The Importance of Headshots

Venue: The Creative Chateau 

Lauren’s Makeup by Adorne Artistry

I recently had the pleasure of photographing Lauren’s headshots for her online resume. We took them at the gorgeous Creative Chateau which I mentioned in my last blog post. Y’all, this venue is absolutely stunning! The gorgeous white walls and wooden flooring complimented Lauren’s classic and timeless business outfit and made her green eyes just pop! I loved her outfit and her choice in jewelry. As always, Adorne Artistry went above and beyond with her makeup which really tied in everything together.

Now, we can all agree that Lauren looks absolutely amazing! But, let’s take a second to really break down the concept of headshots. Why are they important? Does it even make a difference? Why invest money in it when you can just take it with your iPhone?

These are all very good questions and all very common responses when people think of professional headshots. At first, it may not seem like a single investment could mean so much but as many have learned, headshots are crucial. Especially when it comes to job searching.

Why should I invest in a professional headshot?

Fabulous question, friend! Let’s get down to it.

Social media rules the world. Hence, the job market.

How you display yourself to future employers starts with your internet footprint on websites like LinkedIn, which is a professional employment networking site.

One of the first things that websites like LinkedIn will ask you for is a picture of yourself. This is where the headshot comes in! You’re obviously not about to post the picture of you at the beach last summer or a photo of you out on the town with your friends. Why not? Why is it obvious? Because as people and members of society, we know that we need to market our best self and promote ourselves as…? You guessed it! Professionals. 

A professional headshot shows your personality.

The facial expression you choose will define what kind of person you are and if you would mesh well for that job. For example, a doctor will typically smile in their headshot and wouldn’t be showing off their poker face because as health professionals, they see a lot of sick people which puts them in vulnerable positions. It takes someone who is approachable and friendly for a patient to feel comfortable in booking an appointment with them. The same approachable personality would also be what an employer is searching for when they are going through piles of applications. When they come across the profile of a cheery doctor who is smiling in their headshot and dressed professionally in their white coat, they will immediately want to interview that physician for the open position at their clinic.

You only get one shot at a first impression.

You’ve probably heard that one before, but it doesn’t make it any less true! Human beings judge. It’s a natural occurrence that can either be good or bad. But when it comes to the job application process, judgment can work to your benefit. Simply based on the quality of your headshot, someone can determine how invested you are in something. It shows your ability to put effort into the things you care about. Someone who uses an iPhone selfie as their headshot is less likely to come off as a hardworking professional because they didn’t even bother to get their photos done professionally. They made all this effort to complete the educational requirements, purchase their suit/dress, but then decided that the professional photographer was where they wanted to cut corners. Yikes.

Hire a professional, because they know what they’re doing.

Simply put, we’re professionals which must mean that we know what we are doing. Seriously. I’ve been doing this for 9 years so least to say, I got this! I can tell you all the tips and tricks for getting the most out of our services and having you leave our session feeling confident about your decision to invest in your future. We help you find your power pose, recommend makeup & hair artists that leave you looking fresh as ever, and pick flattering outfits that accentuate your best features!

For more information or to book your professional headshot session, please contact us at hello@saraabdulaziz.com or fill out our contact form. We offer local headshot services at an indoor studio location in Houston and travel for out-of-town clients. We are frequently traveling for corporate headshot sessions so don’t hesitate to ask if we’re available to visit your office even if it’s not in Houston.