A headshot can showcase your brand, age, occupation, profession, personality, and many other things. It’s essential to get good ones, especially in a professional setting. No matter if you are on a job interview or preparing for an audition, your headshot can make a big first impression.
You might think that it doesn’t carry a lot of importance, but it does. On the other hand, a business website with trustworthy headshots can make a difference in whether someone contacts you or not. Today we are going to explore this subject and learn more about headshot.
Why Are Headshots Needed?
Getting a professional headshot of yourself means investing in personal branding. This is an opportunity to show yourself professionally with your best look. This is very important since not many people are photogenic. Put, you won’t be able to do a good headshot on your own.
Here are 6 reasons why it’s a good idea to get one:
- A quality headshot can showcase your personality to people before they meet you. This will make you more approachable, which is very important.
- Good images make you look professional, meaning that potential partners, collaborators, clients, or investors will be more open to meeting you.
- With a professional headshot, you can boost all of your social media profiles and stand out from the rest.
- Having a recent headshot makes it easier for people to recognize you, and this opens up new networking and business opportunities.
Ingredients for a Good Headshot
Below are some tips to get a good headshot:
Find a Professional Photographer
If you want to get a good headshot, be prepared to spend some money. Professionals have a lot of experience and knowledge that you and your friends don’t. Leave your cameras and phones for social media selfies and find a pro to do a good headshot for you.
Focus on Your Personality
Try and show off your personality as best as you can. Talk to your photographer and tell them that you don’t want to look like someone else. Go for the best version of yourself with all your flaws and virtues.
Pay Attention to Your Eyes
Given the fact that headshots are close-ups, your eyes will carry a lot of importance. You need to ensure that your eyes are energized, alive, and focused perfectly.
Don’t Overdo With Makeup
Putting on too much makeup will make you look surreal and funny. This is something you should look to avoid, especially if you want a professional headshot. Everything can be edited with a good retouch, so don’t try and overcompensate with makeup.
Don’t Add Accessories
Some people like to add certain accessories like birds, funny glasses, effects, and so on. They try to look appealing but come off as desperate. Nobody likes this, so avoid doing it.
How to Find a Reliable Headshot Photographer
The first thing you can do is look out for the images you like. Make a list and ask the people who did the photos for them. In most cases, they will add contact information on social media. Additionally, ask around about the photographer, their personality, and method of work.
Subsequently, make sure to research the photographers you’re interested in. Go through their websites and check out their work. Once you’ve created a shortlist of the photographers you like, make sure to have a conversation with them before committing.
Things to Know Before Taking Your Headshots
You must know what kind of images you want. Apart from that, you need to prepare yourself as well. Make sure to wear the right clothing, makeup, haircut, and so on. Additionally, keep in mind the purpose of your photos and try to adjust your expression appropriately to convey the right message.
You need to get into a role and stick to it as much as you can. This includes both your attitude, style, and clothing. This is how you will send out a strong message that will make the right impression.
General Headshot Poses That Work Well
There are several headshot-poses you can always rely on to leave a good impression:
- Face the camera directly for a head-on pose and let the viewers see you in full.
- Try out the pose where you slightly look away from the camera.
- To leave a more mysterious impression, you can look over the shoulder.
- No matter which poses you are doing, always make sure to pay attention to your eyes and keep them engaged.
- Always try and control the position of your chin. Having it too far up or down can make the photos look weird.
Questions You Should Ask Your Headshot Photographer
When you schedule the first meeting with the photographer, there are several questions you need to ask them. Through these questions, you can check whether they are legit and the right fit for your needs:
- Can you show me any portfolio of your previous work?
- How do you charge?
- Is there both an indoor and outdoor shooting option?
- What do I get for the total price?
- How long does a session last?
- How many photos will you take in a single session?
Make sure to ask these questions or similar ones to get a better understanding of how a photographer works and what you can expect from them.
Should I Look for Retouching Services?
All headshot photos need to be retouched or edited. As we mentioned earlier, instead of trying to get the right makeup, you can make the whole process a lot easier by getting professional retouching services. This kind of photo retouching is quite minimal, especially because your skin needs to retain its natural tone.
However, some scars or marks can easily be removed or changed during the retouching stage. If there are things you don’t like, retouching can handle it. However, it’s essential to make sure that you don’t look artificial.
Conclusion
These are all the essentials you need to know about headshot photography. Just like with any other photo, you need to take it seriously and do the necessary preparations to get good results. In the end, remember to find competent professionals like the Smart Photo Editors team to do the final retouching for your photo.