Is Your Headshot Working Against You?

We have good news and bad news.

First, the bad news: hiring a professional photographer doesn’t guarantee that you’re going to get a professional headshot.

Scary thought, isn’t it? You could invest your time and money in a photographer and still wind up with an unprofessional professional headshot. Most everyone knows that they need a headshot. But, perhaps, not everyone knows why they need one. It isn’t as simple as “putting a face with the name.” And it isn’t about getting a pretty picture. In fact, if all you have is a pretty picture, your headshot may very well be working against you. Your headshot is not a photo. “What?!” you say, “Of course a photo is a photo.” But I am here to tell you that, in this case, it is not. In this case it is a business document, and it is tasked with carrying a very important message. It must communicate to your potential clients that you are trustworthy, reliable, approachable, and professional. It has to tell your clients that you are the right person to do business with. Portrait photographers are not accustomed to composing a photo this way. Portrait photographers focus on the pretty: the dramatic lighting, the infectious smile. And there is nothing wrong with these things – if what you want is a pretty picture for the mantel. But, what is an infectious smile in a portrait runs the risk of looking silly, flighty, or unreliable in a professional headshot. Dramatic lighting can look great in a portrait. In a professional headshot, it creates shadows that can look sinister. It breaks the vital connection between you and your potential client. It undermines the entire purpose of a professional headshot.

As a businessperson, you know that your bottom line depends upon getting clients in your door. There is a lot of competition, and anything that gives you an edge – within the bounds of ethics, of course – can only be a good thing. When people sit down to draw up their marketing plan, it’s all about SEO and special offers and nice collateral – brochures, banners, signage that will catch a potential client’s eye. All of that matters, certainly. But how many people include their business headshot in that arsenal of marketing tools? Looking around the internet leads us to believe that the answer is “not enough.” There are far too many portrait-style headshots out there.

I did say there was good news, though …

… and it is this: at C1M, we specialize in creating professional headshots that are actually professional. When you come to C1M for your headshot, we’ll help you figure out who your ideal client is, and exactly how you need to present yourself to connect with that client. We’ve fine-tuned the posing, lighting and editing of our headshots through years of practice. We’ll craft you a polished, professional headshot that will connect you to your potential clients. We’ll make sure that your headshot is a powerful player in your marketing tool kit. Just like it should be.

Learn more by visiting our Executive Headshots page.

“A lot of photographers offer headshots, but don’t do them well. I wanted a more professional-looking photograph. It’s very clear on your website that C1M is the place for headshots, and this is probably the best one I’ve gotten out of many I’ve had done.” – Dean, Amherst, NH

Walter Schnecker, CPP, CPC

Walter Schnecker is the owner of C1M Photography, LLC, in Amherst NH. He specializes in Executive Business Headshots. He loves using his years of experience in the industry to provide each and every client with a polished, professional and, most importantly, effective headshot.