Dana

Dana, originally uploaded by ProPhotoHouston.

Glamour headshot

Have you ever seen a headshot of a polished looking business person on a corporate website and then met them and found they looked nothing like their photo? You aren’t the first!

Unfortunately, many people believe that their headshot on their business card or corporate website has to conform to a specific image regardless of what they truly look like. A corporate makeover is not necessary for your corporate headshot and dressing and appearing unlike yourself could actually hurt you in the long run.

If you have a lot of face time in front of clients, you probably already adhere to a corporate dress code that’s sufficient for clients and / or your employer. Dress for your headshot like you would dress for an important client meeting. This is going to be your professional appearance and what your clients can expect. This means that anyone who meets with you who previously saw your business photo is not going to have trouble recognizing you.

It’s ok to alter your appearance slightly such as wear your hair differently that day or dress a little more professionally but it’s a good idea to simply look like a polished version of yourself. If you wear facial piercing on the weekends, it might be a good idea to take them out for your professional photo but you don’t have to dye your hair a different color or stop wearing glasses or alter your appearance drastically.

When having your photo taken, a good photographer will try to put you at ease so that you do look like yourself at your best. A warm photo with a confident smile is probably what your photographer will work towards. It may take time to come up with the right snapshot but if you try to relax and let the photographer do their job, you will likely get great results.

This is why it’s important to hire a professional photographer with experience in headshots for corporate use. The results will be much better than simply using a homemade photo or inexpensive department store portrait.

Photographers shouldn’t try to alter your appearance drastically. Beyond being polished and professional looking, your headshot should personify your character in order to help you impress potential clients or employers.