Your LinkedIn photo is more important than you think and having a professional LinkedIn headshot made for you matters. It’s the first impression that can determine if LinkedIn users will even read your profile. To get it right, first it’s important to consider LinkedIn specifications for the photo.
Increasingly, the Quality of Your LinkedIn Profile Photo Has an Impact on How Effective LinkedIn Can Be for You
So, you’ve setup a headshot session and you’re wondering if you should smile while photos are being taken. For some folks, it’s complicated – how much smile is a good smile versus not enough or overdoing it? It can get even more complicated than this, but it doesn’t have to be.
Can You Pull Off Just the Right Amount of Smile for Your Ideal Headshot?
You get what you pay for. It’s a cliché that has a lot of truth when it comes to how much a headshot costs. It’s also complicated to answer how much does it cost for headshots. There are many variables. That said, headshots don’t have to be expensive, at least not as much as many people think.
It can depend on your location – more on this in a bit. However, the cost for professional headshots can range wildly. I’ve seen ranges in major metro areas from as low as $50 to as high as nearly $10,000. Yes, $10,000 – I’ve typed it twice as to ensure you know it’s not a typo.
Headshot Rates Can Vary Widely from City to City or Depending on What They’re For
You are more likely now more than ever to need a professional headshot. But what is this anyway? First, it’s usually spelled “headshot” but sometimes also as “head shot.” Simply put, a headshot is a professional photo of your face. But there’s more to it than that. Nowadays it’s usually a digital file but there are still instances where prints are needed. A headshot is also often called a profile image – such as those you post on a social media profile. The next question that often comes up is why does it need to be professional? Well, for a lot of reasons.
A Professionally Made Headshot Stands Apart Compared with a Smartphone Shot or Other Non-Professional Photo
If you’re rather new to getting headshots, you might wonder going into a session what you should do to pose? Like most photography answers, there is no one way or one shoe fits all answer to this. Much of it depends on the purpose of the headshot – is it for an actor, executive, a model, dancer, etc. and how will it primarily be used? Also, is there a feel or emotion you’re trying to convey?
There truly is no one way to address how to pose. Therefore, there are no rules. But there are some obvious considerations.
Smiling during headshots is arguably the one thing most people struggle with. They often think they overdo it or underdo it. It’s never just right. Therefore, it’s important to establish quick rapport with a headshot photographer. Being put at ease goes a long way toward getting that smile just right.
When posing for a smile, consider having your headshot photographer take many variations so you can ultimately find that one where your smile is great. Then again, there are some situations where you don’t want to smile. For example, an actor theatrical headshot might call for a more serious look.
Sometimes, a Smile Isn’t Fitting, Such as With Theatrical Actor Headshots
