Check out these tips
Looking professional in the business world is important. If you have a high-quality headshot, look professional and invest in your business marketing your audiences will take you and your business more seriously. Your image in every industry is one of the keys to success and first impressions count. If you want to look your best online then here are some tips which will help you to stand out from the crowd and give the right impression.
What are corporate headshots
Corporate Headshots are effectively a Business Portrait but shot in a close up setting and includes person’s head and shoulders.
What corporate headshots are used for
Social profiles – LinkedIn profiles, Facebook, Twitter, etc.
Company reports
Websites, Intranet or Blogs
Business Cards
Resumes
Brochures
Online PR and Press publications
First impression count
Looking great on your website, your social profile or in any other channel that you publish through will help the general public feel confidence in you and your business. Having a great corporate headshot in the ‘About Us’ section of your site will help to give your business a personal but professional touch. That is why it is important that your headshot is shot by a professional who will get the best out of you and will help you to present the right image to the public. A sub-standard headshot that does not show you in the best light is not worth showing to anyone and risks making the wrong first impression that could potentially lose you your customers. The right photographer will walk you through every step of your shoot and although you may feel uncomfortable in front of the camera, the rapport your professional portrait photographer builds with you will make the whole shoot seem like a fun change from the norm rather than a daunting task. The very best headshot photographers are after all, people who love working with people… I guess the term is people, people!
Look your best for your corporate photography session
Make sure you book a professional corporate photographer – and not a photographer who specialises in products, babies or pet photography. They will probably take a nice photo but may not be able to encapsulate your brand through a great corporate headshot that will do you justice. Once you have shortlisted your photographer and have decided where you want your photography session to take place, i.e. studio, outdoors or office setting ensure that you have a good look at their portfolio. Its important to also remember that in terms of photography, you get what you pay for and sometimes choosing the cheapest can sometimes lead to having a re-shoot with another more skilled photographer that you may have overlooked solely based on the price. Your headshot is an investment that is likely to last you for a number of years and therefore definitely worth investment in.
Tell your photographer what you want to use the headshot for – Is your corporate headshot for your LinkedIn profile or a PR press publication? One size will not fit all in this case and therefore it is important to let your photographer know when you are booking your session. In this example, if the photograph is for a LinkedIn profile it will require a simple background and more head, given the limited dimensions of the site and if it is for a book cover or a newspaper article, then ensure that you communicate this to your photographer as your personality or your brand could be shot in a way that makes better use of more space – a set of environmental or business portraits might be a better way to go. Perhaps the publication needs extra space to one side for accompanying text- this will all need to be planned for by the photographer when framing you in the picture. Work with them, let them know as much as possible and this will also allow them to prepare the right equipment for the shoot.
Check what you will get from your photography session – as many photographers vary their photo shoot packages. Some offer very short sessions and some offer sessions with retouches where you will be getting only very few images from your session. It is important to remember that if you are having a 30 minutes session you may not be a able to relax or do any clothing changes during your photo shoot. For many people It takes time to get used to the environment they are in as well as to the photographer. Keep in mind that you are effectively inviting a stranger into your personal space and therefore make sure that you have enough time to get used to your surroundings and feel at peace. The best photographs are taken when the persona is relaxed and comfortable rather than the pictures where you are closed-up and tense. It also takes time to try a few outfits and find out which one will show you in a better light as for example your favourite shirt may not do that. Black and white images are also important when thinking of clothing as some different colour will look roughly the same in black and white so again, talk your clothing choices through with your photographer if you are going down a black and white route.
Communication and thorough brief is a key to a successful photo session – Do you want your images in both colour and black white? Converting your colour images into black and white is not a simple one button process, if done right. Both image processing methods require a different approach and therefore will take your photographer longer to do the work. Keep in mind that in most cases any extra work such as image retouching, or conversion to black and white most likely will require an additional payment for post-production time… ‘computer time after the shoot’.
Additionally, it will also help if you send a few examples of the corporate headshot images that you like to your photographer before the photo session. It will give them a very good idea of the type of setting they will need to shoot you in and will help them to prepare. Have a look and do you research around the internet. For example, a great source for photographs will be Pinterest, Google Images, LinkedIn, etc. Grab a screen shot and email it to your photographer prior to your shoot with a few sentences regarding what you like about the image.
Plan your looks and what you are going to wear in advance – Some photographers will only allow for a limited number of clothing changes per session. This is absolutely normal as this eats in into the session and takes time. Around 2-3 changes are normal for a corporate photoshoot, so make sure you bring around 4-5 outfits with you to the shoot. If after trying your outfits you are still not sure what to wear and what looks best then ask your photographer for a second opinion. Most photographers will be happy to recommend the best outfit for you and the outfit that will fit the brief the best. Remember that your photographer doesn’t know you and is often seeing you for the first time… just like many of your potential customers. Your favourite jumper that your mother-in-law knitted you may not appeal to others who don’t know you. Trust your professional photographer’s advice!
If you are great at make-up then don’t worry too much and just ensure that you look natural. If on the other hand you are not sure what look will suit you best then hiring a professional makeup artist will be a good idea. They should also be able to do your hair as well as the make-up. Your professional photographer will know a number of make up artists they work with on regular basis so don’t worry about looking for them yourself…also, it is most likely that they are going to be more expansive if you try hiring one yourself. Ask your photographer first as they may have a prearranged rate with the make-up artist which will help you to save some money on the photo shoot.
Make sure you have clean hair as unwashed hair may look greasy and dirty on the pictures, which does not look at all professional unless you’re in a
rock band. If you don’t want your roots showing up in the pictures then also don’t forget to colour them before the shoot as retouching might end up more expensive than going to a hair colourist.
Finally, before your photoshoot make sure you check yourself in the mirror and you are happy with the way you look. For example, make sure that your shirt is ironed, your teeth are clean, flossed and there is no lipstick transferred to your teeth, your accessories and tie are in the right position, your buttons are all done up, your suit fits you and is steamed; if you have a wild eyebrows then they are tidied up and if you have dandruff it is not in your hair or on your cloths, etc. Your professional photographer should look at all of these issues for you on your shoot but it’s good to be prepared and mindful of potential imperfections that will show up in your images.
About the Author:
Headshot London is professional photography studio in the City of London with professional portrait and corporate photographers based around the UK. Headshot London Photography specialises in Corporate Headshots, Portraits, PR and Editorial photography as well as Event Photography for all business marketing. Photo retouching and Make up is also available on request. For more information, client list and their professional portfolios please visit their website as well as their blog.
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