Introduction
In today's world of digital communication, your headshot is the calling card for your personal brand. First impressions do matter, and sometimes you don't get a second opportunity at a first impression.
Understanding the Purpose of a Headshot
Your professional headshot is not the "selfie" that you may use for social media. It is not meant to tell your whole story. There are other venues for that. Your headshot should be simple, clean, and direct the viewer's gaze directly to your face and eyes. Your goal with a professional headshot should be to present yourself as approachable, confident, and worthy of a second glance.
Tip 1: Choose the Right Setting
Select a background that complements your professional image. The background can be a studio backdrop or an environment, but it should not be busy or distracting. Based on your brand, profession, complexion, or the message you want to convey, it can be light, dark, warm, cool, or neutral. These are the types of decisions you need to consider. Is your job performed mostly indoors or outdoors? Do you work in a downtown high-rise, on a construction site, or from your home?
Tip 2: Dress for Success
Wear attire that matches your professional field. Unless you are a fashion designer, the clothes should not be the first thing someone notices. Simple, clean lines, and colors that enhance your complexion and draw the viewer to your face are better than intricate patterns or oversaturated colors. Having a variety of options to present to your photographer is never a bad idea and can demonstrate how a simple color shift can dramatically influence the message conveyed by the image.
Your clothes should be well-fitting, clean, and pressed. A good, professional photographer can help with the fit if something is a bit too large, but clothing and jackets that are ten years old and too small can be a challenge.
Tip 3: Mind Your Posture and Expression
Confidence is an attitude. I can't even begin to tell you how many people start a session by saying, "I hate getting my picture taken." If that is your starting point, it can be an uphill climb to project that confidence. I often find that it is the biggest part of my job to first get someone to relax and find their happy space. Personally, I am so accustomed to focusing on details that my natural expression can often look like a scowl. It takes an effort for me to relax my forehead and unfurrow my brows.
Most often, I will engage my subjects in casual conversation. I ask questions about them - hobbies, family, their job, where they are from - all while I'm shooting test shots for lighting.
I try to get them used to the flash and the sound of the camera as I'm looking for the angles that most complement them. I may shoot a dozen or so shots before I ever get serious about posing. My goal is a relaxed, genuine smile with bright eyes and good angles.
I have found that even the smallest tweak to the head angle – up, down, left, right, tip, straighten, slight smile, big smile, "smiling eyes" – will result in dramatically different messages conveyed by the photo. Once I have lighting figured out for a given setting, that is my playground.
Tip 4: Lighting is Key
Although it is possible to get a good natural light portrait, I almost always use a strobe with a softbox as a main light to create a professional look. By doing so, I can control the color, quality, and quantity of light in relation to the background. It is also a method that is predictable and repeatable. Master painters often refer to Rembrandt Lighting as the gold standard for representing a human face. It is a single source for the main light which is
a bit above and to one side of the center of the face. It creates a natural and compelling look which is dimensional, warm, and inviting. I will sometimes use a hair light and/or background light to add texture to hair and create depth.
Tip 5: Work with a Professional Photographer
I have taken tens of thousands of portraits during my career in almost every situation you could imagine. I have achieved a level of confidence and speed that can only be gained by practice and feedback. Taking the time to think things through and get them right is a small investment in your personal image that can bring large returns.
Samples of all that I have discussed here can be found in my Portrait Gallery: https://www.toddyarrington.com/portraits
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