What Your Headshot Says About You

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By The Light Committee

Are you on the fence as to whether you should get headshots in Los Angeles? Maybe you don’t like having your picture taken. Or, maybe you think they are too expensive. Maybe you think a smartphone selfie is good enough. Well, before deciding against one, you might be surprised to learn what your headshot says about you.

First, it’s important to take into consideration that a professional headshot involves using professional-grade equipment to accomplish it. Thus, a professionally done portrait will easily standout compared to anything a smartphone can do. And this is the obvious difference between a professional shot versus an amateur one.

A voiceover actor in a photo shoot Los Angeles
Getting the Best Headshots Can Result in One Useful for More Than Just a Shot for LinkedIn or IMDB

Great Camera and Lighting

A professional photographer is more often than not going to have a commercial studio. It will house the necessary professional-grade gear to produce a truly good picture of you. This includes the camera brand and choice lenses. When shopping around for a photographer, don’t be shy about asking about their camera and lens choices and why they chose them. Do a little research on the camera. Same thing for the lighting.

You don’t need to have working knowledge of the camera gear a photographer uses. But a quick search online will reveal the levels of quality and user base for that gear. After all, the quality of the equipment will have something to say about the quality of your finished picture.

Don’t Settle for Less

So, using an amateur photographer or a friend and a smartphone is settling for less. Remember, most of us use a headshot for business reasons. Put another way, this photo of you is used to help make you money. In the case of an actor or model, it’s a direct correlation. Someone is literally staring at your headshot to decide if they’ll contact you about work. In the case of an executive or other businessperson, it can be more indirect. But people do look at your photo to help them decide if you’re a person they want to work with, be it an accountant, lawyer, real estate agent, etc. This is also true for corporate teams and bios on your website.

It’s easy to settle for something that’s quick and free with a friend or very low-cost. But it will speak volumes about whether a potential customer will work with you. A poor-quality photo might actually brand you as a poor-quality service provider, just like your overall website would.

Stand Out

Because it’s easy for most people to just use a selfie or cheap headshot service, getting a truly exceptional one done is an opportunity to stand out. But, it’s even more important to get a headshot done in the first place. It’s been estimated that people will remember six times more about the profile next to your picture than if there was no picture there. It’s because of the cliché of putting a name to a face.

A good picture of you will also prove you have self-confidence, which is desirable by hiring managers. It’s a top-five attribute sought after in employment candidates. Studies show most people, sadly, lack self-confidence. So, working with a good headshot photographer will help you get a headshot that demonstrates confidence that stands out.

Communicate You

Your picture can be made to communicate who you are and what you’re after. A theatrical actor headshot is used to seek dramatic roles. A model headshot in fashionable clothing is seeking to be cast in the fashion industry. A real estate agent in front of a home targets residential home sellers. You get the idea.

An Armenian woman getting headshots for actors posing for a theatrical actor headshot in a studio near Los Angeles
Headshots Can Be Used to Brand Yourself into a Category, Such as a Theatrical Headshot for Actors

So, headshots do say a lot about you. On the bad side, not having one at all is basically like not professionally existing in terms of career opportunities. Which might be good only if you’re a spy. A poor quality one will likely cast you in that same light – this person lacks the dedication for quality. But a good headshot can be a game-changer. It can launch careers for actors or models and boost sales or hiring opportunities for a businessperson. Finally, they are not as expensive as some might think.