Life is busy and it may seem as though getting a professional headshot isn’t worth the trouble. So we snap off a selfie, post it on LinkedIn and call it a day.
But did you know it takes less than a second for someone to form an opinion of you strictly based on your headshot? Are you willing to risk sending the wrong impression — that you’re either not professional or not invested enough in your career? That’s where going to a professional headshot photographer is so critical to your future success. As Boise and the Treasure Valley is growing, our ability to get that next job or draw in new clients will rely more heavily on our online presence. More people are moving here who don’t know you or your abilities. And when you apply for that new job, one of the first places they’ll look to find out more about you is your online profile — whether it’s LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter or any other social networking platform.
I’ve spent years perfecting the craft of headshot photography. A significant part of that training has been involved with the Peter Hurley Headshot Crew. If you’ve never heard of Peter Hurley, just google him (no, not the Australian politician!), and you’ll see the most successful headshot photographer in the world. He formed the Headshot Crew to create a community of photographers committed to elevating headshot photography. There are currently about 16,000 members of the Crew from around the world, and just about 130 of us as of this writing have been designated as Peter Hurley associates. I’m one of them — and the only one within about a 6-hour radius of Boise.
To reach that coveted status requires a commitment to detail _ from lighting to expression. It was one of the most difficult things I’ve ever achieved but also one of the most rewarding. It required a portfolio of at least 15 shebangin’ headshots and a personal review of that gallery by Peter who would have to approve you to advance to the associate level. Many headshot photographers join with the goal of becoming an associate. Some give up because of how difficult it is. Some of us stick with it and see the results when we double down on consistently achieving the top of the line results time after time.
The headshots I produce in my Boise photography studio are designed to be simple but impactful. What does that mean? In a nutshell, I work with clients to ensure their wardrobe, grooming and makeup is clean and crisp, so there are no distractions from the face and the expression. And then during each headshot session, I will work with you to ensure you provide an expression that is confident and approachable.
#stopthescroll and join me in the #nomoreselfies movement? OK, well, I just posted a selfie with this blog post. But don’t hold that against me!
