It’s no secret that professional looking headshots are a great way to help your business or brand stand out better amongst the crowd. If your website has a “Team” or “About Us” page on it, you should definitely be showing off your employees in the best light possible.
But how can you get great looking photos of yourself without spending too much? Here’s my top 5 tips on how to take a better headshot.
1. Set it to Portrait Mode. If you’re using a cell phone and don’t have access to a pro level camera, portrait mode will do you nicely. Using this setting with blur the background and make your image appear more professional.
2. Clean up the background. Make sure the space behind you is clear of clutter and anything that’s going to interfere with the focus on your face. Less is more! Consistent plain walls are always a safe bet.
3. Know your good side. Look in the mirror and get really honest with yourself. Which side looks the best? Move your face around until you’re happy with what’s looking back at you. Feel free to do this with expressions as well.
4. Lighting is everything. Literally. Listen, if you don’t take this bit seriously, your headshot won’t turn out good. No matter what. You need to use high quality light. And what’s the biggest, best light source that we have access to? That’s right, my friend. It’s the sun. Find a big window and put yourself in front of it. Preferably so that you’re on a 45 degree angle to the light source. ALSO! If you have a translucent curtain, feel free to slide that in front of the window. This will help to diffuse the light and make your skin look softer.
5. Make yourself laugh. If you’re new to this, it’s gonna feel awkward. There’s no getting around that fact. You need to loosen up! While you’re doing your headshot, throw on some stand up comedy. Seriously. Find it on YouTube, or anywhere else that you like to stream from. When we laugh, endorphins and dopamine are released, making us feel GOOD. These chemicals then have a positive effect on how we appear in the image.
And there you have it! I hope these 5 tips help you out when you’re trying to take a better headshot!
If this all sounds like a lot (I know, it can get pretty in depth) – you can always just ask a professional for help. If you’re located in Barrie, Orillia, Muskoka or Toronto, four32 MEDIA is here to make your life a little easier, and to make you look good.
To your success,
Jay Ashcroft
four32 MEDIA