The primary purpose of a business headshot is to show to potential clients and associates that you are professional, reliable, trustworthy, and approachable. Looking approachable yet confident in a headshot all starts with what you decide to wear. If you wear clothing you do not feel comfortable in, it will show in your expression.
Clothing is the most important factor in your headshot, but it is definitely not the focus. When you wear proper clothing, it allows your face to command attention in the portrait and the clothing itself becomes secondary. As in life, wearing the wrong clothing takes center stage and takes attention from where you want it – on you, or in this case, on your face.
We live in a very technologically driven world. When people want to know about something or someone, what is the first thing they do? They go online. When they want to find out about a product or service, they Google it. When they want to find out more about a person, they’re heading to Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, & Linked-In. Online appearance is extremely important. Many people make their decision while researching online. Whether you are searching for your dream job, vying for a promotion or hoping to appeal to prospective clients, your headshot should communicate that you care enough about your appearance and your profession to invest in it.
When you think of headshots, you tend to think of actors and models, because they need headshots to book work. This still holds true for their profession but nowadays with the popularity of search engines like Google and Bing, everyone is searching names to find information about individuals and their companies.