LinkedIn Headshots

Most folks who come into the studio mention new LinkedIn headshots as one of their goals. Here are a few of my thoughts on the topic.

Have Something... Anything!

You gotta have a photograph of some sort in your profile, even if it's from your trip to Cancun and there's an iguana on your shoulder. Your profile is 14 times more likely to be viewed when there’s a profile photo. That’s huge.

Seriously, what is your impression of someone who has a ‘not pictured’ avatar next to their name? At best, they appear too lazy to upload a photo. At worst, it makes them appear to be shady character dodging the feds.

Is this the impression you want to give?

Pro is Better

I know this is completely self-serving coming from a headshot photographer, but you should just suck it up and get a professional photograph. A good headshot costs the same as a fancy dinner, but is tax deductible, will last for years and can’t be ruined by tomato sauce.

And just as not having a picture gives an instant bad impression, a professional photograph projects the confidence and approachability you want your future employer to see.

The Photo Is Your Front Entrance

A profile photo is the front entrance of your store. If the paint is flaking off your sign, or your awning is caked in pigeon poop, people won't want to come in and see all the great merchandise you have inside. With a professional headshot, people are more likely to come in and learn about your magna cum laude from Hopkins.

By the way, professional doesn’t just mean 'photographed with studio lighting'. You can get a headshot with professional lighting at the mall. Good headshots have lighting and posing tailored to you and your unique face. You may need to be thinned down, bulked up, turned to the left or right, have some accent light on your jaw or hair, be photographed heroically from a low angle or made more approachable from above. On top of all this, and probably most importantly, the pro headshot photographer will be adept at helping you to relax and find your best natural facial expression.

There’s much more to the session than most folks realize -- and it’s also more fun than most realize. And in the end, you’ve created an engaging, natural image that will draw in everyone who sees it.

Get In Close

A note on cropping: LinkedIn profile images are small, so you want to jam your head into that frame and make the most of your on-screen real estate. I like to crop my images from the top of the head to the top of the shoulders.

I know it is frightening staring down the barrel of that big lens, but your face is where all the personality is, so that’s where we need to concentrate! (If your portrait is being used on another site where it is displayed larger, it’s OK to back off a bit).

Know Your Audience

Most of the time you want your headshot to project approachability and confidence, a combination of “this person can do the job” with “this person is not a jerk.”

Depending on your industry, we can tailor that feeling. If you are cybersecurity expert battling Russian hackers, or a financial expert managing billions of euros, you may care more about the confidence side of the equation. If you are a pediatrician or psychotherapist, we may want to emphasize the warm cuddly side more!

There are many ways to affect the mood of the photo, from the choice of angle, background color, lighting and facial expression. The recipe is different for each individual, and this is the sort of thing that a photographer will play with during your studio session.