Jay Kinghorn, Olympus Visionary Photographer and co-author of Perfect Digital Photography, recommends working with a professional photographer. “If you were getting ready to impress a future client, would you cut your own hair, or have a professional do it?”
According to Kinghorn, image and composition are important when it comes to sending the right message visually. “Photographs communicate to your audience in both subtle and obvious ways. A photographer who understands what you are trying to achieve with your portrait is invaluable. Bringing a photographer in to shoot your headshot will help you convey the professionalism you bring to your work.”
Kinghorn shares these tips for DIYs and those planning to work with a photographer:
Setting
Choose a setting and background that is simple and will not detract from the subject.
The setting should reflect who you are. (Chef/kitchen. CEO/office. Hair stylist/salon.)
Full color, grayscale or B/W
This should be dictated by your profession. If you are a clown who performs for children, color is a must. A high-powered corporate lawyer might opt for the seriousness black and white can convey. Ideally though, the photograph will work well both in color and black and white. A good head shot will work in a variety of situations.
Photo sizes/resolutions
It is ideal to have a 5x7 inch print resolution version for advertising and promotion along with smaller, 600x800 pixel images in JPG format for the Web, blogs, Twitter, etc. Your photo should be simply composed to work effectively at a small size.
What to wear
Dress in an outfit you're comfortable wearing. You'll be more at ease and smile more naturally in your photos. Avoid busy patterns. They are distracting to the viewer and can create technical problems when printed.
Take your time
Allocate sufficient time to get a great shot. Most people aren't particularly comfortable in front of the camera. After the first dozen photos, you'll begin to relax and you'll appear more at ease.
Keep it fresh
Update your photo annually unless you have a new hairstyle, have added glasses, etc. within the year. You can always ask yourself, "If someone viewed my headshot, then later met me at a cocktail party, would they recognize me?"
To learn more from Jay on how to create perfect digital photography, visit his web site at RGB Imaging. You can also follow him on Twitter @jaykinghorn.
Related article: Making Connections that Click: Jay Kinghorn, Olympus Visionary
Great tips Jay
Lets continue spreading the message about the importance of using ones image as part of their brand
Posted by: John Cassidy | 08/11/2009 at 07:14 PM
It's so true, isn't, John? From the 5 x 7 to the thumbnail, your photo says something about you. There are many who get this right, but most of us use a photo that we already have or is easy to shoot with little effort or planning (I'm in that category right now). Your site has some great headshots and depict the various styles Jay talked about in this post. Thank you for commenting and supporting this post.
-Kelly
Posted by: Z. Kelly Queijo | 08/11/2009 at 09:47 PM