A business headshot is one of the most important non-verbal tools you have as an entrepreneur or professional. As such, it is very important to take your time to hone your headshot skills.
Business professionals use headshots for several reasons, including advertising their services, promoting themselves online, and building rapport with clients or potential clients. A good headshot can help you stand out and increase your career opportunities.
There are many ways to approach taking a business head photo. This article will cover some fundamental rules that must be followed when photographing your future self! Read on to learn more about how to take your first business head photograph.
Dress the part
Regarding business headshots, what makes or breaks your look is typically down to three things: The clothing you wear, your facial expression, and how you pose with your arms open. All these are important to convey your message and show off your skills as an artist!
When choosing clothes that match your business’s style, there are no hard-and-fast rules. Find pieces that speak about you and your career. Are you in marketing? Look for products with striking colors and graphics. An advertising executive might choose sharper suits than someone who works more behind a computer.
Your facial expression can make a big difference in how people perceive you. Use your face to emphasize the importance of what you’re saying and your confidence in yourself and your talents.
How you pose with your hands also says something about who you are. If you habitually fold your hands in front of you, this may not be a good picture of you. Alternatively, if you always keep them by your side, this shows you’re comfortable with controlling others and setting strong boundaries.
A good portrait photographer will help you find the right balance between using their expertise and being able to tell your own story. Yours does too!
You know your field best, so let those pictures say it all.
Expose the face
As mentioned earlier, business headshots are usually framed so that the subject’s eyes are closed or looking down. This is because professional heads tend to look more serious and formal, which is what this style implies.
However, your potential customers might not know you under your current name, so they will look at your photo for clues about who you are as a person.
If you prefer something less formal, then don’t worry about having open eye-eye contact is still important!
Ensure your photograph does not feature anything creepy, like sticking out tongues or making weird faces. These things may scare some people away from doing business with you.
Also, unless you want to show off how beautiful you look, never send pictures of yourself wearing very little clothing. (We have said it before, but we will say it again – even if you think you look good naked, we do not.)
And lastly, try to keep things natural and neutral. No flashy jewelry, no overly done makeup, and stay away from too much blush or lip color. A simple plain background is best.
Use a backdrop that reflects your client’s needs.
Photo by ATC Comm Photo on Pexels
Regarding business headshots, what kind of pictures you use as backgrounds can greatly affect how your audience perceives you.
It’s important to remember that not everyone who looks at your photograph will be looking for something specific. Some people will want to see you!
So instead of using too formal or contrived backdrops, try picking out background types and styles that match your personal style. Or pick a neutral color scheme and layer tone-on-tone patterns, textures, or shapes onto you.
Whatever you choose should tell part of your story – your career, hobbies, or even an idea you want to convey to viewers.
Focus on your clients
Photo by George Milton on Pexels
As mentioned before, business headshots are typically focused either on your company or you as an individual. They are usually not designed to connect you with other people unless that is the goal of the photograph!
This can be difficult for some photographers who want their client’s friends to look at them too. It also may feel uncomfortable for you as the subject.
Business headshots should focus on what your company does, how it fits into the world and someone else’s perception of you as an individual. If there is one thing I have learned about being in media, it is that most people are very interested in others through stories.
A good business headshot photo takes time to create and position well. A great photographer will make sure his or her light is just right, they will experiment with angles, and they will use good camera equipment and settings to get the best likeness and expression.
Their artistic touch comes from mixing all these components to get the perfect picture.
Tell your friends
After all, a good business headshot is not just for employers looking to hire you; it’s also an excellent way to market yourself. Your photos will shape your brand, so make sure they are strong ones!
Running a business can be stressful at times. Having great pictures of you helps eliminate that stress and creates a more relaxed environment. You want your potential employer to feel comfortable around you, which is why great photographs are important.
It’s hard to convey how professional you look without doing some photography, but don’t worry – there are many free tools available these days. Many of them have intuitive interfaces even if you don’t use Photoshop or the like, so chances are someone else has done this before.
You may think fake smiles with nothing behind your face looks funny, but it doesn’t! Exposing our true selves to the world makes us less guarded and more natural.
Think of how you want to be perceived
Photo by Liza Summer on Pexels
As with any photograph, your business headshot should tell someone something about you as a person and an entrepreneur. Yours should convey who you are, and what you stand for, and showcase your professional self-image.
Your business headshot will help potential clients or customers connect with you. It can also influence people to work with you or purchase from you.
So, what makes a good business headshot photo? Here are some tips.
Ensure you are consistent
Photo by Rakesh Gohil on Pexels
As mentioned before, business headshots can be expensive to promote your company. Therefore, it is important to invest in good photographs that will help market your company.
The first thing people notice about anyone is their face, so making yours look great is important. When taking pictures of yourself, ensure everything is easy to see, avoid too much going on, and stay still!
When taking your business photo, do not just use off-the-shelf photos or ones you already have. Take enough time to find one that represents you and what you want to convey.
You do not need very elaborate settings or advanced camera skills to take professional-looking business photos, but there are some things you should consider.
Light source
Find a light source you like and work with it. Use natural sunlight if possible; otherwise, use a studio setting. You do not need anything particularly special for this.
Shade – If using a studio setting, cover any unnecessary lights. For example, turn off the main overhead light when headshots to remove unnecessary shadows.
Framing – Keep backgrounds simple and neutral. Avoid too many decorations unless they relate to your product.
Motion – Avoid having someone walk away from the camera or them move their body parts. Ask someone to hold up a sign or put something down so it does not move.
Enjoy it
As mentioned earlier, business headshots can be a very expensive investment. This is especially true if you are paying for yourself as a service or to promote a product. Therefore, how you interact with your photograph will make a big difference!
The first thing people notice about you is your face, so make sure yours looks good. Take some time to apply light bronzer and natural blush and contour using products that match your natural skin color.
Avoid over-contouring by applying too much makeup or heavy shadows and brushes with no soft laces. Pick products that look natural and like you would normally wear.
Keep your eyes open and look directly at the camera. Use short lenses (not wider than f/2) to compress the image slightly if needed. Yours should not look overly done or staged.
Never put on fake smiles unless you feel truly happy and engaging when interacting with others! A simple warm smile is enough most of the time. When hiring someone else to take your photo, check out their style and what feels authentic.
References:
- https://productpictips.com/16-tips-to-eliminate-shadows-in-product-photography/
- https://www.photoworkout.com/best-strobe-lights-for-photography/
