Stop Waiting For Perfect
Eric Duncan of Team Duncan Financial updated his headshot as he gets more gray in his beard. I leave negative space to the right so the client can either crop it or use that space for their customized text.
Kim Brundage Photography 2022
If you’re an entrepreneur who’s still using an outdated headshot, there are probably several reasons why. It’s possible that you don’t love having your photo taken (this is most people, by the way, so you’re not alone). It could also be that you’ve changed quite a bit since your last professional photos were taken (maybe your hair is grayer or you’ve put on a few pounds). This might also be something you just haven’t invested the time or money into, feeling like your current headshots are “good enough,” or still look enough like you that they’re fine.
This is something I deal with all the time with my clients. They want to wait until they lose weight or have more time or money to memorialize themselves in photos. In my experience, waiting until the time is right to have professional photos taken is like waiting until the time is right to have a baby. The time is rarely ever perfect. You just have to make the decision and do it anyhow.
I want to share a few reasons why waiting for that perfect time is a mistake, and why now is the time to book your next professional photo shoot.
Tim of Team Duncan had his headshot done for the first time.
Kim Brundage Photography 2022
The Benefits of New Headshots
How you show up online (which is often in a professional photograph) can absolutely influence your results. First of all, if your photos don’t represent your current self, you’re not being honest with people. Depending upon what you do, an outdated photo that doesn’t look like you anymore can be jarring when a client finally meets you in person. It’s like going on an online date with someone whose profile picture is from ten years (and twenty-five pounds) ago. It’s just not fair and it will affect the way that meeting goes.
Conversely, headshots about which you feel good can affect your self confidence in a positive way. Really good, branded, authentic photos can literally change your entire perspective. That changes the way you show up. Suddenly, everything you do is infused with the confidence of that person in the picture.
You don’t have to do a traditional headshot. Here Brooke Pettitt encourages people to work with her “Let’s Do This” in the background.
Kim Brundage Photography 2022
A Professional Photographer Can Make You Look Great No Matter How you Feel About Your Looks
Since I work with a lot of women (and I’m a woman), I know there’s rarely ever a time when women feel great about how they look, their weight, etc. The only constant when it comes to your body is change, and most people’s bodies are constantly changing. Chances are good, if you look at a photo from a time when you weighed less than you do now, you think, “Dang, I wish I looked like that now.” But if you think back to how you felt about your body image at the time the photo was taken, I’m willing to bet you wished you weren’t so heavy then too. Many people are literally never satisfied.
So you’re probably never going to lose the right amount of weight to be ready for new photos. That’s why you want to work with a professional photographer. Because we’re able to find the parts of you that don’t change and highlight those to make you look great no matter what.
Things that don’t get heavier or lighter, that don’t age at all, in fact, are your confidence, your smile, your incredible blue eyes, your flair for fun, and so many more things that are unique to your personality. That’s what’s going to stand out in great branded photos. Not the size of your waist. Plus, professional photographers are trained to capture you in the best light and at the best angle to help you look and feel slimmer and more attractive, so your photos will reflect that.
Sometimes we’re nervous about having our headshots done. Here, Featherstone shares some insights into her industry. I captured her in conversation. She loved the result.
Kim Brundage Photography 2022
Why Now is the Perfect Time
The online business world changes fast. Your image must be updated so you feel like you can change with it. Headshots have evolved quite a bit over the past several years, and you need several different types of photos to effectively market online. Waiting can seriously hurt your brand, and that hurts your business.
If your photos are more than two years old, it’s time to get brave and step back in front of the camera. If you feel like you’re truly going to knuckle down in the next year or two and lose fifty pounds, you can always celebrate by booking another photoshoot. It will give you something to look forward to and use as a reward for accomplishing your goal, and in the meantime, you’ll have awesome photos that represent more about you than how much you weigh.