Have you thought about how do the viewers see your headshots?
When you see a headshot of someone, have you thought about what is the person in the photo trying to say?
Everyone has different perceptions and ideas about an image based on a person’s background, culture, age and life experiences. An image that can give universal meaning across boundaries, countries, languages, cultural differences to evoke emotions is a successful image.
A successful image doesn’t mean it is an award-winning piece. It can be simply a funny cat photo that successfully makes you laugh.
How we can apply this to headshots?
Human emotions are contagious, we catch other people’s emotions easily from the people around us. It also works when we look at an image. For example, when we see a serious face, we feel tense; when we see a genuine smiling face, we feel relaxed.
What expression you choose from your headshot will say a lot about what story you want to tell about yourself, what part of you that you want to show to people? People who you want to work with. For example, if you are a lawyer or an accountant, you might want to keep a subtle smile to show that you’re serious and meticulous at work instead of a big smile that shows you are super friendly, people would want to have a drink with you in a bar instead of working with you. But if you are a dentist who specialises in working with children, a big smile would work very well. If you’re a psychologist who specialises in treating people with depression and anxiety, a neutral face without expression might work better than a smile because a neutral expression for people with depression and anxiety can relate better to. And if you are a coach or instructor who teaches life skills or people skills, smiling in headshots always goes a long way.
These are just some examples. Show some headshots to your friends who are supportive, do not judge you and have your best interest at heart. Ask them about their views. You will gain a lot of insights into how people see and feel the photos differently.
Want to know more about headshots? Here is a Free guide you can download:“5 tips for getting good headshots from your smartphone“