Biggest Barriers to getting a headshot

“I hate getting my photograph taken”

“I hate getting my photograph taken,” this is one of the biggest mental blockers to getting professional headshots. We just avoid it because from past experience we remember feeling so awkward in front of the camera or we just didn't know how to hold ourselves.

Being photogenic or camera confident is not something some people have and others don’t, we’re not models after all, we're everyday people who just want to look our best. It takes opening yourself up just a little in order to take direction from your headshot photographer and work through the awkwardness until you look comfortable and natural. You’ll be able to see the photos captured as we go, believe me you'll be surprised at the difference in headshots from the beginning of the shoot and towards the end - your eyes are engaging, your expression is calm, your body language is open and approachable. You need to give others the chance to be drawn in in order to see the real you and by looking at your headshot they can imagine developing a working relationship with you.

“I’m time poor”

Finding time is a major barrier to getting an up to date headshot. Let’s face it, Melbourne life means we're all busy and it’s hard to make time for everything we want to do, even the important stuff.

Getting your LinkedIn headshot photo taken or updated is pretty easy to put off, you may have a placeholder there, nothing amazing, maybe a smartphone pic, something that does the job for now. But think about it, is this the best version of you and is this photo something you are really proud of?

We need to get back to the ‘why’, why we need a headshot, is it to maintain a professional image, attract our ideal client, increase conversions - an amazing headshot can do all of these things.

Another question is how long does a headshot session really take? If we’re talking about the session then probably not that long if everything is ready to go before you arrive.

The thing that consumes the most time is getting our hair, make up and what to wear sorted. But it’s unlikely you would go to a business meeting or job interview looking disheveled, so you are probably more headshot ready than you think. You’re there to impress which does take a bit of effort but the effort is justified because we want to make a lasting impression.

Think of the headshot session as an interview to get that ‘job’ that is going to help your business and career progress. Set a time with your headshot photographer and break down the steps needed to get prepared.

Step 1: trust in the process in order to overcome the hesitation with getting photographed - all of the things we talked about above.

Step 2: Do you need to get a haircut or have your hair styled on the day? If it's a haircut make sure you leave enough time, probably a week at the minimum before your headshot session. Don't ask me why but haircuts rarely look their best on the day of the cut, our hair takes time to sit right and the last thing we want is to battle an unsettled haircut at the headshot session.

Step 3: Decide what to wear and whether you want professional make up. If you need advice on how to prepare, check out this post for what to do.

Using your old headshot

I'm all about integrity and honesty, and always want to feel like what I put out in the world is a true representation of who I am. Although the ‘who’ at the core never really changes but sometimes how we look changes, whether it's aging, an extreme hairdo change, weight gain, weight loss or all of the above. If we look different then we don't want people who are meeting us for the first time to be surprised by the difference between what they’ve seen online and what they see in person. Speaking from quite a bit of online dating experience, my stomach would drop each time I met someone who looked nothing like their profile, it was disappointing as I felt like they were misrepresenting themselves. Putting my own experience into practice I recently re-took my headshot because thanks to a bit of baby weight I felt like my old headshot was not what I really looked like. Sometimes it’s hard to accept change but it can also be liberating because you get to move on and meet new people with confidence.

“Business and LinkedIn headshots feel too serious”

Business headshots don't need to be boring stuffy suited up shots in order to look professional, you can always get a creative headshot. You have permission to add personality with your favourite clothing, a striking background or lighting that makes you pop. If you want to add a bit more to show people what you do, then have a look at my full body headshot sessions. These sessions allow a wider cropping with props and can look a bit more relaxed than a shoulders up headshot because you’re able to show more body language and really lean into your portrait.

Affordability

If you’re after cheap headshots then buyer beware, with most things in life, you get what you pay for and the same goes for headshot photography. A great headshot should give you ongoing value for years to come. So spending a bit of an upfront cost for something that you will be using for a couple of years is well worth it to get an amazing headshot that you are proud to use and means you won’t have to replace it as soon.

Not knowing how to find the right photographer

Looking unique - Most of us don’t want something typical, we want something that helps us stand out against the norm. Finding a LinkedIn or business headshot photographer who is able to capture us in a flattering light and make us look unique and unlike everybody else isn’t a sure thing. It’s a two way street, communicating what your vision is and finding a headshot photographer you can trust to translate that vision into reality with their talents

Where’s the studio based or can they shoot on location - Location might be an issue for you, is your photographer’s headshot studio local, if not, are they willing to travel to you?

Headshot cropping - Does your headshot photographer offer full body shots? You may need a full body shot for specific cropping on a particular platform and most photographers do not offer the headshot type photos in a full body cropping. They may have a limitation with lighting or space.

Are you looking for a professional headshot photographer in Melbourne, if so head on to my headshot page to learn more.