3 More Headshot Myths

Myth #3: The camera adds 10 pounds, 10 wrinkles, and 10 zits.

When you look at your own photo it’s natural to immediately see all your wrinkles and blemishes and the things you hate about it before seeing how nice of a photo it actually is. You should feel comfortable talking about this with your photographer and working with them to get the best photo possible. It’s alright to say “I hate my nose” to a headshot photographer- we hear it all the time! A professional photographer can use light, shadow, and posing to minimize the things about the photo you don't want to draw attention to and to catch you at your best angle… including your skinny angle. An untrained or perhaps angry photographer might find the fat angle, however…

Myth #4: If you're having a professional photo taken, you need to put lots of makeup on. Like lots and lots of makeup.

Your headshot should look like how you look at your best and have nothing that distracts from your face- such as bright colors on your clothes or on your eyes, lips and cheeks. Ladies should do your makeup like you are going to a nice dinner where the steak is $20-$30, not like you’re about to be a bridesmaid in a wedding in 1985. Men don’t need to wear any makeup. Blemishes can be covered with concealer or foundation for both men and women if you desire, but modern technology has also brought us digital retouching, which can fix those flaws after the photo is taken.

Myth #5: My smile always looks fake in photos.
If in most of your photos of you feel you have a smile you don’t like or think looks fake or forced, it just means you haven’t felt comfortable enough with a photographer to have a more natural smile captured. We all tend to get that “deer in the headlights” look when someone sits us on a stool with lights and cameras all around us. Relax and chat with your headshot photographer and joke around a bit so your more natural self comes out in the photos. Talk to your photographer on the phone or in person for a bit before booking a session so you know they’re a personable person who will make you feel more relaxed and comfortable in front of the camera. And speak up during the session if you feel like the photos aren’t looking their best—it’s the photographer’s job to make them look good. Take some of the pressure off yourself to create a perfect smile! A good smile will come naturally if you let it.

2 Headshot Myths

Myth #1: “Wow, now that I’ve met you in person, you look so much different from the photo on your eHarmony.com profile” is a compliment.

You should always look like yourself in your headshot so people can recognize you on sight at networking events, conferences, on sales calls, or on multiple websites or social networking platforms-- it's like branding your face as a logo. A headshot should also be “organic:” it should look like a natural you that’s nice and fresh with no additives or preservatives.

Myth #2: An iPhone snapshot works just fine as a headshot.

You can always tell who took a snapshot on their iPhone and started using it as a headshot- their photos are simply flat and unprofessional. If you want to be seen as flat and unprofessional in your work and give the impression of someone who doesn’t care enough about their business to get a nice headshot, then by all means, use your iPhone. But a professional photo on your website, blog, and on social media profiles will set you apart as someone serious about what they do and their online presence. And an iPhone shot won’t cut it when you need to print a photo in a press release, newsletter or program for a speaking engagement or convention. 9 out of 10 phone calls I get for headshots are for professionals using iPhone shots who suddenly need a professional headshot by the end of the week for a speaking engagement or other event.