?
- Will my chosen images be retouched?
- Will I have unlimited use of the images, or will I need to pay more for additional usage?
- Is there a makeup artist or hair stylist available at the studio?
- What is your policy in case I don’t like any of the photographs?
Once you have made your appointment, there is still some preparation to do for your session! Here are a few pointers:
1. If you are having your hair cut, do so several days before the shoot so it will have time to settle down.
2. If you wear a suit, be sure the jacket or blouse fits well. This is critical! The camera blatantly shows if seams are straining, or if your shoulders are swimming in extra material. Choose a solid color that is somewhat darker than your natural skin tone. Tweeds or patterns are distracting, and may cause a moiré pattern in a digital file. Come to the session with your clothes clean and pressed.
3. Consider booking a few sessions with an image consultant prior to your photo session. You can get great advice that can have a positive impact on the photo session and your general appearance.
4. Have your makeup professionally done for the shoot, or wear a little more makeup than you normally would. Photographic lighting can wash out your features.
5. During the shoot, imagine you are greeting a favorite client as he or she walks through the door. This exercise keeps you from worrying about how you look and brings out your warmth and accessibility.
Your headshot is part of your brand. Be sure it is sending a message compatible with your professionalism.
Gretje Ferguson is a portrait photographer based in Dedham, Massachusetts, where she runs a portrait studio. Her passion for people, the Arts and the human condition has fueled her photographic journey for more than 25 years. She has photographed hundreds of Canadian and U.S. artists and business executives, has been published in more than 50 international magazines, and has shown her work in one-woman exhibitions across Canada and the Eastern United States. Her recent project, Confronting Cancer: Images of Strength and Hope, highlights the strength and optimism shared by many people undergoing cancer treatment. Her portraits of prominent cinematographers have appeared in international full-page color ads for Kodak motion picture film. She was the only media photographer permitted to document the making of the United Nations 50th Anniversary portrait of 186 diplomats.
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