Never Use a Selfie for Your Headshot
In the Business World today, your Headshot is like your digital handshake. It can literally be everywhere. As such, potential clients and employers will make assumptions about you based on your Headshot. And after all, you only get one chance to make a First Impression.
Which leads into our topic—should you use a selfie for your Headshot? Absolutely not! Never use a selfie for your headshot. There are many reasons a selfie could be a bad choice in the business arena.
Make a Great First Impression with a Professional Headshot
I love that Eileen wore green for her Headshots. We created both horizontal and vertical images to ensure she could use them on multiple platforms.
First Impressions Matter: As stated above, your headshot is often the very first impression you make online or in a professional context. Job applications, LinkedIn, or corporate websites—all will most likely feature your Headshot. A selfie can seriously undermine the impression you’re trying to create, especially in industries that emphasize professionalism. In most cases, a hiring manager or potential client will not want to see you on vacation in your bathing suit with a drink in hand.
Professional Headshots Imply Professionalism
Selfies = Perceived Lack of Professionalism: Selfies are at best often viewed as casual and informal. They often feature bad lighting, poor composition and unflattering posing. In professional applications, a well-composed, high-quality headshot taken by a Professional Photographer can convey a stronger sense of professionalism and attention to detail.
Benefits of Professional Headshots
Lighting: Lighting is one of the biggest factors that set professional photos apart from selfies. In most cases, a great Headshot features complimentary lighting—no harsh shadows or blown out highlights.
Good Composition and Framing: With a selfie, you may have limited control over framing, angles, and the background, which can affect the overall quality of the photo. Professional photographers know how to pose you and capture the right angle, ensuring that you look your best.
Distracting Backgrounds: With any portrait, the most important element is the face of the subject. In many cases, selfies feature cluttered or distracting backgrounds, which can take attention away from your face. A Professional Headshot Photographer will ensure that the background complements you and doesn’t interfere with the message you’re trying to convey.
Posture and Expression: Let’s face it, most selfies look awkward. Taking a selfie can seriously limit your ability to project the right posture or facial expression. Professional headshots are carefully crafted to make you appear friendly, approachable, confident, and competent, which is definitely harder to pull off with a selfie.
Save the Selfies for Personal Use
Ultimately, selfies can be great for personal or informal settings, but when it comes to your business image and online presence, it’s usually better to invest in a high-quality photo that reflects your professional brand. And in terms of money spent, it can be one of the best investments you could possibly make. So please–Never Use a Selfie for Your Headshot!
Are you ready to get your Professional Headshots created? Be sure to read our post on 7 Tips for Choosing a Professional Headshot and Personal Branding Photographer.
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