Whether you are reworking your LinkedIn account, getting ready for a corporate presentation, or working on a portfolio of an actress, a headshot is one of the most effective elements when it comes to looking to build, enhance or protect one’s personal or professional image. However, there are several common errors that people commit that tend to undermine the effectiveness of one’s headshot bringing about losses in certain instances and communicating inappropriate messages in some cases.
This blog shall take you through some of the commonest headshot mistakes that individuals make and suggest ways in which such mistakes can be avoided. These lessons will cover everything from posing, dressing, and the choice of background to understanding the pricing of headshots and will ensure that you get a headshot that not only looks awesome but is also effective in serving your purpose.
A fundamental blunder many individuals commit while getting ready for a headshot session is the selection of the wrong clothes. Many hold the opinion that one has to wear something daring, radical or strikingly different from the others to be noticed. Nonetheless, very adventurous skin-revealing prints or loud colours can divert the cherubic face from the audience’s view since it is the focal point of the headshot.
How to Avoid It: When you consider wearing clothes for photographs, be in simple or monochrome colours such as navy, black grey or pale shades. These colours usually look good on camera and will not conflict with the background. For business headshots, it is appropriate to be dressed in workwear that mirrors your occupation. Actors or people in the creative industry will go for more relaxed or glamorous costumes that reflect their characters but remember, your face should be the focus, not your clothes.
In addition, think about the shape of the collar; do not wear low-cut V-neck tops or sleeveless tops as they tend to be too revealing or may look unprofessional.
An additional common error committed in headshots is awkward positioning or stiffness in one’s body language. Hunched Shoulders, crossing arms or even facial expressions that are tight could portray a sense of aloofness as well as discomfort. Such aspects can be interpreted as exhibiting anxiety or rather being not self-assured which is not good for business environments.
How to Avoid It: The first step is to calm down. A good photographer will do the rest. They will position you in such a way that you have natural poses that enhance your looks. As a subject, the only thing that should concern you is how to posture yourself properly — shoulders back and sit or stand erect. The trick is to smile as one would do when happy rather than wearing a forced grin which people will see through. When standing facing the camera, remember that this also creates a rather boring stiff look, turning your body slightly to the camera creates a more conversational look without straightening your body directly towards the sable.
You may want to consider doing some of these poses in front of a mirror before the session. This is to help you ease into the shoot by knowing how to position your face and body without being tense.
The background of a headshot can either enhance or spoil the overall image. Among the frequent errors is the employing of distracted backdrops, or environments that do not fit the mood of the image. For example, a business headshot in an office with a lot of activity in the background or a picture taken outside where the background is full of details would divert attention from the person’s face.
How to Shun It: Attain the Absence of Distractions with Simple Cut Backgrounds. In the case of business portraits, plain surfaces such as white, grey or beige are ideal to keep the focus on the subject as they are less busy. While taking photographs for headshots that are less serious or more artistic, lighting inside may also include a few outdoor images, however, do ensure that the background does not create too much busyness. Most expert photographers prefer using bokeh backgrounds to soften the background so that the model’s face remains the main focus, however other aspects are downplayed and rendered secondary.
If it is an indoor headshot, avoid any mess, and use a well-designed professional environment. In the case of headshots where consistency and clarity of the subject are of paramount importance, a bright clean studio is usually the best option.
When it comes to headshots, several individuals erred by considering the price as the most important element and therefore cheaping out or taking photographs on their own. It may seem a practical way to cut expenses, but the end product is more often than not sub-standard photographs that do not serve you well professionally. Such images are more often than not characterised by poor lighting, unprofessional editing and angles that are not pleasing to the eye, which all can be experienced in cheap headshots.
It has been proven that one of the most effective ways to enhance one’s career is to create and cultivate a personal business profile on LinkedIn, and that’s one more reason to get a professional headshot for social media. Investing in a well-done professional headshot often pays dividends in sustaining long-term exposure and respectability.
How to Avoid It: Research photographers and headshot pricing before booking a session. Accept that even though professionally done headshots cost more, the quality of lighting, composition, and retouching is worth it. In general, travel photographers onboard with headshot creation charge rates estimated at $200 to $1000 for a single shot depending on experience, geographical base, and the package offered (makeup, several shots and retook). Such expense may appear exorbitant; however, a professional head-turning shot is hard for posterity and may be usable for several years.
Particularly clarify what is covered in the given bundle-explicitly inquire whether such cost includes any digital images, post-production work and the picture quantity. Low-cost headshots may turn out to have no retouched pictures or standard-resolution images which may restrict their use.
It is acceptable to do some degree of photo retouching on the headshots, but at the same time, excess alterations tarnish the aim of the image by imparting an artificial or too photoshopped feel. This is particularly the case when too much effort is put into skin issues such as smoothing it out, getting rid of wrinkles, or other extreme modifications. The image should still resemble one’s likeness and images that are too much through editing will tend to have a fake aspect to it.
How to Prevent It: Ask for a little retouching that will help improve the natural photo quality without altering how you look. It is not uncommon for professional photographers to do things such as adjust the lighting slightly, clear up any blemishes or smooth out skin texture without losing the picture’s authenticity. The point is to make sure you still look like ‘you’ after the modification i.e. neat and presentable but not made up.
Lastly, the aim of taking headshots is to ensure that the audience views the perfect you ie not taking images and forgetting about the real you. Have faith in your photographer and allow him/her to do what they have to do in order not to spoil your beauty.
Another prevalent blunder in headshots is the lack of hair and makeup, thinking that the ‘natural’ look will be good enough. While extreme makeup is not the objective, a majority of headshot photo sessions are likely to call for some level of grooming. Manners such as hairs straying away, excessive oil on the skin and the poor application of makeup will spoil your photograph.
How to avoid it: For females it is advisable to wear light make-up which will highlight their best features. Do not wear too much foundation and bright lipstick which will be unimpressive in the camera. Men too need to maintain their appearance by, for instance, avoiding excessive facial hair and applying powder to the face. Where possible it is a good idea to find out if the photographer also has ready access to a hair and makeup artist as this tends to come bundled in the high-end packages for a headshot.
A headshot is not just a photo: it plays an important role in developing your personal or corporate brand. Headshots misrepresenting the intended message can be avoided by staying away from donning inappropriate clothes, striking funny poses or resorting to very poor-quality photographs. Take note that headshots are part of your investment for professional growth and therefore it is necessary to know the headshot pricing and quality levels to help you make a wise decision.
If done right, a headshot will make you more marketable because it will project self-assurance, warmth, and trust. By collaborating with a professional photographer and equipping yourself with knowledge on how to get ready for a photo shoot, as well as paying attention to matters such as how to pose, the background, and so on, you will get a headshot that captures you as perfectly as possible.