I’m on a mission. A mission to improve the professional appearance of businesses in Kent by making them aware that decent portrait images of their staff are vital for reinforcing their brand values. Particularly the customer facing staff – and that is pretty much everyone in today’s streamlined, flat structured, small-but-perfectly-formed organisations. But, I need your help!
Smartphones & Social Media!
I need you to stop thinking that the images you take on your camera phone are “good enough”. In this article I’m going to explain why.
The two most transformative technologies for photography in the last ten years have been social media and the smartphone. Hand in hand they have fundamentally altered the thinking of individuals and businesses. These days photographs are in use for the mundane evidence-based reports of work being carried out; passing helpful information on from one person to another; as an aide-memoire of stock numbers or products and; importantly, helping businesses appear friendly and approachable by ‘introducing’ their staff to customers and prospects.
It’s this last area I’d like you to ponder and reflect on. Why would you use a professional photographer when you can take a few selfies on the phone and upload them to your website? Surely, head shot photography is no more than lining up the lens with a person’s face and pressing the button? Professional portrait photography is more than pointing a camera at someone and hitting the shutter release: It’s not even the most important bit. It’s about how the sitter feels at the time of the shot – their preparedness; It’s about the relationship with the photographer – how relaxed the sitter is; it’s how the finished shot is going to be used – the context of that photographic portrait.
Take the Challenge…
Do me a favour will you…Grab your mobile, pull open your camera app and take a selfie. Now, if the saying ‘you never get a second chance to make a good first impression.’ is true, take a long hard look at that photograph and try and think of that image as someone you don’t really know. Actually, that’s not far from the truth because other than photographic images, you see yourself backwards, Alice through the Looking Glass style; literally and figuratively. Literally because the camera image shows your hair parting as others see it, the wonky smile leering from the other side of your face, a nose stud flipped from left to right (or vice-versa) Figuratively because once you acknowledge those differences you can start to think if the face you are looking at is someone you would like to know better.
What does that shot ‘say’? Leave aside your brand values for now. What can you glean from the shot? Your gender, race and age, obviously… What next? Your trustworthiness, likeability and approachability… In other words your Professionalism. That shot has to stand in, online, for you – and show what you personally believe in, stand for and practice. So; what does the analytical ‘You’ think about that selfie now?
Tips for How to Look Good…
With professional portraits, you can stack the odds of success in your favour. Photographers understand the importance of the correct pose. Many times I get people to lean slightly towards me for shots. This simple act is a way of conveying assertiveness – great for your sales team. Getting people to smile in the image conveys approachability. This is a primordial non verbal method of communicating that we are not a threat (we’re not going to fight you, F**k you, or eat you).
There are other simple methods of posing for photos that help show the sitter as an approachable professional too. Here are a few tips that will make you look better – even in a selfie.
Smile for the camera – that’s a real smile where it reaches the eyes. Anything less looks fake.
Make sure your eyes are visible in the photo – don’t shade them with a hat or a pair of dark glasses. On that note, if you wear glasses most of the time, keep them on for your profile photos because that’s how people see you and without them, people will feel there is something different or wrong when they meet you in person.
After a smile and clear eyes in a photo, the next thing we are drawn to is a strong jawline. This is seen as attractive in all sexes. Earlier, I mentioned the little lean forward in photos. This is also a great method of reducing a double chin due to it stretching the skin, as you bring your head up for the shot. Assertiveness and attractiveness all in one small nuance of a pose… Who knew? (Certainly not a selfie taker!)
If this short piece gives you some ideas for your own profile photos – great! There are other elements too – style of shot (formal/informal), what to wear, type of background, etc, and I’d be happy to talk you through these elements for you and your staff’s photos. And here’s an offer to Supply My Business members: Book me on 07795 071446 for your staff head shot photos before the end of March 2018 and get 30% off our standard pricing.
Pete Bresser is director of Bresser Photography & Digital Media