How do you know it’s time to update your professional portrait?
So many people procrastinate in having their portraits done. I always say it’s kind of like scheduling an appointment with the dentist. It can feel hard to make the commitment but it is so important for your personal or business brand’s health. (Because it’s okay to brag. That’s just making yourself visible and letting others know what you do!)
Once the booking is made, it’s actually fun to plan. You don’t have to do any shopping, unless you want to. Most of what you need for the session, you already have. And I help you with all of that.
Branding Blitz (aka mini-headshot session in an indoor space that we’ll take over for your power-packed 20 minutes) portrait sessions receive a short questionnaire, prep guides, and checklist emails. I’m also right there to answer any questions.
Brand Builder sessions are much more extensive and are customized directly according to your needs and goals. I’ll do a deep dive into researching your brand and brainstorming. I use your questionnaire, your website, your socials, and anything else you might have to fuel my learning about you. From that, I create a brand session plan that includes customized checklists and an outline. Together, we’ll review this plan a week before your session so that you have the opportunity to give feedback and we can make the necessary adjustments before we even meet.
The time is not always right for updated portraits. I’ll you know on the phone if there are steps you need to take first. It is always my goal that you walk away with a visual library that will serve you over time. I want people to have images that stop the scroll and encourage their audience to pause and get to know you.
How do you know it’s time to update your professional portraits?
Have you ever met someone new, having only seen their portrait beforehand? What happens when you realize the person in front of you looks nothing like the person you expected? That’s never a comfortable place to start a conversation. Make sure this sense of surprise and unsettle isn’t created by you.
a quick checklist:
✔ Currency ~ Is your portrait older than 3-5 years?
✔ Changes to your day-to-day appearance ~ Maybe you’ve drastically changed your hairstyle or you’ve made changes to your body shape? Maybe you are excessively dressed up or dressed down for how you authentically appear during in-person meetings?
✔ People are cropped out of the frame, especially if it is an ex. ~ You should be the focal point and not leave people wondering who the others in the photo are.
✔ Variety & Personality – You might need that traditional headshot, but often the images that are a little different than what is expected are what get noticed the most! (In a Branding Blitz, you walk away with 3 images. We can make those as traditional, or not, as you need. It’s 20 power-packed minutes that are entirely customized to YOU.)
✔ Your current portrait was created by Ai. ~ Sure, these look glossy and polished. They seem easy to make. However, there are often nuances such Ai swapping out teeth, eye color, or even altering body proportions unnaturally and inauthentically. Ai portraits are just enough “off” and your audience will sense that feeling of otherness.
✔ You don’t like your current portrait. You should be PROUD to show your face. ⚡️Everyone has a beautiful spark and showing up is the first step toward that ever important know, like, trust factor within your work.
How do you know if you need a bit more and a Brand Builder might be a better fit for you?
Some people need just a bit more. That is when the Brand Builder is a better fit.
You’re ready for this type of session if:
✔ The checklist above resonates with you.
✔ You have a clear(ish) vision of what your brand is about – the overall energy and mission, the colors, the logo. (If you need help in this department, I have A LOT of people that I collaborate with that can help you!)
✔ You need photos to tell your branding stories visually, either to elevate your website or for your social media to mix in with your in-the-moment phone photos.
✔ You need more than just portraits. You need the behind-the-scenes, processes, products, personalities, workspaces, and more. The list of what we can do is limitless!
