How To Find A Great Headshot Photographer

You need a new headshot but you're not sure what to look for when it comes to finding a great headshot photographer. Here are the answers!

Find A Great Headshot Photographer

The first clue to finding a great headshot photographer is to understand the essentials of headshot photography. Headshots, by their very nature, are somewhat formulaic. They typically are simply a photo of your head and shoulders, maybe a little more of your body, well lit, and well posed.

Additionally, there are not a lot of poses or lighting styles that work for headshots. There's of course nuance in how you're posed and lit. However, you're not going to see a massive difference from photographer to photographer unless you know what to look for.

Seeing Subtle Differences

When it comes to headshot photography there are subtle differences that should stand out. First, the person in the photo should look confident and not fearful. Beyond that the photo should be flattering. This is true both in how the people are posed as well as how they are lit.

If they don't look their best then the photographer is doing something wrong. Therefore, if you're looking at headshot photographers, your first step is to eliminate any with portfolios full of people who don't look their best.

Headshot Portfolio Inspection

Now, to be clear, I'm not suggesting each person should be a model. In fact, the opposite is true. The photographer's portfolio should not feature models unless you are looking for a photographer to do modeling headshots.

Instead, the people in the headshot photographer's portfolio should look like everyday people. Those everyday people should look their best, not like models, but like themselves while also looking great. Therefore, make sure to spend time looking at the photographer's portfolio. Ask yourself if each headshot looks flattering.

What To Look For

Here are some critical things to look for when inspecting a headshot photographer's portfolio.

Shadows

Look for shadows falling on the face, under the eyes, next to the nose, etc. Great headshots should feature a well lit face without deep dark shadows falling across the person's face.

There should be some shadow under the chin. This is a mark of a great headshot photographer. They should help folks with weaker chins to appear to have more definition around their jawline.

Eyes

The eyes are the window to the soul. Or so the saying goes. They're also a critical part of a headshot. You should almost always be able to see a reflection of the light in the eyes of the person having their headshot taken.

Of course, glasses can cause issues that require forgoing this. However, in nearly all other situations you should see what we call spectral highlights. Those are the reflection of the light in their eyes.

Direction

Great headshot photographers know that you need to see both eyes. If one of their eyes are cut off there should be a really great reason for it. Psychologically speaking, people tend not to trust people who are hiding even part of one eye in their headshot.

Their Good Side

You've likely heard people mention that they want to be photographed from their "good side." That really comes down to a few factors. However, for most people it is often the side with the eye that appears smaller. Nearly nobody's faces are symmetrical.

Great headshot photographers will turn people so that their smaller eye is closer to the camera. This will help to create a more even and symmetrical look. Generally speaking, if their eye appears larger, so do other features. Therefore, turning the smaller side of their face towards the camera helps to subtly correct that difference.

Headshot Sessions Get Emotional

Using the above techniques might not narrow down the choices when it comes to great headshot photographers near you. In fact, it should be the bar above which all headshot photographers pass.

That said, headshots are really about the emotional experience.

Great headshot photographers can easily and quickly relax their clients.

Additionally, they help their clients navigate what is often a rare and awkward experience. After all, most people see a dentist twice a year. Chances are you're only seeing your headshot photographer once every few years at the most.

Meet Your Headshot Photographer First

To make sure your headshot photographer is able to make you feel at ease meet with them first. Meeting your photographer is a great way to figure out if you'll feel comfortable with them.

Plus, you can ask them questions. For example, ask them how long they've been doing headshots. Too, ask if they've had any bad or strange experiences. Finally, you should ask them how quickly you can expect to have your headshots back.

If you're looking for a great headshot photographer in Atlanta please check out my portfolio.