How to Make the Most of Your Professional Headshots

Professional headshots aren’t only something that actors and models need. In today’s era of social media and digital communication, most people in your professional life will “meet” you online long before they meet you in person. A polished and well-taken professional headshot helps you form a first impression based on how you want to be perceived: as a put-together professional who has their ducks in a row.

How do you get a headshot that puts your best foot forward? It all starts before your photo session. As a professional headshot photographer with over 28 years of experience, I’m laying out a few tips to help you get the greatest benefit possible from your headshots. 

Choose Your Background Wisely

The focus of your professional headshots is you, of course, but the background instantly sets the tone for your photo. For example, a plain white background is generally ideal for corporate and executive professionals because it has a very clean and conventional look.

For professionals who are in creative fields such as designers, artists, and writers, on the other hand, you want your background to reflect your personal brand. If a white background feels too stiff for the work you typically create, a more colorful and artistic background may be a better choice, or you may feel that a natural background outdoors or at a separate location sets the tone you want.

Keep Your Usage Needs in Mind

There are many ways to use a professional headshot, and those uses will keep growing as more and more digital platforms arise. You may want to use your headshot for your LinkedIn profile, business cards, resume, personal website or online portfolio, email signature, book jacket, and more.

Take stock of how you want to use your professional headshots and talk it over with your photographer before your photo session. If you have a variety of uses in mind, you might want a variety of poses, backgrounds, and apparel options because a book jacket photo might look very different from a business card photo. Discussing this ahead of time will help us work together to make sure you have everything you need for a stellar professional image.

Update Your Headshots on a Regular Basis

A lot can change in just a few years – your wardrobe, your hairstyle, and even the way you want to be perceived as a professional. You need your headshot to look authentic to you today and to create the impression you want to cultivate.

To make that happen, it’s important to update your headshots on a regular basis. You may be surprised by the difference that small details can make. If your headshots feature a hairstyle or outfit that went out of style ten years ago, it could send a message that you’re behind the times, and this can affect perceptions of you as a professional. Updated headshots can ensure that you’re sending the right message.

Select a Qualified Professional Headshots Photographer

There’s a lot riding on your professional headshots and the first impression they create, so you can’t trust just anyone to paint you in the best light. Your best choice is a photographer who is skilled and experienced specifically in professional headshots.

I’m proud to provide my clients at Heidi Houser Photography with the very best when they visit me for their headshots. With nearly 30 years of experience taking headshots across a wide range of industries, I can work with you to cultivate the look you want for your photos. I keep myself up to date to help you look up to date, continuously taking new courses to learn the latest techniques for professional headshots and regularly updating my equipment and backgrounds to give you a fresh look every time. I’m also happy to offer full-length poses along with headshots to give you all the options you may need.

To learn more about my professional headshots or to book your photo session, contact my Hickory, NC photo studio today.