Happy New Year, I can’t believe it’s 2003 already!
That’s because it’s not…and your headshot shouldn’t be from then either!
I shoot a lot of environmental portraits and traditional headshots for my clients and one comment I always get is “why can’t they just use my photo from (insert a year when gas was under $1 a gallon)?”
This is usually followed up with their reasons. “I had hair then.” (As a bald guy I get that one!) “I weighed 30 pounds less.” OR “I just looked better 25 years ago.”
That’s not you TODAY and that’s OK! We all need to be comfortable in our own authentic skin.
That said, I understand why folks hesitate and aren’t always confident with their own appearance, but do you really want to have a 10 or 20-year-old photo represent you now?
We all want to look younger, but authenticity is very important today. When a potential customer strolls into your business looking for the 30-year-old with a thick head of hair – but instead – finds the 50-year-old bald guy sitting in the boss’s chair they may think twice about how you have represented yourself from the get-go. I generally recommend my clients update headshots every 3-5 years. Sometimes sooner if the company branding has changed.
Retouching is an art. Yes, I do subtle retouching to obtain a very natural look (see photos in this post). There’s nothing wrong with softening some wrinkles, reducing bags under eyes, and eliminating the blemishes…but everything in moderation. I can assure you that it’s more than a one-click fix to get this just right. Avoid using over-filtered selfies as your professional profile photo.
Don’t sweat it! As a professional commercial photographer, I have a knack for making my subjects feel comfortable on set and look good at any age, size, or shape (while having a little fun along the way)!
How long has it been since your last portrait session? If you think it’s time to update yours or your teams, reach out to me today to get yours scheduled!