Even if I say so myself this is a pretty good headshot. Having said that like a winemaker with great fruit it wouldn’t be as good without the subject!
Good Headshot Example
Plain or Natural Background?
So what’s better a background of bricks or a plain white background. Most of my clients ask for white or grey backgrounds, but the odd one ask for a natural background be it a wall a tree or a vista.
What do you think?
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Is this really you??
Is this really you??
In my post You are your LinkedIn Profile Image I stated “What’s the point of being on LinkedIn if you are not going to show people what you really look like?”
So lets’ see some examples:
So Jane is this really you? You’ve got a Lamb in the photo! Might be part of your job but a lamb – really!!
Now Giovanni is this you? Can’t even see your face. Yeah I know the dog’s sooo cute. But do you think anyone who’s looking to recruit or hire you cares? Can’t even see your face for goodness sake!
Hey Bruce, Is this really you? Your kid’s cute and you’re probably a great Dad. But, mate this is business. You as a recruiter should know better. People want to know who you are and they will vet you well before they meet you. They want to know what you look like not your kid. Save that for Facebook!
Is this really you Baz? You with your brother or mate when you were (a lot) younger? Or is it your kids? Either way lovely picture but it has no place on as your LinkedIn profile image. Get a good one of you.
These look familiar to you?
Actually there one even worse than these and that’s this one:
Come on – nothing, really!
If you’ve got a profile image that’s not all about you and you alone, of good quality and shows you at your best and most professional, then go get one!
If you’re in Perth or coming to Perth (granted it’s a bit of challenge at the moment) I can help. Just DM me or go to wantaheadshot.com.
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10 Must Have Photos for your Brand No 10
Hobby and Personality
Showing the world some of your personal-life interests is one of the best ways to set yourself apart. Whether that’s walking your dog, reading, listening to podcasts, getting ice cream with your kids, or gardening, it’s important to ‘open the door’ on your personal self.
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10 Must Have Photos for your Brand No 9
Be Seen to be Working
I don’t mean pretending (to work) I mean it’s good to give a little behind the scenes look at what your professional life looks like, have some photos taken of you working on a laptop or on your phone. These types of photos allow you to share what you’re working on with your audience especially if you post an photo that relates to the project you are working on.
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10 Must Have Photos for your Brand No 8
Products
Make sure you have professional photos of physical or online products. Not only can you use these photos on your website to sell items online, but you can also post them on Instagram and Facebook to drive traffic.
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You are your LinkedIn Profile Image
We all know that a picture paints thousand words. And we know that images are really important to our marketing particularly our online presence.
Why is it then that often the one image that we really need is missing or at best average?
Which image is that? An image of you
When I visit a website I usually go straight to the “about” page and it’s surprising how many “about” pages make no mention of the people behind them. So consequently they have no human images.
In my many years of selling there has been one truism “people buy from People”. Usually people they like but most certainly people they trust and know.
So to not have a picture and some sort of bio is telling visitors to your site that you are anonymous online business and generally speaking we don’t trust “anonymous”.
Sure sites like Amazon or Microsoft are fairly anonymous but they are almost part of the fabric of our society and most are public listed companies where transparency is key to their stock price.
There has been a lot of research and testing on this over the years and all the findings confirm that a human face your website or social media page increases trust and therefore the more likely visitors are to stick around and consume your content and/or buy your stuff!
Similarly, a LinkedIn page may have a profile picture of someone with their dog or children or even nothing at all.
What’s the point of being on LinkedIn if you are not going to show people what you really look like?
Here’s a few pointers.
- Don’t have anyone or anything else in the image. No one is interested in your dog, your kids or your motorbike. Save all that for Facebook. Or mention them in the hobbies and interest’s section.
- There are 101 reasons for people to look at your profile. Prospective Employer or head hunter, new work colleagues, new customers etc. etc. Make it count!
- Have your face the main subject
- Make sure people can see your eyes.
- It can be shoulders and up or just the head.
- Smile – not ha ha smile but a nice, relaxed smile
- Decide what sort of self-portrait you think represents your brand best
For example, a financial adviser or lawyer may want a more conservative head shot and dressed in more business-like clothes like a jacket and trousers.
A graphic designer or someone in IT may wish to convey a trendy relaxed image. So just a smart and plain T-Shirt.
- Light is everything. If the light is dull or too bright the image can be too dark or ‘blown out’ (a term for images that have the highlights way too bright).
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10 Must Have Photos for your Brand No 7
Logo and Branding
Have your logo/tagline anywhere you can. If you have branded items such as cups, bags, tags, or anything else, show it off. It helps reinforce your company and creates credibility for anyone looking at your website or social media feed.
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10 Must Have Photos for your Brand No 6
Interiors and Exteriors
Having photos of your desk, interior and exterior of your business/store, or simply where you spend most of your time is a great way to provide more insight about yourself or your business. Especially. If your business is face to face. People who are planning a visit to your coffee shop or to meet in your office, will know what to expect.
Just don’t be lying down on the job!
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10 Must Have Photos for your Brand No 5
Detail Shots
For something different use detail shots for eye candy on your website and social media feed. You can show off and explain specific areas of your process by isolating and zooming in on one detail to help get your message out there.
Want a HeadShot? 