Tips for Your Professional Headshots. Toledo, Ohio. Commercial Photography.

“An outdoor shot in casual attire conveys a very different sense than a portrait in a business suit against a solid color backdrop. The type of photo that’s right for your business is a branding decision, but regardless of the business you are in, a blurry or poorly cropped picture conveys a sense of sloppiness and a lack of attention to detail that carries over to your organization’s reputation.”

-Forbes, Make Sure Your Headshot Matches Your Brand

Headshots are important in the professional world. Not only do they impact how your peers see you, they can direct how your potential clients think about you. Just like your store front, logo, and website create an experience for your customers, your own image is also an important part of your brand. A person who presents a sloppy appearance could be labeled as someone who might not take pride in their work. A nervous or angry expression could make clients wonder if you are difficult to work with. An outdated headshot may remind you of a younger self, but it will confuse peers when they meet you in person.

I have a little bit of advice for you Toledo area professionals, a few tips to make sure you get the right headshot for your brand.

Use a professional: Making room in your marketing budget for headshots is an important part of promoting yourself and your company. A commercial photographer will not only give you high quality, crisp, well lit images, they will also be able to help you pose in a flattering way and coax genuine expressions that will most accurately represent who you are.
Location: Indoor, outdoor, studio, office, workshop: choose a location that represents your brand. A more casual professional might want to visit a park and have natural greenery as their backdrop. Someone wishing to present a powerful image would likely choose a studio setting with a slightly dramatic lighting set up. If your profession would never have you in a suit and tie, you might do best in your own workshop or store. This would highlight what your everyday work looks like.
Clothes: Follow your profession and then your personality. If your office dress code is business casual, dress business casual. If you are in a lab coat, a uniform, or activewear, dressing in the same type of clothing your clients usually see you in will ensure a consistent experience for them. From there, sprinkle in your personality and the message you want to send through your color choices and patterns. Bright colors can express an outgoing and inviting vibe. Neutral colors can be calming and promote trust. Just be sure your clothes match the person that your clients will meet.
Hair/Makeup: Look like you tried; don’t try to look like someone else. Make sure you make an effort to look nice. For men, make sure your hair is tamed and facial hair well groomed. Women, a little eyeliner and a pop of lip color go a long way. The point is that if you care about your business, you care about the person behind it.
Be comfortable: Whether location, clothes, or makeup, being comfortable is going to give you the best chance of a great photo. Headshots need to promote a certain amount of confidence. Anything that could get in the way of you feeling good in front of the camera needs to be eliminated. (I know most of us don’t love having our photo taken, but we can’t eliminate the camera itself. Haha.)

Take these tips and go update your headshots to something fresh and completely YOU! These headshots in this article are of Vikram, a Toledo medical student. Even something as simple as glasses can make a huge difference. Do you like his glasses or prefer without?