Getting the perfect headshot photo for you is more than just finding a good photographer.  A lot more.  Approaching it in the right way will lead to better results and a photo that works for you and not against you. Here are some things to keep in mind during the headshot process: We all have the same style! A technically good headshot photo is one thing, but if it’s shot in a style that doesn’t match watch you do, or your brand, it can be a visual non-starter.   A web designer may not want a headshot that makes them look like a banker.  A financial services professional may not want an edgy-looking image.   Discuss the look you’re after with your photographer and make sure you’re on the same page. I’m so glamorous…. You may be glamorous, but you don’t want your image to turn into a glowing portrait straight out of 1940s Hollywood–or worse, 1980s glamour shot studios.   A little makeup is great, but a more natural look, as opposed to airbrushed, is preferred.  So lose the boa, ditch the wrap and be fabulous by being you. The disappearing headshot You’re ready to send out the PR piece or local press contacts you asking for a handout headshot.   Did you fail to back up your original headshot and place it someplace–on a CD, an exteral drive, online–where you can find it easily again?  If you had a headshot taken by a friend, coworker or a part-time photographer, you may be out of luck.  Make sure you save your headshot images in multiple locations, or work with a photographer who will still be in business two years from now–they’ll easily be able to locate your image in time to make your deadline. The 1980s called.  They want their headshot back. Headshots age quickly.  A good guideline is to update yours every 2-4 years, depending on your profession.   You can maximize the life of your headshot if you stay away from fashion fads (think bell bottoms, elephant collars, shoulder pads and big earrings) in favor of simpler, classic looks.   Stay away from patterns and go for solid colors.  If you’re a cutting-edge hair person, be prepared to get your headshot updated more regularly.   If the hair in your last headshot looks like the hi-top fade Kid sported from the group  Kid ‘n Play, it might be time to get a new one done. Unnatural, stiff, posed-looking Who loves getting their headshots taken?   Judging from the initial reactions of those I’ve photographed, not many.   Your photographer should work with you to get a more relaxed expression.  The goal should be a natural-looking expression, rather than a pasted-on smile.   Every photographer has a different way of getting you to this place, but there are a combination of techniques, from physical posing to interpersonal interaction that will lessen your pain in front of the camera–and make you love the results.  The name of the game is, if you’re uncomfortable, it’ll show in the photo.  The best thing you can do is approach your headshot in the spirit of wanting to get the best photo, and making the best of the opportunity you have to look your best, rather than focusing on the negative. I got this headshot for $40 Congratulations!  Your friend/wife/boss just got a new camera and they’ve always wanted to be a photographer…and they’ve agreed to take your headshot!   Or you are referred to a ‘professional’ charging rates much lower than anyone else in the market.  Can these folks take a headshot that is professional, make you look great and save you a lot of green in the process?  Absolutely.  But generally, you get what you pay for.   The lights, modifiers, digital cameras that make you look so good can’t be purchased with revenue generated from ‘free’ sessions.   When you pay a photographer, you are paying a little for their time…and a lot for their experience, accumulated over years.  If you’re a gambler, go with Aunt Susie.  If you want consistent results, pay a professional…it’s that simple. Choose the right photographer All photographers are not alike.   Make sure you’re looking at the right photographer with the skills and interests that show they’ll do a good job with your headshot.   Ansel Adams may be a master printer and landscape photographer, but I wouldn’t think first of him when it comes to hiring a wedding photographer.   Besides the fact that he’s dead,   there’s nothing in his portfolio that says “I like to shoot people.  I shoot them a lot. ”  Don’t hire a wedding photographer to shoot product, either.   But can you hire a wedding photograher to shoot a headshot?  Absolutely–they both work with people and shoot a lot of portraits, so it’s a much better fit.   When you’ve narrowed down your search to include people- and portrait-photographer types, then hone down further by looking at their portfolios to see if they’ve shot headshots and portraits in a style you enjoy.   Do they shoot with natural light or studio?   Is there stuff white, light and blown out?  Is it dark and dramatic?   What’s the best fit for your brand and occupation? White backgrounds are the best, right? Headshots typically run very small, and in many publications are cropped so that shoulders don’t show.  If you are photographed against a white background, it then creates the discombobulated ‘floating head’ effect.  Poof, you’re the Wizard of Oz.   So stay away from white backgrounds in favor of natural environment or a colored backdrop.