8 Surprising Hacks to Crush your LinkedIn Portrait Photography

 
A creative business portrait used for a LinkedIn headshot is an important part of your personal brand photography portfolio.

If you are a coach, an online course creator or an author, an artist, yoga teacher or really any Seattle based small business you know that that on brand business photos are crucial to your success: online is probably the first place that potential customers will “meet” you.

If you work for a company and want to keep your options open, your creative business portrait on LinkedIn is going to be the first impression future employers will have of you.

And we all know that our world gets more and more visual: people will judge you by that first profile photo they see of us if we like it or not.

(Learn about the impact lifestyle branding photography can have on your business HERE)

What makes a business portrait impactful?

But what makes a LinkedIn or social media profile photo impactful? How do you know if you have “the right” kind of photo that will connect with the viewer and be the star of your personal branding photo portfolio?

1. Why “creative” matters in a business portrait

Are just another  “basic” boring business person? I didn’t think so . So why would you want to have a normcore business profile photos? Let your personality shine here and make sure your image supports the vibe of your brand . A creative business portraits helps you connect, stand out and be memorable.

(If you are not really sure about defining your brand vibe, learn more HERE)

2. Expression is key

Have you seen all these fake smiles in business portraits? Did they make you feel like you already like this person, that you definitely want to reach out and do business with them? Probably not. And the same is true for your dream customs.: You want to appear like your natural self in your profile photo while projecting professionalism, approachability and trustworthiness. A fake smile an make you look insincere, a stern impression does not motivate people to explore further if you are a good fit for them.

3. Flattering light

For creative business portraits we often use soft, natural light. It enhances the skin, making lines disappear and gives a bright, approachable feel to the photo.
It is especially important here to have a large “catchlight” (a bright spot) in your eyes since this makes you look alert, awake and ready for action.
The most flattering light is often found outdoors in open shade or reflected from the wall of a building.

(Learn how to find that flattering light HERE)

4. The “right” outfit for your personal brand

In the context of business and personal branding photography clothes do more than just keep you warm and make you look good. Their job is to signal what line of work you are in and what kind of role you aspire to.

Go with what your audience expects someone in your job (or your future dream job!) to look like: The owner of a yoga studio sporting a sharp business suit in her LinkedIn headshot will confuse her clients as much as the finance CEO in an edgy band sweater. Also think about your local culture: a financial professional in Seattle is expected to dress a little more relaxed than in Boston

Start by considering what you would wear to meet a new client or employer: professional but not overly formal for your line of work. Another thing to note is that simple cloths in solid colors tend to look best in your business portraits .

(Not sure which outfits would look best in a photo?  Learn “How to look good in Photos” HERE)

5. What  location supports your personal brand message?

The location of your LinkedIn headshot should give your audience a hint of your personal brand style.

 An image taken with nature in the background has a different feel that business portrait taken in front of a futuristic new office building. Make sure your background is simple and does not distract from your face. Use light backgrounds – especially if you have dark hair so your tresses will not merge with the background.

6. Check the Resolution

You want to use a high-resolution in your creative business portrait image: the ideal size is 400x400 pixels. Larger file sizes also work (8MB is the max) but try to avoid smaller, low-resolution images that can appear blurry or pixelated.

7. Find the best Crop

Crop close! These business portraits often appear very small especially if sites like LinkedIn are viewed on a phone.
Depending on the style of the business portrait I like to crop from a little beneath the collar bone to the crown of the head.

8. What not to do

Do not use a photo with other people or your dog in it! Even if this shows who is important in your life it does not look professional in in a business context. And no, cutting the other people out of the glorious vacation / party shot to get a business portrait won’t work either – especially if there are still some shoulders and arms of the other person in the frame.

So now that you know all the criteria that make an impactful business portrait, take a long hard look at your current profile and LinkedIn images and decide for yourself: are my images standing out, show your personality in an approachable way and be memorable? Is your business portrait winning you new clients or costing you sales?

It all seems a lot? If you are just not sure your current image works in your favor or if you are just  not a natural in front of the camera, it really helps to call in a professional.

Especially for if you are camera-shy and generally don’t like to have your picture taken it makes a big difference to have

have an easy rapport with your photographer. She will work with you to pick out the right outfits, a background that connects and then help you relax and enjoy yourself during the session.

Message me if having professional photos taken does not come easy to you – I love the challenge of working with the hesitant business person! And YOU  will love the results.

Wherever your marketing ideas lead you, you will want to keep the customer experience consistent and enhanced bywith engaging with beautiful, lifestyle branding images that tell the story of your business.

Learn more about the benefits of branding photography to your business HERE. Or contact me with any questions:

I’m Oriana von Specht, a published personal branding photographer and brand strategist. I love working with small business owners and entrepreneurs in the Seattle area, helping them to push past their fears of being seen, and teaching them how to create the photos and brands they imagine. My mission is to give you an online image makeover that boosts your confidence—and your sales! 

Contact me at oriana (at) purplesquidphotography.com to make your vision a reality!