Professional Headshots and your business
 

Dubbed “the new handshake,” professional headshots are now the first introduction to you, your
business and your personal brand—shouldn’t that intro be the best it can be? With 93% of HR
professionals and recruiters tapping into LinkedIn to find quality candidates—plus 2 in 3 on
Facebook and more than half utilizing Twitter—that headshot has countless applications in your
professional life. Should your profile pic be the family vacation, the fun night out or—worse—the
logo or abstract shot? Or should it be a powerful, compelling and confidence-building headshot
that makes prospective clients, employers and partners want to click “Connect?”

Getting ready for your headshots

• Before heading in to the studio think about all of the things that make up your personal brand andwhat you want others to take away from a glance at your profile page. Jot down some key wordsand phrases and bring them to your shoot. Think about what exemplifies your personal brand toyou. Are you a chef? An educator? A writer?
  
• Are there props that could help tell your story? Bring them along!  We can take a couple different shots—in different outfits—so you’ll have a series tochoose from. You may want to tailor your profile picture based on the social media platform you’re using. Remember to have fun! A relaxed, comfortable subject naturally exudes confidence.

What to wear

• It’s important that your look matches the image you’re trying to convey.  What you wear on adaily basis is a great place to start. Solid colors are always a good choice, as are tops with strong collars and necklines. Even though you’ll only be shot from the shoulders up, it’s important you’re pulled together from head to toe—you may want a shot or two that are pulled back a bit. Aim for clothes that complement your skin and eye tones and, overall, steer clear of very bold colors.

Tips for Hair and Make-Up

• When you are doing your own make-up for your headshot, wear it as you would to a job interview. Don'twear sunglasses within 15 to 20 minutes of your shoot in order to avoid ruining your make-up and leaving little marks on your nose.

• Get a hair cut before your shoot if it's necessary but try to get it approximately a week before your shoot. Hair stylists tend to cut your hair so that it looks best a week or so after you get it done. Plus if you are disappointed with your hair cut, a week will give you enough time to get it fixed before getting your headshots taken.