When you are in need of a professional headshot, just choosing an existing picture won’t do. Cropping a nice photo of you doesn’t convey the level of professionalism needed for a corporate headshot, such as for a LinkedIn profile or on your website. Some industries, such as entertainment and modelling, may even recommend a portfolio of photos.
But what makes a headshot special? These professional portraits feature just one individual, using simple backgrounds so the subject is the main focus. A photographer will ask their subject to pose to get the best angles and work lighting to make sure they look great.
Headshot photographers specialise in this type of photography. Thankfully, we have laid out some helpful steps to lead you in the right direction so you can hire a qualified photographer for your own headshots.
How to Hire The Best Photographers
What Exactly do You Need Photos For?
Set yourself up for success by determining the scope of your project. Is it a headshot for yourself to improve your professional profile on LinkedIn or to help with a career in entertainment? Or perhaps you want to include your image on your personal website and social media accounts.
You may also be in charge of photos of your team for a corporate website. Whether it’s one person in front of the camera or several, it’s important to figure out what your needs are to be sure you’ll find the best photographer.
Headshot Photographer Price Guide
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Is Your Photographer The Right One For Your Job?
Looking at a photographer’s style and experience can help you evaluate if they are the right ones for the job. There are some steps you need to take to determine the fit — read on for the steps around location, style and delivery.
Start a conversation to see what their background is and if they are interested in the project. This type of communication can determine if it will be a good working relationship too. You want to have everyone feeling comfortable in front of the camera with a friendly photographer.
Do They Have a Website?
Taking a look through a photographer’s website or the photos on their Bidvine profile can reveal a lot about their personal style and approach to taking photos. A good photographer will feature shots they have taken, allowing you to get an idea of their ability to work with lighting and people’s personalities.
You should also seek out their portfolio. This will have some of their best work so you can gauge whether they are a good fit for your project. You can also see what type of backdrops they use to get ideas for your own shoot!
Get The Photos You Want With a Checklist
When your photographer comes in for the session, you’ll want to make good use out of their time and capture shots of everything you wish. By creating a checklist for the photoshoot, you can ensure that every desired shot is taken.
To build a great checklist, brainstorm all of the shots you may want before paring it down to a reasonable number for your time. If you’re taking photos of your entire office, you may want to stick with one shot for each person. For just one person, there can be more poses or locations to get great shots. Pass on your checklist to your photographer so they can plan out your photoshoot to include everything.
Where Will Your Photos be Taken?
While having your photos taken indoors or outside is a personal preference, your photographer will need to have — and bring — the right equipment to make the photos professional and of high quality. Indoor photos, for example, need extra lighting for proper exposure. A photographer can take a photo in a boardroom even on a cloudy day and get beautiful lighting. They may also use different backgrounds such as plain black or white and take photos in a studio.
Outdoor photos can offer an inspiring background. Taking headshots outside your office building or in a well-known location in your city can highlight your company’s values and interests.
Will You Need Professional Hair and Makeup Services?
Although not required, having an expert help the subjects with their hair and makeup can help if anyone is feeling nervous about how to style their hair or get ready for the photoshoot, a little pampering goes a long way towards boosting confidence.
This will help everyone feel their best. Hair and makeup services are easy to find on Bidvine too! Simply submit a free request to get bids from top local hair and makeup artists.
How Will You Receive Your Photos?
Determine how you will be using your photos before you decide on who to work with. If you want to print your images, such as for applications or work in the entertainment industry, you’ll want to receive high-resolution digital versions so you can do so.
If you’ll be posting employee photos on a corporate website or on social media, you can use images that are much smaller in size. This can actually be more useful since it won’t take as long to download and will improve the user experience. Ask your photographer to send you photos in the best format for your needs.
Summary
Once you have a strong idea of what you need in headshot photography, you can start the search for a professional with confidence. You’ll know exactly what to request so you know you are hiring the best photographer. Just be sure to follow the steps we’ve outlined so that you are getting the best results!
