Portrait Photography: The Importance of Having a Professional Profile Shot
Portrait photography has been around for centuries, even if posing for such pictures took a very long time in the early days, and only the rich could afford them. Modern technology means that virtually everyone has access to a camera phone. And the power of the internet means that the pictures you take can be shared and instantly viewed by potentially millions of people around the world.
Here Lee Hayes, who offers high-quality portrait photography services from his base in Ipswich, looks at why it’s important to get these types of pictures ‘right’, particularly from a commercial perspective.
To Get a Step Ahead
Setting up an account on a professional’s platform like LinkedIn is essential in today’s business world. And, it is essential to know that your profile picture is the one element that is constantly visible to potential clients, business partners or headhunter, even when they click or scroll down for more details.
Potentially, people may not read what you have to say about yourself, or consider you for a position/business proposal if they don’t like your picture.
Poor Picture = Poor PR
Just as you wouldn’t want a CV to be full of spelling errors, the same applies to pictures. Out of focus or pixelated images don’t create a good impression for potential future employers or business partners.
Don’t forget, you may need pictures of your employees for your website and promotional materials too. It’s not just about putting yourself out there, it's about putting your company out there too.
Don’t rely on a personal photo of you on holiday or with your pet. You want to create a professional image on a professional site, so use a professional photographer.
Don’t Forget Social Media
It’s not just about professional sites such as LinkedIn. A professionally taken picture will help build engagement and likes on other platforms as well, such as Facebook. It is sad to say, but people will only tend to click on or engage with what you have to say if you have a good, interesting, or different picture.
Don’t forget that a professional photographer will also be able to take images that can be used in press releases, company brochures, and other promotional material.
No Copyright Issues
Moving away from personal portrait photography, it can be tempting to rely on stock images if you want to illustrate something about your business. However, this is a potential legal minefield, requiring you to know all about things like single and multiple application, editorial and commercial use, royalty-free, and other similar terms, and infringing copyright can be an extremely costly mistake if you get it wrong. And there’s always the chance that someone else – perhaps even your rival – will have chosen to use exactly the same images.
Using a professional photographer will help avoid any of these potential issues.
Personal Photography from Lee Hayes
I am highly experienced in portrait photography, and have worked for businesses and private individuals in Ipswich, Felixstowe, Woodbridge, Stowmarket, and across Suffolk, Essex and Norfolk.
Pictures can either be taken at your location, which may be more cost-effective if you have a lot of employees, or at my own studio in Ipswich where all the different backgrounds are at hand.
Clients usually receive two different head shots (per person) in three different formats; a full-size high-resolution .jpg, a .jpg that is optimised for Instagram and a third which is optimised for websites. I will also provide you with a USB or disc so that you can print out any hard copies as well if you wish. The cost of the work is calculated on a day/half-day rate.
To learn more about my portrait photography service, click here. Alternatively, you can contact me directly on 07809 431944 or email: lee@leehayesphotography.co.uk.