Summary:
- How to Find Out Where to Get a Professional Headshot at a Local Studio
- Factors to Consider When Hiring a Photographer
- How Often Should You Get a New Headshot?
The time has come to refresh your headshot, and you're wondering where to get a professional headshot done. You want to know how much it will cost, and what are the alternatives? You've played around with the idea of getting an AI headshot, but you're not impressed with what you've seen so far. You've also wondered about headshot portraits since you've seen a few online, and you've considered getting one done.
There is a lot to process when it comes to professional headshots, and you are certainly not alone. People are always looking for ways to stand out online and make a strong first impression.
We've combined some of our best tips to help you have a great experience when researching getting a new headshot.
How to Find Out Where to Get a Professional Headshot at a Local Studio
Doing a quick search online will yield results from countless studios offering headshots. While some may think that this will simplify the process for them, you're left with doing hours of research trying to find the best option.
So, what are the best ways to find where to get a professional headshot taken without having to browse through endless search results?
Ask a friend or colleague for recommendations.
The best recommendations are within your immediate circle. If someone had a great experience somewhere, they will be happy to point you in the right direction. Ask them about their experience and then have a look at some of the reviews to see what others have to say.
Do some research on social media.
Many photographers have been using platforms like LinkedIn and even TikTok to showcase their work but, most importantly, showcase the experience they provide. Many people feel nervous in front of the camera, and it's important for photographers to take their potential clients on a journey and showcase how they will foster comfort with their clients.
Consider Headshot Portraits
While this may be a new concept for some, it's growing in popularity and makes getting a quality professional headshot accessible to more people. A headshot portrait is different from an AI headshot. While some AI apps may have portrait mode as part of the styles they offer, the finished product will never beat an artist's work.
If you are considering a portrait headshot, you would want to work with a brand that works with portrait artists who are meticulously trained to meet the standards of various headshot portrait styles. The big difference here is that an artist draws your headshot before it is digitized. It captures the important details, and your headshot will actually look like you...this is pretty important, right?
This is not to say that there is no place for AI headshots in the future, but if you've seen some of the AI headshots shared by others online, you know that while some parts may look realistic, there is always something off about them.
Now that we are seeing the rise of AI and that sometimes it can be obvious when graphics or content is created with the help of AI, it's important to stand out and showcase what makes you unique.
How Often Should You Get a New Headshot?
There is no one answer when it comes to determining when you should get a new headshot, but we have some tips that will help you identify when it could be a good time to consider doing so.
You're starting a new job.
It's possible that if you're starting a new job, you will be provided with the opportunity to get a new headshot done so that yours is on-brand with those from the rest of the team. If not, a change in career generally is a good time to get a new headshot. If you've been employed at the same place for quite some time, a change in visuals would also help your network recognize the change as well.
Product or book launch.
For founders and authors, the launch of a new product or book is always a good time to get a new headshot. PR teams will often recommend using one headshot across all platforms and on all publications, but if your last product or book launch was ten years ago, chances are, you've changed a bit. This makes it a great opportunity to consider a new headshot.
New company branding.
If you're an entrepreneur and you've recently undergone a website refresh or maybe done a complete three-sixty with your branding, it would also be a good time to consider getting a new headshot.
You received feedback from a recruiter.
Not many people would think about this, but recruiters often give candidates feedback about their headshots. Although this may be a bit of a sensitive topic, if your LinkedIn headshot is a selfie with poor lighting or if you have no headshot at all, you shouldn't be surprised if you get feedback from a recruiter or hiring manager.
Upcoming speaking gig.
Anytime you get invited on stage, there may be some specific headshot requirements to follow. Sometimes, this is done to ensure cohesiveness across marketing material for a conference. Other times, it's necessary to add your headshot to various presentation slides.
Losing your previous files.
It's important to always store your original files in order to have easy access in the future. Let's say you use your headshot on LinkedIn, but you don't keep the original file, anytime you download the image from LinkedIn (or any other platform) and upload it to a new platform or program, it could impact the file integrity. The more you do this, the more pixelated your image will look. If you've lost the original files of your previous headshot, it would be a perfect time to get a new one.
You can have all the talent in the world, but will you stand out without a headshot that creates an impact? The rise of entrepreneurs in the U.S. also creates a need to stand out in a competitive marketplace.
Now that you know where to get a professional headshot done and some of our best tips to help you find the right fit for you, we hope that your next experience will be one without any stress. If you're generally not comfortable in front of the camera, there are other options for you.
Considering a digital headshot created by an artist is one way to give your headshot more longevity, and you can do so easily in a few seconds by sending in your selfie.
Remember, your headshot is often the first impression you give; so make sure it's the best version of you!
