Bay Area Corporate & Business Headshot Photography
Why Business Headshots are Important for Modern Professionals in the Bay Area
Expanding your business, finding new clients, and finding a new job can all be daunting tasks. You need to make the best showing of yourself possible, and your headshot is often the first thing people will see. Here are some tips to make sure your professional headshots stand out from the crowd in the best way possible.
A stranger forms their first impression of you in a tenth of a second, based solely on your appearance. Therefore, it's critical to look your best for those moments when you need to make a great first impression.
You may have heard the saying “put your best face forward.” That's true in any context, but in the cutthroat world of professionals, the way you look means everything. And making a positive first impression is especially critical when you are starting a new career. Regardless of your professional level or industry, however, everyone’s going to judge you in the same way—a process called “thin slicing.” Thin slicing happens in seconds, and in those seconds, the person looking at you will have judged your level of intelligence, personality, and socio-economic status. Since you don't get a second chance to make a first impression, it's important that your headshot shows that you're capable of success in your desired career.
If you really want to land the job, make sure you have a social media presence. It doesn’t have to be much, but whether you’re on Facebook, LinkedIn, or Twitter, simply being on social media will make you more visible to hiring managers. A 2018 survey showed that most employers (70%) use social media for hiring. The majority of prospective candidates, up to 83%, use Facebook as their primary form of social media. LinkedIn is also a popular site for job seekers. And you need to fill out your profile a bit, too, most importantly with a quality picture of yourself. LinkedIn profiles that have images, and professional images at that, get nearly 15 times as many views as those that don't. In the eyes of a busy hiring manager, having that opportunity to learn a little bit more about a candidate makes a big difference.
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How to Prepare for a Corporate Headshot Photo Shoot in the Bay Area
Since image is just about everything in the professional world, you don’t want just any old business headshot in the Bay Area—you need to have a executive headshot that stands out from the pack. Fortunately, experts have good advice and recommendations for creating an award-winning headshot that puts your resume on top of the pile.
For starters, it's always a good idea to wear solid colors. If you do choose a pattern, keep it simple and avoid graphics. Starting with a simple blouse or shirt is always best. You can add more layers if necessary later on. No matter what you wear, your clothes should look neat in your professional headshots. If you're not sure what to wear the day of the photo shoot, bring a few changes of clothes! It’s also a good idea to bring a lint roller to remove last-minute pet hair or dust before the shoot.
While there are many things you can do the day of your corporate headshot to look your best, it’s best to prepare for your business headshot in the Bay Area ahead of time. If possible, try to schedule a headshot right after the summer or a vacation. You will look healthy, tan, and relaxed, which shows through in your headshot. Just make sure you’re not sunburned!
And while it may be tempting to get a new haircut before your headshot, this move can actually be more damaging than just leaving your hair the way it is. If your hair really needs a trim, schedule an appointment three weeks before the headshot—this tip is especially important for men.
How to Optimize Your Business Headshots for LinkedIn
In order to get eye-catching executive headshots, it’s best to hire an experienced headshot photographer rather than a random friend or relative with a DSLR camera. Only a professional knows the right colors, angles, and backgrounds to give you a top-notch profile picture. Experts also say to avoid using selfies or images where you've cropped others out of the picture. That works alright for a casual Instagram or Facebook profile pic, but when you want to impress, amateur isn’t going to cut it. About nine percent of LinkedIn headshots are selfies. Because they lack a professional appearance, hiring managers put them at the bottom of the pile.
Smile. Even though this is a professional picture, smiling is highly recommended. It makes you appear warm, friendly, and approachable, and therefore more appealing to a hiring manager.
Get a Haircut Ahead of Time. If you need a haircut, then try to get it done a couple of weeks in advance. People often need a brief period of time for their hair to begin growing back after a haircut for it to look its best. Also, if you happen to end up with a botched haircut, you will have time to get it redone. Strive for more simple patterns and solid colors.
Take Care of Your Health. Another aspect of being prepared revolves around health and hygiene. This is often overlooked, but it is necessary to make your headshots stand out. Get plenty of sleep so that you look fresh and don’t have dark circles under your eyes. Drink plenty of water and eat breakfast. When you’re dehydrated, your skin and eyes tend to look sunken in and unhealthy. Eating will keep you alert and positive-looking.
Plan Your Outfit Ahead of Time. Lay out your outfit the night before so you have time to carefully consider what you’re going to wear.The most universal tip for a business headshot is dressing professionally. For men, this likely means wearing a suit and tie. Depending on the profession, you could go with a more casual look but still dress professionally with a collared shirt and nice pants. For women, there can be a little more diversity. Suits and pantsuits are still great options. A formal dress or a skirt with a nice top will also work. A collared shirt with slacks can also give a more casual but still competent look to your professional pictures.
Clothing tends to become distracting the more ornate it gets. Choose colors that will leave the focus on yourself. With this said, don’t be afraid to express your personality. Choose clothing that both looks professional and fits your personality
Look directly at the camera. Unless you're posing for a dramatic acting headshot, make eye contact with the camera. If you can't be there in person to meet a hiring manager, your headshot serves as the initial introduction. Since you would naturally look someone in the eyes when you first meet them, you would want your professional headshot to have the same effect.
Avoid unnecessary shadows. In addition to facing the camera head-on, be sure your headshot shows a bright, clear image of your face. Avoid shadowy images or side profile views.
Keep the background simple. When choosing your background, it should be simple, basic, and not distracting. As with your favorite clothing, you should pick a background that complements your hair color, eyes, and skin tone.
Get comfortable. Finally, one of the most important tips for success with professional headshots is to be yourself. You should wear clothes that are comfortable, flattering, and also speak to the audience that you are looking to connect with.
Hire a Professional
For starters, make sure you know what you want. You’re an individual with your own personal brand. Consider your line of work and the types of companies and clients you generally work for. You can also search the internet for examples to bring to the photographer. Remember that the photographer has done this a million times. You can let them know what you need, and they can personalize the photo shoot for you based on their expertise.
Remember that photographers are busy people. They may have many clients arriving to a specific schedule, so be sure to be on time. You may have to rush through the shoot or, even worse, cancel and reschedule for a later date.
Although your corporate headshot photographer in the Bay Area is sure to provide suggestions along the way for getting a great photo, keeping these tips in mind is a surefire way to get good results. And if you still need a professional business headshot photographer in the Bay Area, click here to view headshot prices and schedule an appointment today!
For headshots in the San Francisco Bay Area, trust BrianKCreative to put your best face forward.