Why You Need More Than One Headshot
Why You Need More Than One Headshot
You book in for a headshot session. You only need one key shot right? Friendly, approachable, probably smiling to camera.
You really only need it to pop on your website. You might even add it to your LinkedIn profile too. Easy. Done!
For lots of people, one headshot is enough. But sometimes we find ourselves in scenarios where that all-rounder smiling headshot completely misses the mark.
Having a variety of images is the key to a successful brand image.
Last year I was reading an online article about some horrific abuse that had been occurring in some childcare centres. It was a huge and horrific scandal. Within one of the articles I read, was an interview with someone who was of an area of expertise. Paired with their insights, was a photograph of them smiling to camera.
In the context of their website, their LinkedIn, their general resume, this portrait would be great. But in the context of a grim and incredibly serious article, the photo completely missed the mark.
Now you might think that you’ll never be in this type of scenario – but I’m sure that person didn’t think that they’d be speaking about horrific cases like this either.
Order a second image, and vary your expressions in your headshots.
Having a traditional, smiling headshot is a great hero shot. It’s your all-rounder that creates connection, trust and shows you to be friendly and personable. Consider a second headshot, that is toned down. It doesn’t have to be completely serious, but a smaller or more sublte smile or expression can be useful.
Here is a great example of one of my clients capturing a range of expressions and styles. As a CEO of a charity working with young and vulnerable people, she needed a range of shots that bridged the gap from corporate executive to relaxed and approachable for young people.
The Industries Where Multiple Tones Matter:
Consider your industry. If you work in any field of politics, law, science or medicine, there could be an instance where a serious-toned image would be appropriate.
This could be paired with an article discussing a serious case in court. It could be related to healthcare scares or hospital incidents, or medical research with a serious undertone. Even in areas of Tech and IT development, serious-toned images could be useful in the topics of hacking and cybercrime.
Your smiling headshot is a key shot to have, but it is not always versatile.
Knowing you may need additional images, doesn’t mean you have to necessarily upgrade to a full-on personal branding session. Even in a simple express LinkedIn headshot session I capture a range of expressions. We can easily add on additional images to your packages, and most photographers will have add-on options too.
If you’re based in Melbourne, Australia, click the button below to learn about my LinkedIn headshot and Personal branding sessions. I’d love to work with you to create a range of multi-use images!
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