From Selfie to Professional: The Importance of Investing in Quality Headshots
Make a powerful first impression and boost your personal brand
Ready to book a session?
or have a question?
✉ photo@paulstreit.com
Click my email address, it will open an email on your computer / phone – click the phone # button to call me from your phone)
My guarantee – if you’re not satisfied with your headshots, I’ll reshoot your session at no charge!
Photographs have never been more important than they are in the modern digital world. Sure, most pictures today never wind up getting printed and mounted in a frame, but digital images are passed around constantly via social platforms, websites, and beyond. If you are a professional aiming to build your career and grow your reach in a particular market, having a quality headshot is no longer optional – it’s an essential part of doing business.
The need for a headshot is resolved by some professionals simply by pulling out a smartphone and snapping a so-called “selfie”. This is certainly a quick way to capture an image, but for a professional with career aspirations, this approach is almost always going to fall short. Below, we’ll take a closer look at the problem with selfies and why using a professional headshot photographer service is the way to go.
Selfies Are Not Proper Headshot Photography
I’m not here to say that all selfies are bad. Even as a professional headshot photographer, I can acknowledge that in some situations, a selfie is great. If you are spending time somewhere interesting and want to record a picture of yourself in that place – or want to share an image with a friend over text message – taking a selfie is an ideal solution.
But I would caution you against falling into the temptation of thinking that taking a selfie is going to substitute successfully for proper headshot photography. Between the two, there is really no comparison. With selfies, you are going to run into all sorts of problems with the quality of your images, including poor lighting, an unpredictable or distracting background, and even the quality of the camera itself. Yes, modern smartphone cameras are pretty good, but no, they don’t rise to the level of professional equipment for headshots.
If you have been using a selfie that you took as a headshot profile image online and elsewhere, know that you can do much better. Your professional image deserves more time and effort than what is put into taking a quick selfie on your phone, and the cost of investing in a headshot photography session is likely much lower than what you may expect.
READY TO book a session?
or have a question?
✉ photo@paulstreit.com
Click my email address, it will open an email on your computer / phone – click the phone # button to call me from your phone)
My guarantee – if you’re not satisfied with your headshots, I’ll reshoot your session at no charge!
A Professional Headshot Photographer is a Huge Upgrade
The first thing you gain when working with a professional headshot photography service is access to the experience and knowledge of the photographer. There is more required to take great pictures than most people know, and tapping into that knowledge by hiring a pro is immediately going to boost the quality of the finished headshot.
The image that you publish for the world to see should be one that presents you as a confident and competent professional capable of taking on any challenges that come your way. At the same time, you want to appear warm and approachable rather than cold and distant. Are you going to be able to hit all of those points with a selfie headshot? Probably not. Teaming up with a professional headshot photographer is the way to get it right on these key points so you can be proud of the picture that represents you and your career.
Enjoy Many Benefits with a Professional Headshots Photography Service
When you look at the downsides of using a selfie for a headshot in your professional life, you’ll immediately see that hiring a professional headshot photography service solves all of those concerns. With a professional photographer, you’ll get a polished image that is going to present you in a positive light for potential employers or clients.
If you are pursuing new employment opportunities, for example, the benefits of having a professional headshot available just may make the difference in securing an interview and being passed over. Given the competitive nature of the job market and the surplus of qualified candidates available in many niches, you don’t want to miss any opportunity to stand out and draw attention. A good headshot alone isn’t going to be enough to get you the job, of course, but if it grabs the attention of a recruiter or hiring manager who then looks closer at your resume and decides you are a good fit, the professional headshot photographer session will have been more than worth it in the end.
Good Headshot Photography Will Pay Off for Years to Come
One of the primary objections regarding hiring a professional headshot photographer is simply the cost. Since everyone has a camera in their pocket at all times, some people think that hiring a photographer might be more of an indulgence than a necessity. It’s awfully tempting to just save some money, take your own picture, and move on.
There are a couple of things to note about that line of thinking. First, as discussed above, if these pictures help you get a new job with a higher salary, any money you spend on the photo session will likely be covered by your first paycheck. See this as an investment in your career, just like buying some proper work clothes or taking some courses to develop your skills in a particular area.
Also, don’t assume that you know how much it is going to cost to use a professional headshot photography service until you reach out and ask about pricing directly. The actual cost of a session might be lower than what you expect, making it an even better value and a no-brainer in the end. Of course, you want to make sure that you are working with an experienced, proven photographer, so pick out someone who provides you with a blend of fair pricing and an impressive portfolio so you know your headshot will be in good hands.
Get In Touch Today
With such a clear argument in favor of using a professional headshot photography service rather than just snapping a selfie, the next step is easy – reach out today to learn more about my headshot services. I’ve been specializing in headshot photography for years and I’ll be happy to bring all of my knowledge and experience to your photo shoot. Whether you have questions or are ready to book a session, get in touch today to get started!
