The importance of business headshots

When was the last time you had business headshots taken? If it’s been five or more years, you seriously need to think about getting a new one.

What is a business headshot and what should it consist of? That answer can vary depending on various factors. You have to decide how formal do you want your headshot. Do you want a traditional headshot in front of a photography backdrop? Do you want a shot that shows you in your element, perhaps with your workplace in the background?

Moments in Time Images has been doing quite a few business headshots lately. It seems most people want the standard head and shoulders shot in front of a backdrop, and that’s great. That’s what most professional headshots are. These shots work great for a business web page, your LinkedIn profile, a resume or any other professional need. Some companies, however, want something more. I’m seeing a trend toward more modern shots. These shots could be taken outside or within the workplace setting. They often are more than the typical head and shoulders shot.

I recently had a request to do these so-called modern headshots for a dental office. The office wanted something a little different, something that showed more personality among the office staff. These shots can be fun to do as they require more creativity. The standard office headshot takes just a few minutes to do. You stand the person in front of the backdrop and shoot the picture. The modern headshot requires more creativity. You have to decide how can you best show the personality of the subject. If the office is the backdrop, you want to make sure you show the office facility in a good light as well.

Putting pictures of office staff members on the website is a great idea, and businesses that haven’t done this should consider it. Now of course, if an office has hundreds of employees this may not work. But for smaller offices in particular, using business headshots on the website can personalize the company. It makes people see that the company is not just a business but a collection of people who work together to provide the client with the products and services they are looking for.

Updated headshots are important because you don’t want photos of employees that people will obviously know are old. Updating business headshots can send a signal that a company wants to stay up to date with not only its website but its operation. Dated headshots may show that a company does not regularly update its webpage.

So whatever type of employee headshots your company needs, remember to get them done and keep them updated fairly regularly. It will make your employees feel valued and will benefit the company as well.