Headshot Dilemma

I remember like it was yesterday. It was a Monday afternoon, 2:23 PM, and my manager was putting together a slide show presentation to show a client who the team members were for an upcoming project. She reached out to me via Skype messenger and asks me to send her my headshot. In 15 years of working on my job, I'd never been asked for a headshot. What the heck!? I responded letting her know that I didn't have one. Being the kind person she is, she says, "It's OK, just send me a good picture of yourself that you'd like me to include in the slides." So, anxiously, I start scrolling through my phone gallery. After scrolling through hundreds of pictures on my phone I couldn't find one, not one picture suitable to be used in a professional setting.
I don't know if you're anything like me but most of my picture gallery  contains images of my child, my awesome chef skills, the occasional "ussie", and some gnarly pictures of me posing in my car and my darling child photobombing from the back seat. Now feeling panicked, how could I not have a headshot or at least one good picture of myself!? I suddenly felt incredibly unprepared and kind of embarrassed.

I let her know that I didn't have a picture to provide her and that I'd work on getting one. She needed one by the next day, so I had to scramble! Luckily, being a photographer, I was able to take my own headshot with a little help from my pint-sized assistant aka my 10-year-old daughter.
Don't be like me. There's a saying I once heard, "If you stay prepared, you never have to get prepared." In my case I was able to just pick up my professional camera, take the picture that I needed and hand it in the next day. LUCKY!

If you’re not sure if you need to have a headshot here are a few reasons to get one:

Social Presence

You have a LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, maybe even a Google+ page. Each of these platforms require a picture. It's the first thing that anyone sees when they view your page. Profiles with an image are 21 times more likely to be viewed than profiles without an image and allows you to stand out more. This is your opportunity to showcase who you are before prospects meet you. So why not put your best face forward?

Marketing

When creating marketing materials, low resolution images just will not do. Whether you’re a Realtor, lawyer, consultant or any other professional, when it comes time to promote yourself you want to have images that are clear and can be used on a small or large scale.

Professionalism

When you look professional, prospects take you seriously.

Take a moment to think about your process when it's time to find a picture. Maybe you’re like me and you root through countless pictures in your phone gallery to find the best selfie possible. But like me, you find group shots with friends, your children, that yummy chicken casserole from last week, cluttered backgrounds, bad lighting, the list goes on. Having a professional headshot on hand allows you to have a great image ready when you need it.

If you have a headshot and it’s a few years old, you’ll want to get an updated one. Chances are, you're not the same person today that you were two years ago, one year ago, or a month ago! You're constantly changing, and your head shot should reflect who you are today. A headshot is your opportunity to show who you are and your personality.

Contact me for addition information of getting headshots.