1/28/2020 0 Comments The Dreaded Professional HeadshotHow to get it done even when you don't want to I recently noticed that a woman I work with had a headshot on her website that was about 20 years old. Now she is a beautiful woman. No doubt about that. But her headshot, which is what people often see before they meet her, was not a true representation of what she looks like now. After this observation, I decided to look at my own headshot.
And then I started laughing. My headshot is at least 10 years old. It was taken back when I was really cute. Just kidding. But it WAS taken before my face changed to its new look -- 49 years old and, to me, looking very different from the 39-year old version. So I decided I needed to do new headshots. And then I felt sick to my stomach for the next week. How stressful. Having a new headshot taken was the last thing I wanted to do. I would have to figure out what to wear. I would have to wash my hair. MAKE UP!! I do not know how to use makeup. And then, after all that, I would have to look at these pictures and decide which one was the best representation for my organization. No thank you. Now through my non-profit, Kids Run Long Island, I teach boys and girls how to be confident. I teach them how to believe in themselves and know that they are strong and beautiful inside and out. I teach them to face their fears. And here I was, feeling anything BUT confident about staring at pictures of myself. I was dreading it. But after eating some dark chocolate and crying a little, I decided I had to do it. Luckily, I have the best photographer. Jennifer Mercurio of Lasting Impressions Photography tries to make her clients feel as comfortable as they can. She understands that it’s often difficult for people to commit to getting their professional photos done. But with her guidance, and some great lighting, I was able to complete the process without having a total nervous breakdown. So for all of you who are putting off getting those annoying headshots, here are some helpful hints that I hope will make it a little easier. 1. Hire a good photographer. Number one! Make sure it is not only someone that is good but also someone you feel comfortable with. Speak to them to find out how much it will cost, how many pictures you will get, and what kind of poses you will do. Check out their website to see their work. 2. Think about what you should wear. Pack options just in case. You never know what will look best. Speak to your photographer about this but also think about your brand and the message you want to convey. 3. Hire someone to do your hair. Totally optional but if you really like the way your hair looks after you get a haircut, go get it professionally blown out for your shoot. With your hairdresser’s help, figure out what look will make you feel confident. 4. Make your appointment at a time that gives you space to get ready. My appointment was at 10:30 AM on a slow workday. I was able to relax in the morning as I worked on getting ready. 5. Wear a lot of deodorant. If you are like me, you will be nervous about this so be prepared! 6. Let your photographer know what your “issues” are. My photographer asked me, “What are you worried about? What should I address?” She laughed at me when I blurted out “the scar on my neck.” Right after that, I started complaining about other concerns. She handled it all by assuring me I would get lots of options to choose from and we could deal with imperfections. (But she also said that imperfections are important and that I should be proud of them -- LOVE HER). 7. Relax. You will receive lots of pictures to choose from and you will find the right one. You will be so proud of yourself for getting it done. So if you need a headshot, please do it. Headshots can encourage people to hire you if you are running a business. They convey a message to the public that gives you credibility or tells people something about you which may be important in your line of work. Go set up your appointment and remember, once you have your headshots you won’t have to do them again……….. well, not for about 3 years anyway.
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