professional portraits and how to love them
In my almost eight years as a professional photographer, I’ve taken more headshots than I could count in every style you could imagine; indoors, outdoors, studio, environmental, and everything in between. Now, when people ask me to photograph the image they’ll use to represent themselves professionally, I urge them to keep a few things in mind.
First, let’s be clear about some definitions. The photos here lean more toward professional portraits rather than formal headshots. A la squares and rectangles, a headshot can be a portrait, but not all portraits are headshots. And frankly, there’s nothing wrong with a formal headshot - it’s quick, and conveys a clean, short professional message.
It’s more a personal opinion of mine that having both can come in handy. Your professional image can and, if possible, should represent you in a way that tells your story subtly. So when discussing options for headshots, I try to collaborate with clients to choose somewhere that will allow for a formal tight formal as well as a portrait that shows the world they live in.
In the ever-changing landscape of professional imagery, a portrait is a great chance for you to show your truest side. Show off your environment, who you really are, and a little of your story in a clean and creative way.
