Are Professional Headshots Worth It?
Yes. Professional headshots can help establish trust more quickly, generate positive first impressions and communicate an elevated level of quality and commitment to a higher standard of representing yourself (online, on business cards, attached to articles, on resumes, etc.).
We’ve always suggested that any photo is better than no photo; a professional photo is better than a selfie or a cropped headshot from a photo of you at some event; and a thoughtfully and creatively made headshot is better than your standard professional headshot.
Like anything you do, a professional headshot is only going to be worth it if you are authentic and do the things you set out to do.
Assuming you understand this, then creating a headshot that lets the world have a little peak at what to expect from you in person is obvious. Of course a selfie won’t work. It sends the wrong message.
A photo that accurately represents you professionally to the world requires working with a professional headshot photographer.
That said, a good headshot is the result of a combonation of things. Like a chef, a good headshot photographer knows how to to put it all together with lots and lots of different kinds of people.
This is the primary advantage to working with any type of professional. There is a huge difference between someone who has access to the knowledge (all of us), and someone who has access to the knowledge and puts it into practice. It creates specialization and expertise and there’s always a benefit to working with experts.
But the question was: are professional headshots worth it?
Yes. A well made headshot that generates interest and conducts a positive first and long lasting impression is going to give you an obvious advantage.
The only times that a professional headshot isn’t worth it is when it’s done for the sake of vanity or done poorly.
If you’re working with a photographer who can help identify the message you want to send with your headshot successfully, then you’ll have a powerful tool that helps to reinforce who you are and the perspective you have, everywhere you use it.
Need to hire a headshot photographer? Send me an email to schedule a call, or check out our headshot page for more info.
