Executive Headshot Mistakes to Avoid: Tips from Professional Photographers

As the world shifts more towards online interactions, an executive headshot has now become a necessity for any professional. 

“A well-made headshot can enhance a website and help establish instant confidence, which is important in this digital and global economy dominated by professions in different fields,” states a 2022 LinkedIn survey which also found that profile pictures that are labeled professional are viewed 14 times more and 36 times more are liable to line of inquiries. 

Regardless of whether it is your first professional photograph or updating an outdone headshot, being aware of certain things would make sure that you will utilize this opportunity to the maximum. This article will provide fundamental guidelines on how to take executive headshots, the dos and don’ts starting from taking indoor photographs to outdoor settings, and including suggestions from professional photographers.

1. Not Hiring a Professional Photographer

One of the greatest mistakes is skipping hiring a professional photographer. Professional photographers are attentive, know all they should about lighting and have the experience to depict the best version of you.

In a survey carried out by LinkedIn, enhanced headshots had not only 14 more views of profiles with such pictures but also 36 times the chances of getting replied to by recruiters. Making that picture turn into a great norms is therefore important.

Solution: Find out a few local photographers who focus on corporate or executive headshots. Look through their gallery to see if their approach fits with your brand. Even though hiring a qualified photographer may appear to venture, it is an investment worth making and one that will create returns in terms of your professional appearance.

2. Choosing the Wrong Setting: Indoor vs. Outdoor

The setting of your executive headshot plays a significant role in the outcome. While indoor and outdoor headshots each have their advantages, it’s essential to choose a setting that aligns with your industry and personal brand.

Indoor Headshots: The Classic Choice

Indoor headshots are mainly done in a studio setting which makes them perfect for professionals working in other traditional sectors like banking, law, or consulting. 

• Advantages: The best part about taking photos in enclosed spaces is that lighting can be managed, and unattractive backgrounds can be avoided. This leads to a neat and professional photograph that draws attention only to the subject.
• Disadvantages: However, indoor photography may appear too polished and artificial in some cases, especially where styling is not done appropriately.

Outdoor Headshots: A Modern Approach

Outdoor headshots utilize available sunlight and lend a more friendly modern look, unlike indoor headshots which are more formal and stiff in appearance. Such photographs are suitable for people working in creative arts, technology or in a start-up environment where such individuals aspire for an open and imaginative picture.

• Advantages: Natural lighting helps create a picture with rich warmth and variety. In addition different outdoor locations for instance; parks, buildings, and even the urban skyline can add life to any background.
• Disadvantages: They can be tricky because of the weather elements and if the background is busy it might overpower the focus which in this case is you.

3. Wearing Inappropriate Clothing

Wearing inappropriate attire may affect how one carries himself in an executive setup. Resist the urge to clad oneself in, busy designs, gaudy colors or very informal clothing that may be inconceivable or too conspicuous.

Professional headshot stylists suggest anchoring one’s wardrobe on plain and dull colors that match one’s profession. For instance, a neat jacket and a dressed-up shirt always present a smart image, while too much jewelry or other extras may divert attention from the individual’s face.

Solution: Dress for the position that you desire, not the one that you have. Seek to present a style that exhibits professionalism and meets the industry standards. Basic and classic garments will assist in keeping your portrait in the current style for a long period.

4. Ignoring Grooming and Makeup

This might sound trivial at first, but ignoring grooming or applying makeup can lead to one’s full appearance seeming incomplete or false. In a headshot, one is expected to remove or trim their beard from any stray hairs, especially if it is bushy, as well as any signs of oily skin. In the same fashion, it is unacceptable to wear a layer of makeup that is so thick or to engage in so much Photoshop that the final work does not even resemble the person.

Solution: In regard to cosmetics, it is advisable to achieve warm and pleasant makeup that only accentuates your best features and not masking them. Both men and women will benefit from the application of light powder to cut down shine, while a simple grooming regime will keep you looking clean-cut. Many photographers will perform simple retouching, which is a very alien interference in creating your image.

5. Choosing an Unflattering Angle or Pose

When such incorrect angles or Directions Occur, They Teach A Lesson To All Who Look At You, And Quite A Different One. For example, standing straight with arms crossed and facing the camera may seem too stiff and difficult to some. On the other hand, over-tilting of the head or fake smiling would also ruin the picture, making it look awkward.

Solution: Help your photographer achieve a candid pose in which you look friendly. Angling your body slightly or leaning towards the camera will create an inviting appearance. An experienced photographer will assist you in turning your body to flattering angles while sitting in a pose that exhibits confidence.

6. Over-Retouching the Image

Retouching helps improve a picture but too much of it usually leads to an unrealistic picture. Take for example airbrushing, it can smoothen the wrinkles to the extent that it does not even look like you. 

An image over-retouched can appear hyperreal. Authenticity is highly valued by recruiters and potential clients, so it’s crucial that your headshot represents the real you. Thus, a headshot ought to be representative of one’s true image. 

Solution: Ask your photographer to do basic retouching to clean minor imperfections like stray hairs or skin without changing the shape of your face or the way you express it. Minor changes will make you presentable while still keeping it real. 

7. Overlooking the Importance of Expression

The expression on your face in an executive headshot is also key in ensuring that the other party has a great first impression of you. People do not have to force or fake an expression because it will end up looking awkward and the person will dissociate themselves from it. 

Solution: Maintain a calm confident smile as much as you can. Most photographers will advise you to smile with the mouth closed, which is the best way because a smile is friendly but too much of it can come off as domineering. Smile at yourself in the mirror and perfect one smile that looks realistic enough.

8. Failing to Update Your Headshot Regularly

A headshot is a photo any person would look at most often, and when meeting someone in real life who overused a particular photographic image, it creates distortions. In essence, the headshot must denote one’s present self, the position held, and relevant experience: all current and in real-time.

Solution: Avoid using the same image for more than a year or two, and replace it especially when there is a drastic transformation in one’s looks such as in hairstyles or weight. This allows for consistency in one’s image and online presence.

9. Using Distracting Backgrounds or Props

The background is an integral component of a headshot and an intricate as well as a busy background will divert attention from the subject being photographed. Tricks or tools enhance visual appeal, but they also spoil the business portraits for managers.

Solution: If you decide that a more modern outdoor photograph will suit you best, choose that place where you will take a picture in such a way that will support you and not overtake you. Indoor photographs should typically revolve around plain colors like grey or white, as this helps to draw attention to the subject only.

When it comes to a professional headshot, it is not simply a picture taken of one’s face, it is an opportunity to introduce oneself. No matter the choice of indoors or outdoors, employ an expert, wear a kind smile, and let the picture portray the efficacy that one possesses in the job.