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Is your image is over two years old , ask yourself honestly , ‘ do I still look like that ?’ If integrity is a strong value within your business , then you have to start walking the walk , and having a photo that looks like you today , not three years ago – or longer .
REASONS TO UPDATE YOUR IMAGES :
• You may change your hair colour or style . You may have come to recognise that certain colours suit your skin tone better than the black you always wore previously .
• The business is a success , and you have more money to spend on your business than you had in the first few years , and although professional photography may seem to be a luxury when you are a ‘ start-up ’, professional images will represent you and your brand in the way you want to be portrayed .
• The coming year may be a landmark celebration for your business ; or you
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have developed a new strand of work , or written a book . All good reasons to have professional images for PR purposes .
TIPS FOR PLANNING YOUR HEADSHOT :
1 . Having no picture is as bad as having a bad image on your Linkedin profile / or other social media . Why ? People may wonder if you actually exist .
2 . Plan why you need your photo and where you are going to use them ie print or web . Share this information with your photographer .
3 . In a good portfolio image , it ’ s best if you look straight into the camera and smile . People are drawn to a smiling face over a bland or miserable one .
4 . It is important to see your eyes , without distractions , such as hats , or sunglasses - unless you have a medical condition and wear dark glasses .
5 . Beforehand , practice smiling with your teeth showing , to find what looks most
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natural and professional for you . 6 . Wear a colour that suits you because it makes your eyes shine , rather than making your skin look lacklustre .
7 . Ladies , wear mascara and lipstick , even if you don ’ t normally wear make-up ; both make your eyes stand out .
8 . Talk to your photographer about how much editing is done , and ask if dark lines and any spots can be removed .
9 . Choose a photographer who you feel comfortable with .
THE 3 BIGGEST MISTAKES PEOPLE MAKE : 1 . Getting a friend to take the picture to save money 2 . Wearing black because it ‘ slims me down ’ 3 . Wanting to be ‘ just captured naturally ’ rather than looking at the camera
In answer to those points ... 1 . A friend may be good with the camera , the same way most of my friends can use scissors , but I wouldn ’ t ask them to
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cut my hair for an important event .
2 . Black does cover a multitude of sins , but it can also make your skin look lack lustre , and make you look older .
3 . Have you seen the faces most of us make when we ’ re talking to friends and expressing ourselves ? They are not the best images to use for business .
New Year , New image – best face forward !
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