How to Find the Perfect Headshot Photographer for Your Professional Images

Professional headshots should be considered an investment in your business, your team and yourself. They should be versatile – finding a place on your website, social media, LinkedIn, maybe even your email footers and newsletters. They should be representative of your business and the people behind it (even if that person is Simply you) and they should remain relevant for a decent length of time (though bear in mind that fashions and business direction may dictate their longevity).

So with all of this value placed on them, how do you go about finding the right headshot photographer for you?

Find Some Inspiration

As with many things in life, a bit of research can go a long way – and finding a photographer is no different. Start by looking around at other people’s images and not just those within your industry (after all, your photographs are about you and you don’t just want to look like a carbon copy of your competitors). Gather a sense of what you like and what you feel would best represent your business. Do you like more formal headshots or do candid, relaxed shots appeal? Do you want to get your team out and about or would images in your office be more representative of who you are?

Get Talking

Once you have found some examples that resonate with you, don’t be afraid to contact the people in the images directly to ask for their feedback and recommendations. This is also a great way to network! Then dig a little deeper on the photographer’s website and social media for more examples.

Try to build a shortlist of two or three who really appeal and whose images you have admired. Once you have your list, you can get in touch with each of them.

What Do You Need to Know?

You may already have criteria for the pictures you want taken. From knowing where you would like the shoot to take place to the dates you have in mind and exactly what you will use the photos for. You may also have no idea other than it’s time to update your team headshots. There is no right or wrong. A good professional photographer will help you define what value the images will bring to your business and how they can best work with you to put everyone at ease and create the perfect library of images for you.

Consider asking questions like:

• How do you make subjects feel comfortable?
• Can you share more examples of your work?
• What is your availability and pricing?

Relax

This initial conversation is also an important part of the planning process. How do they make you feel? Is this someone who sounds knowledgeable? Do they put you at ease? Do you think you can work with them? The more relaxed people feel, the better they will photograph. I have taken thousands of photographs over the years and I very rarely find anyone who ‘loves’ having their picture taken. Very few people feel truly comfortable in front of the camera lens – putting themselves under immense pressure to pick the right outfit, perfect their hair and makeup, sit comfortably, and strike just the right pose. Despite all of this, I am consistently told that I manage to make people feel at ease and that the whole experience is much less painful than they had imagined! And the results Simply speak for themselves.

Agree on the Price

Everyone has different budgets to contend with and the size of the shoot and individual requirements are a factor. However, the cost of the shoot should not dictate your choice of photographer. I believe that the best results will be created by using the right photographer with the ability to put people at ease enough to let their personalities shine through. And some skills are Simply priceless.

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