First impressions.
We are all programmed by many unseen forces that guide our daily lives. These micro-managers of our subconscious mind force us to decide on “good” or “bad” in a matter of seconds. That just isn’t fair, is it? When we consider all the facets of a human, all the details hidden under layers of personality & charm, a few seconds is nowhere close to the time we really need for the judgement of a person. But, according to the latest data, we are powerless to the pull of our minds.
Today, we do have a luxury in that we can curate a page for ourselves in the form of a LinkedIn profile, a Facebook page, an Instagram account, a blog, etc. We can attempt to control how others see us based on what we allow (or don’t allow) on our little digital autobiographies. Problems arise when those personas or filters are not actually achieving what we want them to achieve for us.
Headshots are a perfect way to add a professional touch to your social media presence. Here’s why.
Professional headshots are easy to do, for both the photographer & the client.
They take 30 minutes or less! Schedules can be hectic, but a lunch-break-headshot-session is absolutely do-able! You would be amazed at how quickly an experienced photographer can pull emotions out of you & create some impressive images for various purposes. A quick outfit change & you automatically have some perfect material for all your profile picture needs. A couple of backgrounds & lighting variations, & boom. Your headshots are done for the year (give or take an hour of editing). Nothing to be scared of!
Headshots can make you stand out from the crowd.
Breaking news: we should have moved on from the cropped-standing-beside-my-five-best-friends profile picture by now. College student profile pictures are definitely different (or should be) than young professionals or career-leaders’ photos. We have to evolve with the times. We all need to be putting our best foot forward when it comes to our one chance to impress a potential client or employer.
Headshots are a great way to showcase your individual style while still maintaining a polished, professional standard.
Ideally, headshots should be done every year. I know this is definitely an “ideal” thing because so many of us never do it at all, but theoretically, the whole point of a headshot is to give an accurate (but polished) visual depiction of who you are. I know it throws me off when I am expecting someone to look like their profile image & then they walk in 30 pounds heavier/slimmer or with dyed hair…or whatever else is different! Yes, we want to keep those photos because we like what we look like in them, so keep them…but let’s at least update the profile picture. & yes, for the record, I agree that it is unfair to place so much importance on outer looks, but there has to be some image in that little box, so why not make it a good one? Also, while we’re at it, let’s update our image to better match our style. An outdated American Eagle graphic tee is not necessarily ideal for our photo if we plan on grabbing our future by the horns.
Have fun with your profile photos.
Have fun with your headshots. Bring a prop if you want. Look around online & get ideas. Heck, look around online at people who have taken their profile photos seriously versus those who haven’t…& objectively decide what you think on the matter. Respond in the comments or let me know your thoughts — I can’t be alone in my conviction that professional headshots are vital…right?!