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If you’re a professional in 2021, you need a headshot. And again, because it’s 2021, online headshots are the way to go. Not only will your headshot photos be displayed across the online world, but you can also create your own headshot online! Read on to learn all about online headshots and how you can create one to help you stand out from the crowd.
Why Online Headshots?
Traditionally, if you wanted a headshot, you would hire a professional photographer. But even in a less digitized, pre-COVID world, that option always had its drawbacks. Now, telework opportunities have expanded and teams find themselves scattered across the country.
Thus, a professional photographer may no longer be the best option for your headshots. However, a professional photographer brings a lot to the table. Professional photos show potential clients and stakeholders that you care about the image you project. That you hold yourself to a high standard and others should, too. So where is the happy medium? Online headshots.
How to Get Online Headshots
Thanks to the wonders of modern technology and the talents of world-class photo editors, there is an option that combines the best of both worlds. It provides professional attention to detail AND is affordable and accessible.
With Headshots.com, you sign up to watch a brief tutorial, then photograph and upload your own headshots. Our world-class photoshop retouchers will edit the image and return it to you within three business days. Thus, acquiring high-quality, professional-looking online headshots is quick, easy, and affordable.
Tips and Tricks for Taking Great Online Headshots
Once you’ve decided on online headshots with Headshots.com, the planning begins. The more thought and detail you put into your preparation, the better the output will be. Remember, since you get to take your headshots from the comfort of your home, you can already eliminate many of the pitfalls of photoshoots. Thus, these tips will set you up for success.
Lighting
The number one tip for taking a great photo on your smartphone is to find great lighting. Natural lighting in your headshots will set them apart and raise the quality level. You can use natural light indoors to create headshots that feel more natural and authentic. These photos won’t feel as stale as studio-lit ones. Thus, you can use these more personable and versatile photos on social media and elsewhere.
Here are some tips to help you set up:
- Set up near a window with a lot of soft and diffused natural light.
- Make sure to set up next to the light source and not in front of it. Backlighting won’t do you any favors!
- Aim for a background that contrasts with your hair and outfit, so our editors can more easily clean and customize it.
- Try using a bar stool or chair if sitting feels more comfortable than standing.
Take several different shots from different angles to see where the light will naturally hit and what looks best with your facial features.
Posing
Despite not being formally taught in school, body language is the second language that we all speak very well. It’s something we all do all of the time, even if we don’t notice it or aren’t aware of it. The advantage of posing deliberately in a headshot is that it allows your body language to better convey your message.
When posing, it’s important to be aware of your surroundings, arm placements, slouching, and angles. If possible, put your phone on a tripod (or a stack of books) or ask a friend or family member to take the picture. This way you will be free to relax your body and pose naturally.
Take some time in front of a mirror and practice finding your angle. Is there a side you prefer?
Keep your shoulders relaxed and take note of your chin, as well. It’s possible to look too powerful with a slightly upturned chin or too weak with a slightly downturned chin. You should aim to find the perfect middle that highlights your facial features, is aesthetically pleasing, and conveys the spirit you’re trying to embody.
Clothing
Wearing the right outfits will emphasize your face and how you feel in your headshots. While it is important for your clothes to flatter you, you should always consider the message they convey. For example, different dress styles can convey different levels of formality. Make sure to select an outfit that is appropriate for your line of work.
Additionally, wear colors and styles that flatter your body shape as well as complement your skin tone. If you look and feel good, your headshot will reflect that. And getting a Headshots.com image is as easy as dressing up, snapping a photo, and sending it to us. In fact, we have a variety of professional backgrounds available that will coordinate well with any outfit.
How to Leverage Online Headshots
The key is to use your online headshots in as many appropriate places as you can. Many use their headshots as their signature in their email. This helps put a face to the name you are emailing, and it creates a more personal environment for the recipient. Another great place to use your picture is on your business cards. Oftentimes, people remember faces better than names, so including your picture will help your face stick in clients’ heads longer.
If you are a social media user, you can put your headshot as your LinkedIn profile picture. This will help job recruiters, future employers, current colleagues, and others identify and recognize you. Employers look at potential employees’ social media before hiring them to see if they’re a good fit for the company.
It is important to keep information consistent and easy to identify, so using the same headshot is a simple way to do that. This is why it is so vital that you love how you look in your headshot, as you will be using it on so many sites. Online headshots are worth it, to get a great photo of yourself to use on all platforms. You want to be confident and happy with the way you look, and the way you are portrayed through your photo.
Your headshot should be used on your company’s website, as well. It is intended to reflect you and the business in a positive light. When potential new employees are looking at the company’s website, they want to see happy and smiling faces! They want to know what kind of people they could be working with. By putting your best face forward with your online headshots, potential employees know what kind of company they’ll be keeping.
Takeaways
People will form an impression of who you are within seven seconds of meeting you. Additionally, some researchers have found that determining traits such as trustworthiness and honesty can be done in only a tenth of a second. Thus, there is no second chance to change a first impression. Your online headshots serve as an opportunity to establish a positive first impression.
Therefore, it is important to create an awesome headshot that represents you. And we think this should be done by the person who knows you the best: YOU. You’ll be the hero of your own story, aided by your sidekicks at Headshots.com.
Our team of experts can polish your image so that it is professional and top-quality. So get started on your online headshots today.
