Your Headshot Is Your Digital Handshake

In today’s fast paced online marketplace, your Headshot is your digital introduction.  With more business being conducted online instead of in a brick and mortar space, the quality of your Headshot is very important.  So how do you go about hiring your Headshot Photographer?  As a Headshot Photographer in Saratoga, here are a few things I believe you should be thinking about:

Experience and Skill

It seems like everyone with a camera is calling themselves a Professional Headshot Photographer these days, don’t you agree?  However, this is one of those areas where experience and skill make a huge difference.  Of course proper exposure is important.  Posing, lighting, styling and direction are also all very important in creating the perfect online calling card.  Browsing websites online can give you a pretty good idea of a Photographer’s skill level.  Narrow your choices down to a handful, then start making calls.

How does all this come together for the perfect Headshot?

Here at our Studio we start with our initial Consultation call.  We like to find out in our very first conversation what our clients need and expect for their session.  We start by asking what industry they are in, what the images will be used for and how they want to be photographed.  We feel this helps us “get it right the first time.”

Styling for your Headshot Session

From there we will discuss clothing and location options.  One size definitely does not fit all!  A Financial Planner needs a very different look than a creative like an Interior Designer.  This will all be depicted in clothing and location choices for their Headshots.

We also find out if our clients would like to use a Hair and/or Makeup Artist.  We have several local HMUAs that we love working with and are always happy to recommend.  We feel that a professional Stylist adds another layer of polish to the finished images.

Headshot Session Day

On the day of your session, we will go over your clothing choices with you and decide which outfits will photograph best.  If we are in studio, we will select appropriate backgrounds.  If we are on location, we will decide which areas will photograph best.

During your session, we will make sure we are using our posing and lighting skills to show you off in the very best way possible.  Many times, clients have anxiety about having photos done.  I always tell them, “You are not expected to turn up as a Supermodel.  It is my job to pose and light you to make you look the best you can and for you to love the way you look.”  I want you to think your Headshots are the best photos you have ever had taken of yourself.

Selecting Your Headshots

We do not use online proofing galleries.  We feel this does a grave disservice to our clients for a number of reasons.  First of all, if we upload a gallery of 50 images online and say, “Good Luck” you will be paralyzed and unable to make a decision.  Instead, we do a Viewing and Ordering Appointment.  We prefer to sit down with our Headshot clients and go through the session image by image.  We can very quickly help you narrow down your selections and make sure you choose wisely for the applications you need.  In fact, we have had clients tell us that our process is much easier than online gallery proofing that they may have had with another Photographer, and they really appreciate that.  At this time, we can also discuss what level of retouching you are most comfortable with.  We retouch all of our images, but have found some clients want minimal retouching and some want ALL the retouching.  That is why we like to discuss this at the Viewing/Ordering Session.

Retouching and Delivery

After you leave the Viewing and Ordering appointment, we get to work and retouch your images.  We know there are *some* Headshot Photographers out there who simply apply whatever filter out there and are done with it.  Not here.  I have taken several retouching classes that made a major change in my retouching work.  Good retouching, like lighting, does not call attention to itself.  Bad retouching absolutely screams.  We don’t believe in “plastic” skin, overly enhanced eyes and teeth, or hair that has fly aways or looks like a helmet.  The goal is natural but polished.   Read our post about Retouching to find out more.

The very best tip I can offer anyone hiring a Headshot Photographer is to actually talk to different Photographers.  Ask lots of questions and see if you feel comfortable with them.  Comfort is key.  If you don’t feel comfortable, it will show in your photos.

If you are ready to make your Headshot Appointment, please call the studio directly at (518) 584-4237 today or use our Contact Form.  We would love to chat with you!