What’s in a headshot? | Naperville Photographer

Everyone knows what a headshot is, right? But what makes one a GOOD headshot?  Well, it all depends on the purpose. Is it being used on a company website? Is it for internal or external use? Is it for LinkedIn? is it a dating app, or maybe acting or modeling? What are you trying to say with your headshot? Is it that you are approachable? Powerful? Intimidating? Creative? If you think, “Oh, it doesn’t really matter. I’ll just upload a good selfie.” Let me tell you – it MATTERS.

 

Do you think doctors aren’t chosen based on their pictures because people are doing their research online, and when all else looks equal, people ask themselves, “Do I want to work with this person?”  Humans are visual creatures. We absolutely base books from their covers. People will make judgements about working with you based on your pictures.

 

And all headshots are not the same. Don’t let the term “headshot” mess you up. Really, most people are just meaning the image that they will use for their business profiles or for professional use. This does not mean it has to be a literal shot of a traditional head and a little bit of their chest. I love doing a more contemporary look with a 3/4 pull back.

 

And there are no rules when it comes to professional headshots, which also means no rules in terms of backgrounds, either. You can do backdrops, actual walls, or outdoor settings. It all just depends on your website design, your industry, and what you are trying to portray.  This next  one may be the only time I’ve used orange for headshots. But it worked perfectly for her.

 

And sometimes people need pictures to use for their marketing in different venues. Sometimes they have specific needs, like this fun on where we did a ton of unique images for his use.

 

But then there are the traditional headshots, which are definitely the most common.

 

If you don’t use a professional headshot (professionally lit, posed, and edited), it shows a lack of professionalism. It says you don’t really care and can’t be bothered. It says a lot. And just because you look great in that selfie of you at the bar doesn’t mean you look great on a website representing a business.