There are a lot of articles out there about how to take professional headshots, and a large number of them try explaining that you can simply ‘do it yourself’.
In one sense, that is true – anyone can take a selfie or ask a friend with a camera to take a photo, but the whole point of a professional photograph is that it looks…well…professional.
Splento provides an experienced professional photographer for just £99 an hour, along with a host of other included benefits.
Before you decide whether to try to take a professional headshot at home, read on and discover the Splento Difference – and why an affordable professional might just end up saving you money.
First impressions ALWAYS count.
There is no doubt that the world is moving online. In fact, it has already happened.
Apply for a job now and before you arrive at the interview, you will have been looked at on social media (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter) and your name will have been Googled. And the first thing looked at? Your photo.
The truth is, in many cases, the prospective employer will have already made up their mind about you from your online presence even before you arrive for the interview.
If you run a business, or are in sales or any direct contact work, the same applies. Most people dealing with a business will first and foremost look them up online before considering any dealings with them.
It’s why most companies now have a ‘Meet the Team’ page on their website. Customers want to know who they are dealing with. Employers want to know who is applying for the job. They all want to put a face to a name.
Can they tell much from a single photograph? Arguably not, but that’s not the point.
The point is that most people intuitively get a gut feeling about someone the first time they see them, and it is on that feeling that they base all subsequent decisions.
Studies repeatedly show us that we form our opinion of someone within a few tenths of a second of first meeting them. Or seeing their photo. And it is opinions about trustworthiness that come out of that first contact.
So, if you want the first impression you make on a new potential boss to be a selfie of you last summer in Marbella, that’s your prerogative, but don’t say we didn’t warn you.
Having a professional headshot taken for a CV, for a business page or anywhere else that matters can get you a job, a promotion or the next contract.
Every expert advises getting a professional photo taken for your LinkedIn profile page; but even for other more social media presence, it is to be recommended.
We live our lives online these days and first impressions count – so make them count in your favour.
The attitude perspective.
Let’s continue the thought of the imagined job interview for a moment longer.
Imagine you are interviewing for a PA for yourself and there are two applicants. One candidate turns up in smart business attire and is well-groomed. The other arrives in a scruffy tracksuit and is generally unkempt.
Which one is telling you they haven’t made an effort and displays the wrong attitude?
So it is with your headshot photo. Imagine a selfie now, set against a professional headshot. Which photo is telling you the person couldn’t be bothered and decided that ‘any old photo will do’?
Is this an unfair perception? Perhaps. But it doesn’t make it any less true that you will be judged on your appearance – and that is going to be conveyed by the quality of the photo that you have taken.
Even if it’s not a selfie, you can immediately spot the difference between an image taken by a professional headshot photographer and one taken by a keen amateur – no matter how expensive his camera.
A professional photographer with experience will take a better headshot on a low-quality smartphone than a photo enthusiast possible could with a top-range professional camera.
If the first impression doesn’t impress, you only then reinforce this perception when people realise that you deliberately chose not to make an effort with your headshot photo.
Editing your headshot photo
Even after taking your homemade headshot, the story doesn’t end there – the picture will almost certainly need retouching.
Skin blemishes, the bit of background sticking out of your head that you didn’t notice at the time, the washed-out look of your face. These can all be corrected professionally.
Yes, there is software out there that will allow you to do an OK job of it, but if the starting point is an iPhone image, it’s not got much to work with.
And any image not taken on professional equipment doesn’t stand up well once you start to manipulate it; there is simply not enough data in the digital file to allow for much editing without distortion or other loss of quality.
The way to get a great headshot
Simply put, the only way to get a professional headshot photo is to hire a professional.
And the good news is that affordable professional headshot photographers are available – you just need to know where to look.
Splento is the only photo and video service you’ll ever need.
They will provide an experienced headshot professional for you wherever and whenever you need them, for just £99 per hour – and that includes retouching the photos as well. And with the results delivered to you in just 48 hours, there’s no long wait either.
And no excuse to try and make do with your iPhone.
Booking a photographer with Splento is easy – simply phone them and tell them what photo service you want, where you want it and when you want it.
That’s it. Or you can book online if you prefer.
A professional headshot specialist will then arrive at the appointed hour. They will take time with you to understand exactly the look you need and what it will be used for, and then they will take your amazing headshot photos for you.
After the session, your photos will be professionally retouched and delivered to you via a secure online gallery.
Take a look now at Splento’s portfolio for some amazing headshot examples .
What are your thoughts on headshot photograph? Leave us a comment below and let us know.
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