Business Headshots - Everything You Need to Know!

Before we get started on these tips, ask yourself how long you have been using your current headshots. Ruminate on that amount of time. Did you know that the best recommendation is to upgrade your headshot every TWO YEARS? And that is assuming your appearance hasn't changed drastically within those two years.

If you have changed your hairstyle in a meaningful way, such as changing the color or cutting off a lot of length, you should update your headshot, even if it is newer than two years.

Why is it so important to keep an updated headshot?

Your headshot is usually the first thing a prospective client or customer sees that correlates to you and your business. If you have arranged a meeting with your client and they have an outdated image, you could start off that crucial first in person interaction with confusion as the person who showed up wasn't the person they were expecting.

Keeping an updated headshot is also important to keep up with trends in photography. Ten years ago, selective black and white was all the rage. Today, it is outdated and unpopular. If you are using a headshot from five, ten, or twenty years ago, you are marketing yourself as outdated. A business that keeps up with the trends is a business that survives the fads!

Now that we know the importance of a great, updated headshot, here are some tips to make sure your headshot session goes well.

5 Tips for Great Headshots

1. Be sure to clear enough time in your schedule. Nothing can derail a photography session worse than running out of time. The stress of being on a tight schedule will result in anxious expressions and body language in your headshot images. A great way to avoid this is to plan extra time before and after your session in your calendar, so you are not rushing off to your next meeting. For a twenty minute session, give yourself gaps ten minutes before and ten minutes after to allow you some flexibility with your session.

2. Know the style you are looking for and practice it. Doing a quick search for headshots on Google will give you a plethora of results that may be overwhelming. My suggestion is to do an industry-specific search and see what others in your career field are doing. Find something you like, and practice posing yourself in that manner or practice smiling in that confident or friendly way you are drawn to. Be sure to show your photographer your inspiration photos as well, so they can be sure to capture your vision.

3. Keep your style simple and clean. Unless you are a person who frequently wears patterns or more expressive styles, the best recommendation for wardrobe is to keep it simple and wear solid colors. Wearing a patterned blouse or dress shirt can detract from your face and become distracting. Another great idea is to wear the colors your company uses in its branding. If you have any questions about wardrobe, you can always reach out to your photographer to see what they recommend!

4. Be authentic in your appearance. If you are not a person who normally comes to work clean shaven or with a full face of makeup, it is best to not come to your headshot photography session this way either. The purpose of a headshot is to show your clients and contacts who you are, so be yourself!

5. Try your best to relax. Like mentioned in Tip 1, any anxiety or frustration you feel during your headshot session will most likely show in your images. Find ways of relaxing yourself so you can smile genuinely and bring your true personality to your images. Anything that can make you more comfortable is a great option. I have had clients play their favorite songs while having their pictures taken. I have also had clients who bring their spouses or friends to the session to make them more comfortable. Find what works for you and go with it!

Ready to Book a Headshot Session? Visit the Other Sessions tab on the Krissy Bee Photography website here, and fill out the contact form at the bottom of the page!