People Will Judge You Based on Your Business Headshot- NJ and NYC Headshot and Event Photographer
If you’re a professional and you’re serious about your work, you need a professional business headshot that communicates who you are and what you’re about.
You’ll need it for your LinkedIn page and other social media profiles, your website or bio and any time you’re invited to speak or serve on a panel somewhere.
Understand that people WILL judge you based on the appearance of your headshot. Consciously or unconsciously they will start forming opinions about whether you’re trustworthy and likable, whether they want to do business with you or attend your presentation. So it’s worth doing it right.
Seek Professional Help
Don’t settle for a homemade snapshot, and do NOT, under any circumstances, use a webcam photo you’ve taken of yourself. Not only are they terribly unflattering to all but the young and the beautiful, but they scream, “I don’t even have a friend I can ask to take my picture.”
So get recommendations from colleagues whose photos you admire and put yourself in the hands of a real pro. He or she will ensure that all the technical details, like wardrobe, makeup, lighting and background, are taken care of. If they’re really good, they can help ensure the final product lines up with who you are and the brand you’re trying to project.
But here are three important things they might not tell you that can make or break your photo session.
1. Like Your Photographer
A photo session can be an intimate experience — even with your clothes on. You are revealing your personality, a bit of who you are. So you want to be able to trust the person behind the lens. You want to have chemistry with her.
That’s why it’s a great idea to meet with your photographer in advance. Talk about your goals and your brand and ask about her process. Does she listen? Does she get you? Are you comfortable in her studio? If not, find someone else.
2. Adjust Your Attitude
If you approach this as a chore or something silly and superficial, that attitude will affect your results. Treat it as an important part of your business — as important as your marketing materials, your website, or your logo.
Do not get wrapped up in false modesty. (Or even true modesty.) “Oh, I hate how I look! I never take a good picture!” Nobody has time for your silliness and drama. Suck it up, put on your big-boy pants (or skirt) and go into your photo session with confidence and professionalism.
3. Smile With Your Eyes (And Everything Else)
A casting director once told me that a secret to picking a good headshot is to cover up everything on the photo but the eyes. That’s probably the most important thing about your photo. Your eyes should be expressive — they should convey warmth, intensity, confidence.
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