If a picture is worth a thousand words, what does your do-it-yourself head shot say about you?
Many small business owners take the do-it-yourself route when
submitting head-shot photos for media use in order to save time and
money or meet a pressing deadline. This can work well, provided they
take care to capture a winning image. Other times, owners submit images
for media use that don't put their best faces forward. Maybe these mug
shots would pass for a driver's license or passport, but not for
promotional use. As humorist Erma Bombeck
once quipped, "If you look like your passport photo, it's time to go
home." Face it, just owning a digital camera doesn't mean you should
use it for business. A poor portrait can reflect negatively on your
personal brand and reputation.
Newspapers publish executive photos in their "Briefcase" sections, and
readers turn to them to learn who has been promoted or moved to new
positions. Readers who seek new business prioritize prospecting efforts
based on these postings and follow up to extend congratulations and
invite new business conversations.
In addition, many papers publish how-to columns from area experts
offering tips that readers can use to make smarter business decisions.
A quality head shot can turn such a column into a credible and
persuasive branding tool that can live on as a professional reprint
long after the newspaper has faded.
Since your image is on the line, supply a photo that does the best that
can be done with what you've got to work with. Then, when editors see
your photo, they won't quip that you have a face for radio. Worse yet,
they won't exclude your photo from the mix in favor of others of better
quality.
Some of the most common missteps with do-it-yourself head-shot photography include:
> Unflattering lighting
> A nonneutral background (plants that appear to be growing out of an executive's head)
> Poor wardrobe choices (bold patterns and dated clothing)
> Too much blue eye shadow
> Dated or messy hairstyles
> Far more person showing than the standard head-and-shoulders view
> Somber facial expressions
> Submitting a photo from five or 10 years ago. This can backfire
when folks meet you for the first time. If you are not truthful about
your appearance, what else might you fib about? Keep in mind that
hairstyles, hair colors, and fashion trends change as time marches on.
If your reflection in the mirror today doesn't match your photo, it is
time to sit for a new one.
Henry Schulz, principal of Henry Schulz Photography, has photographed
Miss Washington candidates for the past seven years, along with
numerous local executives for a wide range of publications. Based on
his years of photographing the bold and the beautiful, the shy and
retiring, and those who are growing older and wider, he offers these tips:
Personal Grooming:
Women -- Pay special attention to hair and make-up. Apply more blush than usual to avoid appearing washed out.
Men -- Hair should be neatly styled, and facial hair should be precisely trimmed.
Clothing: Solid, medium- to dark-tone business attire works best. Faint pinstripes or subtle patterns are acceptable.
Background: A smooth neutral-colored background works well. You
should be situated at least 3 feet away from the background, and 6 feet
away is preferable. This helps keep the background out of focus.
Posing: Turn away from the camera at approximately a 45-degree
angle. Turn your head directly to the camera with the shoulders still
facing away
from the camera. The back should be arched slightly with your shoulders back.
Technique: Framing in the camera should be from the bottom of the
breast pocket on a man's jacket, or just above the "V" where the blazer
meets when buttoned. Allow a few inches of background above the head.
Always use your "on camera flash" to take the picture, whether in
daylight or indoors. Let the subject know when you snap the photo.
Saying "cheese" or a similar phrase really works because it tends to
put a twinkle in the eye and a smile on
the face of the person being photographed.
Cropping: Images of 4 by 5 inches or 5 by 7 inches are adequate for most uses.
Digital quality: Most newspapers and magazines prefer digital photos of at least 300 DPI, or dots per inch.
Labeling: Label the images by first and last name, your title, your company and the date.
If you insist on do-it-yourself photography, follow these tips. As an
alternative, hire a professional photographer to capture a winning
image. The investment of time and money is modest, and the end result
will put your best face forward so folks beyond your mother will notice.
Reprinted with permission.
Nancy S. Juetten owns Main Street Media Savvy.
As an experienced, talented, and passionate publicist and storyteller, Nancy knows
who to call and what to say to capture the attention and interest of writers and
editors around town and elsewhere. She is also the author of the Media-Savvy-to-Go
publicity toolkit that helps publicity-seeking business owners everywhere get
seen, heard, and celebrated in their own backyard. To learn more, go to: www.mainstreetmediasavvy.com
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