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Make a Great First Impression
How a Professional Headshot Can Help You Get the Clients You Deserve
LoriDeMilto,TheMightyMarketerChristinaCericola,FreelanceArtist,ChristinaSt.JohnStudios
Ifyouwantprospectiveclientstoassumethatyou’reprofessional,dependable, andworththemoneythey’llpayforyourservices,useaprofessionalheadshot.Intoday’sdigitalworld,prospectiveclientsaremostlikelyto<irstseeyouonline(onyourwebsite,LinkedInpro<ile,orothersocialmediapro<ile).Youonlyhaveafewsecondstomakeagreat<irstimpression.
Why Do-it-Yourself is a Bad ChoiceResistthetemptationtoshootyourownheadshotorhaveafrienddothisusingacellphoneoraregularcamera.Yourheadshotwilllookunprofessionalandcheap—twothingsyoudon’twantyourprospectstothinkaboutyou.Justlikeyouhireanaccountanttohelpwithyourtaxesoralawyerforlegalissues,youneedtohireaprofessionalphotographerifyouwantaprofessionalheadshot.
Aprofessionalphotographerknowsthebestposesandfacialexpressionsforaprofes-sionalheadshot,andhowtocomposeandlightphotostocreatetherightmood.HeorsheknowswhattodoandsaytobringouttheglintinyoureyeorthesmilethatyoumaynotlikebutisactuallyveryJlatteringinaphoto.
Finding a Great PhotographerGettingrecommendationsfromotherfreelancerswhohaveprofessionalheadshotsisthebestwaytoJindagreatphotographer.Ifyoucan’tJindaphotographernearyouthisway,tryanInternetsearch.Onceyou’veidentiJiedpotentialphotographersforyourheadshot,assessthemoutusingthesameprocessaclientmightusetodecidewhethertohireyou:
1. Reviewthephotographer’swork.Picturesspeaklouderthanwords.Visitthephotographer’swebsitetoseehis/herportfolioofpastwork.Thingstobewareofinclude:
• Outdoorphotoswherethepersonhasdarkshadowsundertheeyes,brightpatchesoflightontheface,orunevenskintone
• Studiophotoswherethepersonlookstoogoodtobetrue(“airbrushedtodeath”)orisposedinlightthat’sunJlatteringtohis/herfaceandshape.
2. Lookforprofessionalheadshots.Makesurethephotographerisexperiencedinheadshots.
3. Getreferencesandcontactthem.Ifyoudidn’tJindthephotographerthrougharecommendation,askforreferencesandtalktoafewpeoplewhohaveusedthephotographer.Thephotographer’sportfoliomaybegreat,butthereareotherfactorstoconsider,liketimelydeliveryofyourphotos.
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Ways to Use Your Headshot
• Yourwebsite • YourLinkedInproJile • OthersocialmediaproJiles• Othermarketingmaterials • Speakingengagements • Publications
Making the Most of Your Photo Session Whenpreparingforyourphotosession,chooseoutJitsthatreJlectyourstylebutareprofessionalandprojectconJidence.Don’twearclothesyoudon'tlikeorJinduncomfortable.Thiswillshowinyourphotos.
BringseveraloutJitstochoosefrom,includingoneortwoblazers,whichmakeyoulookmoreprofessionalwithoutbeingstuffyoruncomfortable.ThephotographercanhelpyoudecidewhichoutJitsaremostJlatteringandtakephotosofyouindifferentoutJits.
Womenshouldwearsomethingpersonal,likeapieceofjewelryorascarf.Thiscanmakeyouseemmorepersonableandapproachable.Menshouldbringaniceshirt,tieandjacket.Everyoneshouldstayawayfrombusyprints,whichcanbedistractingandaredifJiculttophotographwell.Plaidsandcheckerboardpatternscan
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Case Study: Before and After a Professional Headshot
WhenLoriDeMiltodecidedtoaddaphototoherwebsitein2008,sheaskedaneighborwho’sagoodamateurphotographertotakeherphoto.Itwasn’tbad(seethetopphoto),anditwasmuchbetterthansomeofthephotosoffree-lancersshe’sseen.Butitwasn’taprofessionalheadshot.DeMiltodidn’trealizethattherewasanythingwrongwithherheadshotuntilshehiredChristinaCericolaofChristinaSt.JohnStudiostotakeherprofessionalheadshot(seethebottomphoto)afewyearslater.
Likemanypeople,DeMiltoisuncomfortablehavingherphototaken.ShewaspleasantlysurprisedbyhoweasyCericolamadetheexperience,andhowCericola’sinstructionsaboutposingresultedinafabulousprofessionalheadshot.
Dressing for Success• BringseveraloutJitstoyourphoto
session,includingoneortwoblazers
• Stayawayfrombusyprints
• Peoplewhowearglasses:Considerbringingapairofemptyframestoeliminateglarefromlenses
• Women:WearapieceofjewelryorascarfthatreJlectsyourpersonality
• Men:Bringadressshirt,tieandjacket
createespeciallyunpleasantpatternsinphotosthatmakeyoulooklessprofessional.Ifyoualwayswearglassesandthey’reapartofyourlook,considerbringingapairofemptyframesforthephotosessiontoeliminateglarefromeyeglasslenses.
Working with the Photographer Asmall,genuinesmileusuallyworksbestforaprofessionalheadshot.Thephotographerknowswhattosayanddotogetagenuinesmilefromyou.Alwaysaskthephotographertoshootyouwithandwithoutasmilesoyoucandecidewhichoptionlooksbestforyou.Duringthephotosession,thephotographerwilltellyouhowtoposeforthebestphoto.Tohelpthephotographerdirectyoueffectively,tellhim/herwhatyouwantyourclientstoassumeaboutyouwhentheyseeyourprofessionalheadshot.
Reviewing and Choosing Your Headshot Showyourproofstocolleaguesandprofessionalconnections.Askthemwhichtheylikebestandwhy.Thenchoosethephotosthatbestmeetyourmarketingneeds.
ThephotographershouldgiveyoudifferentJilesforprintandelectronicmedia.PrintJiles,usedinmagazines,books,andsoforth,mustbehighresolution.PhotoJilesforthewebneedtobequitesmallbuthighqualityandnotslowdownawebsite.SocialmediasitesusethesameJilesizesbuteachsitedictatesthesizeanddimensions.Forexample,ifthesocialmediasiterequiresasquarephotograph,partofyourheadorarmsmightbechoppedoff.Yourphotographercansizeandcomposeyourheadshottogetthemostoutofthespaceprovided.
Ataminimum,thephotographershouldgiveyouhigh-resolutioncolorandblackandwhiteJilesoftheshotyouchoose.Awebdesignercanre-sizethephotoforthewebifneededbutapublishercan’tresizeawebphotoforprint.YoucanalsoaskthephotographertoprovidetheJilesinwebsize,orcroppedforcertainsocialmediasites.
Whensubmittingyourphotosforpublication,youmayneedalicensefromthephoto-grapher,whoholdsthecopyrightforyourphotos.Thephotographercangivethistoyou.
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Posing for Your Headshot• Sitata45-degreeanglefromthecamerasoyoulooklesstwo-
dimensional.• Leanforwardslightlyandbringyourchinoutanddowntogive
yourjawlineamoreJlatteringlookandminimizedoublechins.• Ifyou’resitting,putyourfeetuponyourtoestostraightenyour
backwithoutlookingstiff.• Don’tfaceyourbodydirectlytowardthecamera,asthiscanmake
youlookwiderthanyouare.
Projecting a Professional Image Whenclientschooseafreelancer,theylookforsomeonetheycantrustandcountontodoagreatjob.Agreatheadshotletsyoubecomethe“face”ofyourbrandandprojectaprofessionalimage.
The Mighty Marketer DiscoverthesecretstomakingmoremoneyasafreelancerthroughTheMightyMarketer.Useourfreeresources,onlinecourses,andbooksto:
• Riseabovethecrowdoffreelancers• Develophigh-impact,low-orno-costmarketingtools• Buildyournetworkandreputation• Getrepeatbusinessandreferrals,andmore.
FindouthowfreelancewriterLoriDeMiltotappedintothepowerofmarketingtolandasmuchworkasshewanted—usuallymore—sinceshortlyafterlaunchingherbusiness—andhowyoucandoittoo.DeMiltohasbeenhelpingclientsengage,informandmotivatetheiraudiencesthroughtargetedmedicalcopyandcontentsince1997.SheisafellowoftheAmericanMedicalWritersAssociationandfrequentlywritesandpresentsonmarketingforfreelancers.
Visit The Mighty Marketer TheMightyMarketer.com
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Christina St. John StudiosChristinaSt.JohnStudiosoffersafullrangeofgraphicdesignservicesandon-locationphotography.
Visit Christina St. John Studios csjstudios.com
Contact Christina St. John [email protected]
Copyright©2014TheMightyMarketerandChristinaSt.JohnStudios
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