You will be well aware of the fact that professionally taken headshots are vital for your professional as well as personal branding. You may find it surprising that there are tons of people who simply do not like to take pictures of themselves unless they are present in a good-looking destination and are in the company of their favorite people. They do this because they do not like to have attention on themselves. That said, a headshot photo is a vital component for anyone’s personal branding resources.
Besides helping, you make great first impression and letting others decide whether they should take your online presence seriously or not, a professional headshot is perhaps the best way to showcase yourself to everyone without uttering a word. A well-taken headshot can accurately reflect your image or the one you want to portray.
We are fortunate enough to live in a time where virtually everybody has technology at his or her fingertips. Therefore, you cannot make excuses for not taking your own headshot even in situations where you do not have the resources to hire a professional photographer to take your headshots (although it is highly preferred). With the invention of high quality cameras in our phones, user friendly yet effective photo editing applications, and some handy tips regarding lighting and body language, anybody can learn how to take a professional headshot in NYC.
Look the Part
You must focus on looking your best before you take your headshot. Avoid wearing anything too flashy, as it will take the attention of you. The best thing to do would be to choose something with solid colors but without any patterns or designs. Remember to wear clothes that match your role without being overly stuffy. Your make up should look natural and your hair should be clean. Do not wear big pieces of jewelry, as they are quite distracting.
Appropriate jewelry, natural looking hair and makeup, and neutral clothing with solid colors would be the best way to approach your look for the headshot.
Body Language is Key
You may have heard this earlier but you may need a refresher anyway – body language can make or break your professional headshot. It is perhaps the thing that you have to pay most attention towards. So, take your time and rehearse some poses before you go out in front of the camera, or better yet, practice your poses and take some pictures with your phone to see how you look. Remember, confidence is the key and the person viewing the picture can easily determine confidence through your eyes. So stay calm and exude confidence through your eyes and body.
Follow the Photographer’s Instructions
If you do end up hiring a professional headshot photographer, remember to listen to their instructions. Sometimes, people have difficulty in understanding a photographer’s point of view. However, you should place your trust in them and follow what they are saying, as it will improve your headshot’s quality by tenfold.
Now that you know the basics regarding how to take a professional headshot, go out and practice until you are confident with yourself and your ability to take good headshots.
