What Do Professionals & Managers Look For In A Corporate Headshot?

No more guessing - a survey was recently administered to a group of high-level agents, managers, and professionals, asking what they look for in a headshot. The results are in - let's take a look!

Clear, Crisp Photo.

A photo with great lighting & vibrant color is likely to stand out and is easier to see in a thumbnail-sized photo. This is especially helpful to professionals who screen through dozens if not hundreds of headshots and are looking to work through high volume.

Definable Archetypes.

This ties into our blog post from last week - when professionals see your Boulder corporate headshot, the want to know immediately who you are and what type of person you are. They want a quick and easy "instant read" of your personality type so that they can see what your general persona is - are you funny, outgoing, and friendly? Or more professional, reserved, and studious? These are qualities which are immediately visible in your corporate headshot and which must be clearly defined so that other professionals can make quick, accurate assessments of who you are, just from your corporate headshot alone. Simply put, professionals appreciate a headshot that captures the true essence of who you are - not just another generic stock photo.

It's All In The Eyes.

Short of meeting you in person, the best window any professional will have into your personality and professional demeanor is through your eyes. The eyes are immediately the first thing that humans are drawn to when they see a photograph of another person. A bright, friendly, clear expression in the eyes leaves a lasting impression on others and is the only proven method to make a 2-D image of yourself on paper or a screen truly "pop". Go for light, natural make-up, and let the focus be drawn to your eyes as opposed to any other part of your face. Don't detract from this important feature! 

Stand Out From The Competition

At this point in the professional world, a headshot is not a luxury - it is a necessity. Everybody has one, and the sad truth is that very few people put much effort or thought into theirs. Putting just a little bit of thought or care into your headshot will make you stand head and shoulders above your competition when people view your online or print materials. Working closely with your photographer, planning your Boulder corporate headshot session carefully, and putting some thought into your session (by reading materials such as this very article!) are what will truly make your photos stand out. 

The Most Common Boulder Corporate Headshot Mistake

Chances are, you are getting a professional headshot taken in order to use in a professional setting - in other words, to represent yourself in the spheres of business, online marketing, and other forms of self-promotion. As such, think of your headshots are representatives of your “advertising campaign” for yourself. What is it about yourself that you are looking to convey to others, overall?

This is the key to a headshot that stands out and that leads to success. So often, clients enter a Boulder corporate headshot session without a clearly-defined goal of how they want to portray and represent themselves. Simply dressing up in business-casual and giving a soft smile to the camera should not be your goal. What should you strive for in your Boulder corporate headshot photography session?

Personality Over Pretty

You should be looking to convey personality over pretty. Unless you are an actor, in which case outward appearances are more relevant, your goal in your Boulder professional headshot session should not be to look ultra glamorous or suave. Even for many actors, conveying aspects of their personality - such as their quirkiness, intelligence, boldness, or seriousness - takes priority over simply looking beautiful or handsome. Your headshot is the first impression you make on many of your potential employers, clients, and partners. What part of yourself do you want to emphasize and draw attention to? A great way to answer this question for yourself is to create a list of adjectives that you think describe yourself, and that you think are unique to just you.

Similarly, you can also ask friends and family what adjectives comes to mind when they think of you. You can take their answers, cross-check them with your own list, and find out which answers come up the most often.

Once you have your list of adjectives and how you’d like to portray yourself, the question arises - how do I convey these parts of myself in a corporate headshot session? The obvious answers, such as selecting appropriate wardrobe (wear “fun” clothes if you are aiming to show that side of yourself!) and styling, have all been covered. So here’s the big tip that’s lesser-known:

Do “In-Action” Shots

This is one of the best tools in your arsenal for showing your true personality. After getting all the standard angles, try doing some photos where you are in the middle of doing what you do best, or doing what you’d like to be seen doing professionally. Notice how in the two examples below, the in-action shots convey drastically different messages. The one on the left gives off the impression of a warm, easygoing, humorous energy, whereas the photo on the right is more professional, corporate, and meticulous look. Again, there is no right or wrong, and neither of these photos are better than one another. Instead, they serve very different purposes for two different people who will apply to entirely different careers. The first photo may be applicable to a classroom teacher or public speaker, whereas the second is more suitable for a consultant or analyst. Again, it’s easy to see how a simple in-action shot can convey so much about your personality and really change the whole dynamic of your Boulder corporate headshot session.

5 Tips To Prepare For Your Boulder Corporate Headshot Session

They say a picture’s worth a thousand words, and that’s doubly true for your professional headshot. Your headshot is the first thing that clients, interviewers, or prospective job hirees will see of you - it is your first impression to the online world, so getting them done professionally is key. Many people in the Boulder area book professional headshots, but are confused as to how to prepare both physically and mentally for their corporate headshot session. Here are 5 key tips you need to know in order to show up at your prime.

1. More Clothing Options Is Always Better.

Let’s start with the obvious - when you are preparing for your Boulder professional headshots, you’ll most likely be photographed in several different outfits. If you are questioning whether or not you should bring a piece of clothing to your Boulder corporate headshot session, just bring it! It’s always better to have too many options rather than not enough. Getting a diversity of clothing options in your professional headshot session is key to building a strong portfolio of images that can be used in a wide array of situations. Here are some quick tips when deciding what to bring to your Boulder portrait session:

• DO bring clothes that you personally like a lot and that you are comfortable in. Feeling comfortable and confident in your clothes is the key to a natural, radiant facial expression in your photos.

• DO spend extra time thinking about your shirts. Professional headshots focus on the face, shoulders, and chest, and don’t often show the lower body.

• DON’T be too selective. Don’t worry about seasonal clothing, and bring a wide array of clothing ranging from casualwear (t-shirts, sweaters.) to very formal. You can decide on set which you’d like to wear, and having a variety is always better.

• DON’T bring shirts with super busy patterns or large logos. These can draw attention away from your face and be distracting - when you’re torn between two options, go with the simpler one.

2. Have A “Practice Run” Several Nights Before.

One of the best things to do before a Boulder corporate headshot session is to have a “practice run” several nights prior to your actual headshot session. Ladies, try on your makeup and see how everything looks - ask friends to evaluate your look and give you opinions. You should look professional, yet natural and not overdone. Gents, make sure your hair is cut & styled the way you want it to look 4-5 days before the day of the shoot. Avoid walking into a Boulder professional headshot session with freshly-cut hair… it is very noticeable!

As silly as it might feel, standing in front of a mirror and practicing a few poses and expressions in your outfits & styling will do wonders to improve your shoot when the time comes for your actual portrait photography session. You will feel more confident, less awkward, and it will show in your photos.

As a side note - if you are doing a themed corporate headshot that involves any props, make doubly sure to practice posing with them prior to your shoot. Handling props adds an extra layer of complexity to the shoot and is absolutely something you’ll want to practice and feel comfortable with prior to your session.

3. Create A Playlist

In addition to practicing prior to your Boulder professional headshot session, create a short playlist of songs that gets you feeling right and puts you into a radiant mood. You can play this music out of your phone or through your photographer’s speakers (they often provide these, especially for indoor shoots), and it will really help to set the mood and get you feeling comfortable posing. Music does wonders for opening up expressions on shy and introverted people, because it gets your body moving and loose. If your practice session feels stale and stiff, try putting on your favorite music and watch as you improve! Then bring this same playlist to your Boulder corporate headshot session and prepare to surprise yourself with the results. Many photographers (such as our studio) has Pandora, so you can also give your photographer an artist or genre you like and they can take it from there!

4. Get Lots Of Rest & Water The Day Before.

Staying hydrated and getting adequate rest the day before your Boulder professional headshot session is key. Not only will you avoid possible bags under your eyes or a tired expression, but your overall mood will be greatly improved and your energy during the corporate headshot session will skyrocket. Being energetic, fun, and confident is what Boulder professional headshots are all about. So make sure to take care of your body, especially in the 24-hour period leading up to your shoot, and you’ll show up to the shoot feeling like a million bucks.

5. Communicate With Your Photographer.

Prior to your Boulder professional headshot session, get to know your photographer and get comfortable talking to them. All throughout the shoot, always feel free to ask them if they think you should adjust anything or do anything differently. Your photographer is a professional when it comes to Boulder corporate headshots... this is their job! They have a ton of experience and asking them for advice is something that a large amount of clients never do. Trust that any photographer worth their weight in salt has taken thousands if not tens or hundreds of thousands of portrait photos in their lifetime, and that they know what works best. When in doubt, ask. And get comfortable doing so prior to your shoot.