by Beautiful Evolutions | Aug 16, 2017 | Headshots
Hey there! Welcome to Part 3 of the Head Shot Series. If you missed the first two… You can see them here. Part 1 Professional Head Shots… do I really need one? and Part 2 Professional Head Shots – How do I prepare for them?
Today – let’s chat a little about how to make sure that you have chosen the right photographer. I know, you are probably wondering why I am posting this. However, I’m not always the best fit for everyone. That’s important to understand for both of us. I would love to sit and chat with you to see if we are a great match, and if not – I can give you a list of peers that I would trust implicitly. So let’s get started
What are three to five things people should do right away to go find that photographer to capture them?
First thing is to get to know your story. Really get in touch with the story that you want to tell, so that when you do find that photographer, you can communicate that to them. The second would be — Luckily, we live in an online world, so we can stalk and see all these beautiful images that all of our fellow boss ladies have. Get a sense of what you’re looking for. Take a look your friend’s online, your mentors, people you admire. Look at their photography, the style of photography, the stories that they’re telling, and kind of get a sense of what could apply to your brand. As far as finding a photographer…. (ahem, I’m right here … kidding, kinda) I would send an email, but have a real phone conversation, or even face-to-face conversation with the ones you are considering. I think a lot is to be said for that relationship with your photographer to establish that trust. Sometimes you need to be having a coffee face-to-face so that you can kinda feel their vibe and get a sense if they understand you and your brand. I think it’s so important to find someone that you can consider as a partner. Not just like hire a photographer, because you might be hiring them in the future for more projects. As your brand starts growing, you’ll probably need to have them come back. So if they get your brand and sort of what your goals are and your vision is, it’s just more a bonus for you
How do you choose the right photographer?
I think your photographer should be a partner in this process with you. Someone that is willing to take the time to learn about what you are trying to achieve, who will listen to your concerns and help you along the process. What is the story that you’re trying to tell? Really, diving deep and sharing that with your photographer so that at the time of the shoot, it doesn’t feel like they’re just poses and smiling, it feels like this is your brand unfolding in visual. Who are you working with? Where are you working? What are your values? Why are you doing this work in the first place? Where do you find your inspiration?
It’s also about setting objectives. Sharing what your goal is or these images. Sharing where you’re going to use these images; on your website, on your social media. Actually, having them come on the journey with you, telling the photographer, “This is what my business is about. This is what I want to communicate,” and letting them brainstorm with you on the details. I want my clients to come to me and have ideas, because I don’t know their brand as much as they know their brand. We’re all living and breathing our own brands, because they’re so much us. Sometimes it’s our personal brand. If my clients can come to me with some ideas that are a stepping stone for us to work together, I think that’s really helpful. Of course, respecting each other in our levels of expertise. That is always a good thing, because you don’t want to be high maintenance. That’s always a recipe for a disaster. It is helpful to have some guidelines and some goals that you guys can work on together.
Are you interested in booking a head shot session? Click this link and let’s chat a little bit about what you are looking for. Send me more info on Head Shots and Personal Branding
Beautiful Evolutions Head Shot Series
Click here for Part 1: Head Shots: Do I really need them?
Click here for Part 2: Professional Head Shots – How do I prepare for them?
Click here for Part 3: Professional Head Shots – How do I choose the right photographer?
by Beautiful Evolutions | Aug 11, 2017 | Headshots
If you didn’t see our first post in this 3 part series – be sure to click here and read about why you NEED professional head shots.
Today, part two of this series, we are talking about how to prepare for them. Let’s be real… no one really LIKES to have their head shots updated. It is however, a vital part to having a successful business in this over-saturated market. So let’s dig in to the preparing for your new images.
How often do I need to update my head shots or personal branding images?
That is completely up to you. A lot of my clients schedule an annual session. Maybe they’ve lost 50 pounds, or they cut their hair. It used to be long and now it’s short. So you have to update, because it’s a trust factor. When people meet you or see you in a video and it looks different, they get confused. You don’t want your prospect or your clients be confused.
You need that consistency with your head shot even if you can’t do Personal Branding photography right now. Then you sprinkle in that insider daily look of what you’re doing through your Instagram pictures that you’re taking with your phone. You need that combination, because you can’t just be a head shot because then you’re a talking head. You need to sprinkle in that authentic real life of behind the scenes, where you’re going, who you’re hanging out with, the messy desk. Those are what builds the connection and humanize your brand. They’re both important. Your audience wants to know that you are relatable. Showing that you have a huge to-do list or that maybe you absolutely love fun post it notes, allows them to connect with you. If your client can connect with you, they are more inclined to hire you versus someone else.
I’m not really the weight I want to be, should I go ahead and get my Headshots/Personal Branding Images scheduled?
Everybody has these insecurities, even myself. Yes, maybe we’re struggling with how we’re looking at a certain time, but if we focus on the bigger goal, I think that will help us want to put ourselves out there more. Then, there are a lot of things that you can do to help you along the way. Get your hair blown out, hire a professional makeup artist, go shopping with a stylist so that you can pick clothes that you feel really confident in. Do the prep work beforehand so that when you’re not showing up that day of your shoot and you’re like, “Crap! My shirt doesn’t fit and my hair doesn’t look good.” There’s a lot of work that goes on before the actual shoot date that really helps boost your confidence.
What are some things you can do before your session to make yourself feel more comfortable?
I think the first thing is, is that you have to have a conversation weeks before the actual shoot. You need to tell me a little more about your business. What is your mission, what are you putting out there along with what are the goals are for the pictures, where are you going to use them. Along with maybe what are some of the insecurities and the hangups. It’s a process. Maybe there’s a certain styling that we should do so that you feel great in your outfit. Maybe there are certain props, or locations where you can be sitting on a sofa or two chairs so that everybody looks in balance. Those are things that I think is the prep work that goes on beforehand so that everybody feels confident at the day of the shoot, and you can just enjoy the process.
I don’t get dressed up every day. I am not a Glam kinda girl. How do you suggest someone still look their best, but feel like they’re not lying by looking a certain way?
How do you suggest someone who definitely has that more casual natural vibe dress for this session? I still think you should get your hair and makeup done, because I think it’s the process that’s very confidence boosting. You don’t have to go outside of your comfort zone. We still want to make it look like you, but the best version of you. I would say still have your hair and your makeup appointment before your shoot. Then, communicate to that stylist how far you want to go. You want to look like yourself, but you want a natural vibe. Good professional experts will be able to deliver that for you. It’s also being crystal clear about what you want. Grab some magazines and rip out pages of people that you like, go in prepared with pictures. Embrace who you are right now. You have a message, you have this service, or product that you want to give to the world that sometimes it’s bigger than the photos. Believe me, 10 years from now, you’re going to look back and go, “I look like the bomb! I looked amazing.” A lot of my clients will be like, “Oh, I want to wait. I want to wait. I’m going on this cleanse. I’m going to do this.” I was like, “Don’t wait. Do it now. Embrace who you are now. Let’s get this message out right now.”
Are you interested in booking a head shot session? Click this link and let’s chat a little bit about what you are looking for. Send me more info on Head Shots and Personal Branding
Did you miss Part 1 earlier this week: Click here for Part 1: Head Shots: Do I really need them?
Coming up next week…
How to choose the right photographer
by Beautiful Evolutions | Aug 9, 2017 | Headshots
It’s back to school time for the kids… but it’s also the time of year that you are probably thinking about ramping up your business for the 2nd half of the year. Today is the beginning of a 3 part blog series on Head Shots and Personal Branding. Today I am covering whether or not you really need a professional Head Shot. Will that seat belt selfie work? What about that image you just cropped yourself out of? Not sure… check out the article below and then keep an eye out for the other two parts later this week.
Why do I need a professional head shot? How is this different than a selfie, or having your friend take a quick picture?
A head shot is really your visual representation of your business. It’s the first impression that your business is making with your audience. I cannot stress how important it is to have a professional head shot just because you want to portray yourself as a professional, as a legitimate business owner. I see so many photos on Facebook and LinkedIn, where they are selfies or photos that their head has been cut out of group photos and the lighting is bad or it’s blurry and it just doesn’t give a good first impression for your business. I think the importance of having a professional take your picture, have you look presentable with your hair and your makeup and your styling all done in a professional way, sort of distinguishes you from the newbies, or the hobbyist. It’s a way so you can communicate that you are the real deal. A legitimate business owner who is ready to work with you and be an expert in your field.
Why is it important to be the face of your business?
Often times business entrepreneurs hide behind their logos or the websites. It’s so important to build a relationship with your audience. Your industry, much like mine, is probably overly saturated. There’s a thousand photographers, there’s a thousand coaches, a thousand realtors. The best way to make that connection, to build that relationship, is to actually show up and put your face out there. Portray yourself as a professional and also to humanize your business. If you just see a logo or you’re just reading text, you’re not going to get that “know, like, and trust factor”. When you are actually showing a photo, even if it’s a head shot, there’s a spark, or there’s some personality there that people look at and say, “You know, I like her. I want to learn more about her.” We live in a visual world, so people might remember you and even if they’re not in their journey to hire you right now, they might refer you, or when they’re ready, they’ll remember you, because you had that face to your brand.
What is the difference between Head Shots and Personal Branding Images?
Head shots are pretty straight forward. Sometimes you just need a quick head shot session because you have changed your hairstyle or transformed your body. Head Shots can be done in ½ an hour. We will choose your location, talk about what you will wear and give you several image choices to focus primarily on YOU. Personal Branding is very different because these tell a story and give you images that you can use ongoing in your social media. While you still have your traditional head shots – we will also sprinkle in photos to show kind of the behind the scenes, what it is like to work with you, your products and your inspirations. Where you are going, and who you’re working with makes you more authentic, makes you more real. It allows for this daily dialogue that you can have with your audience. f you can’t do Personal Branding photography, which is more of that storytelling, cohesive collection of images, then definitely invest in just a head shot, which is probably going to be at a much lower price point, just because, again, we all need that one professional photo to make sure that we portray ourselves as legitimate and we can use that across the board for our about page, on our website, all of our social media. That just builds awareness and builds our faces, like something memorable that people remember. I would definitely encourage people to invest in — If you can’t do anything else, definitely invest in the head shot.
How do I stand out from my over-saturated market?
A big thing about Personal Branding photography, I would say, is figure out how you are different, and then brainstorm with your photographer. Discuss ways to visualize what sets you apart. At the end of the day, you’re all in these industries that are saturated. It’s just what it is. If we can visually communicate how — Not only what we do, and how it feels, and where we work, but how we’re different, why you would come to me, versus someone else, I think that would be the tipping point for a lot of people. Think outside that box a little bit.
Are you interested in booking a head shot session? Click this link and let’s chat a little bit about what you are looking for. Send me more info on Head Shots and Personal Branding
Part 2
How to prepare for your head shots or personal branding session
Part 3
How to choose the right photographer
