One Question Most People Overlook When Getting A Professional Headshot
What's one question people often overlook when they are getting a new professional headshot?
What do you need to say? What first impression are you trying to make? What’s your personality?
It’s easy to approach a new headshot thinking just “a couple of snaps” will due or I only need 1 photo. But that’s the wrong way to look at it. Why not just use your passport photo? Because the value of the photo is in how it makes you feel and how it can help you achieve your goals!
If you are reading this, you've already realized that a great headshots matters and when you want to excel, the difference between great and good enough can be lost opportunities!
You want a photographer with a system and approach to accomplish your goals with your new professional headshots. The first thing we are going to do is talk about your personality and your professional personal/brand. This will tell us what photos you need for your session.
For most people, I recommend a portrait session where we capture a range of poses and expressions to give you flexibility in front of different audiences. Your external LinkedIn isn’t the same as the internal Slack channel. Being the expert your clients depend on is different from being the expert in your field among your peers. Having a set of cohesive photos that you can share in different environments can be very empowering! Especially if you are on podcasts, speaking at events, writing articles online, or have your pwn personal website.
Here are some examples of how we use this question:
Lawyers
What type of lawyer are you and what is your professional persona? Are you the tough Litigator people dread seeing in a courtroom, are you an affable and fair arbitrator, or are you internal counsel?
There are a range of options and sometimes you need more than one persona for different needs. A Litigator needs to look sharp and a little intimidating(or the opposite - being underestimated); the others needs to be more measured, trustworthy and smart. We talk about the right mix for you.
Startup Vs Financial
For a startup, you want to appear agile, modern and less formal. As a financial advisor, you need to be dependable, trustworthy and authentic.
Sales and Marketing vs C-Suite
If you're team role depends on first impression to open doors and build trust we need smiles, approachability and personal connection to be the main feeling of your headshots.
But if you are a CEO/COO/CMO your photos need to be more measured. Authenticity is important but you also need to inspire confidence, expertise and the personality traits that have lead you to the top of your company. You may need different looks for employees vs board of director or investor communications. Your images will be an early part of sensitive conversations and meetings. So we need to have all the tools at your disposal.
Early Career / Mid Career / Later Career
I spend a lot of my time with clients discussing this part. My younger clients want to maximize their maturity without trying too hard, while my mid-career clients need to balance professionalism with youth and confidence and looking the part of their next aspirations. My later-career clients need to emphasize their expertise and authority without looking old-fashioned. Each career stage comes with its own perspectives and challenges and I love seeing my clients see themselves a little differently after our session!
Special considerations for my female clients
We work specifically on how they want to navigate the balance of feminine and masculine expectations. We specifically talk about the necklines of the clothing, colors, shapes, etc… Getting this right gives a lot of confidence!
Not sure if you need an updated headshot? Here are 5 signs it might be time to update yours.
What my clients say about their headshot experience
“Aaron - The photos look amazing! I think you captured just what I was looking for. For your information- we did these shoots in 2 other countries. One country the client hated, and the other one they didn't love. But they are raving about your images. So very nicely done and a pleasure working with you.”
“Hi Aaron - I never thought I would actually be looking forward to seeing my pictures, but what an absolutely incredible job you have done! I am so grateful-these came out so much better than I ever thought possible!!”
“I highly recommend Aaron for professional headshot photography. Aaron recently took headshots for our global management team, and the entire experience was above expectations.”
“He made what could have been an awkward or uncomfortable process feel fun and effortless, helping to ease any embarrassment or hesitation. Aaron was incredibly responsive, kind, and sensitive to everyone's needs, ensuring that every individual felt confident and comfortable in front of the camera.”
“The results were fantastic, high-quality photos that truly captured the professionalism and personality of our team. If you're looking for a photographer who combines talent, professionalism, and a great attitude, Aaron is the perfect choice!”