Photos are an amazing way to capture beautiful moments and unforgettable memories but can also be an excellent tool for boosting your career. It can help you a lot, whether you’re just starting and need a perfect photo for your resume or have a well-established business and requires a headshot that shows you at your professional best.
Here’s why you need a good photo in your CV:
For that to be possible, you need an expert photographer. If you’re in a hurry, you can make a mistake and hire the first one that comes up in your search or the one whose advertisement you found on the banner. Maybe it’s not always a mistake, and you might be lucky to get good shots.
Still, finding a good photographer isn’t always a simple task or a matter of luck. It takes a certain amount of time to research dozens of professionals before you find the one you “click” with. That connection will result in perfect photos. So here are a few things to keep in mind during your quest for a headshot photographer.
Get Recommendations
Whether you’re just starting your career or already have a developed network of associates and a well-established business, you can always find someone who has worked with a professional headshot photographer. It can be your relatives, friends, college colleagues, or industry peers. If you like their shots, don’t hesitate to ask them for a recommendation. You will surely get a couple of names to look up for.
The next step is an online search. You can do simple research by typing what you need into a browser. Or you can visit unbiased review websites, where you can find comments about photographers that users are happy with, as well as a blacklist of those you should avoid. Select a few with good reviews and make sure they’re near you.
Look for Professionals Specialized in Headshots
Now, you may have a list of headshot photographers with dozens of names, contact information, or websites. To find the right one, you need to check their web pages and previous shots, which can take too much time. So, to begin with, perform an additional “filtering” of the list by selecting only pros engaged only in headshot photography.
You can do this by going to their websites or social media pages and checking their business information or reviewing their work. You may come across photographers who only do corporate headshots or those who only work with actors. Depending on your needs, you’ll make an even shorter list of suitable experts.
Hiring a general photographer who devotes the same attention to event shootings, landscape photography, and headshot images isn’t a good idea. In this case, being a jack-of-all-trades can have the opposite effect, as a generalist can’t get the best out of you for a professional headshot. So always look for photographers specialized in this type of shooting.
Read Reviews About Best Headshot Photographers
Once you’ve shortlisted only a few names, you can devote yourself to a more detailed check. Type in the name of a particular photographer or studio and see reviews and client testimonials. This information will come in handy to know what you can expect, level of service, communication, attitude towards the client, etc.
Negative reviews aren’t always a red flag. It’s not always the photographer’s fault if someone wrote that they’re dissatisfied with the photo they get, so don’t always consider such comments as something bad. Instead, pay more attention to reviews that describe the photographer’s attitude, work commitment to work, vibe during shooting (tips for best headshots are on this link), and so on.
Get in Touch
Reading reviews can help you narrow down the list of potential photographers even more. Now that you have come to only a few names, you can proceed to more specific steps and get in touch with them. Don’t rely on e-mail correspondence, but call them, and if it is someone local, arrange a meeting in person.
Both a phone call and a live meeting can help you get a rough idea of what the person who should make your professional shoots is like. Make sure you’re ready for conversation and communicate your pre-shoot. Discuss the outfit, photo location, what your headshot should show, and so on.
Communication should be open and direct, so if you don’t get good feedback on your requests, maybe the particular photographer isn’t a good choice after all. If you don’t feel comfortable with someone during a short conversation, you certainly won’t be able to be relaxed even while taking a headshot, which can result in your dissatisfaction.
Discuss Pricing
Once you find a photo expert, with the right vibe, a good portfolio, and solid reviews, it’s time to discuss their prices. Don’t expect experts to charge cheaply for pro shots, but don’t let them take the skin off your back just because they have a stellar reputation.
Professional photographers offer different packages of services, so if you opt for any of these, make sure to know what exactly you get and what you should pay extra. These can be additional edits, outdoor shootings, etc. Also, don’t hesitate to ask for discounts or seasonal deals.
The most expensive isn’t always the best, and so in the case of choosing a headshot photographer. For the price you’re willing to pay, you should find a photographer who makes you feel good, so you can look good and give the best of yourself, so you can have the best headshots.