A dear friend once took a look at the very first headshots I had taken and simply said “they’re just pictures.” At the time, it was easy to take offense (I was proud of those portraits). Today, I’m extremely grateful for her honesty. She was right! 

There’s something so exciting about picking up a camera for the first time and taking someone’s picture. Once you frame a shot, find an interesting light source (the sun), and a cool blurred background (a brick wall I found), there’s no stopping the rush from looking at a picture you took and thinking, “Hey! That kind of looks like a headshot!” This is how it began for me - friends in a park recreating the types of pictures that had been taken of me as an actor. It’s a very important imitation! There’s something that makes a picture of a person pop. A certain angle - a certain setup - that makes it read as something “other” than just a picture of a person. There was this mystery that separated a picture from a headshot and I was eager to unlock it. 

The following exploration was preceded by the term “better.” Better light. Better camera. Better lenses. I bought a $10 round reflector (which I still use in all of my headshots to this day) and found better light. What I now know as a fill light was “professional lighting,” that silver lining under the chin and against the ear illuminating golden fibers of sunlight through the hair separated a photo from a headshot. New lenses told me that the sharp focus on the eyes that slowly faded to a blurred background appeared “more professional.” Studio lights cut my reliance on the sun and made me feel in control of the image I was taking. All along this path I thought I was approaching the image of a “professional headshot photographer.” Their pictures looked like mine! The lighting was similar. I used similar lenses. This whole time, I was proud and convinced that I was taking professional headshots. Still, my friend told me honestly that I was just showing her professional “looking” headshots.

All children learn through imitation. Examples are important to lead the way. And along the path of imitation, we make contact with the real thing. Eventually we start to analyze it with a critical eye and make it our own. What kept me taking pictures (whether I realized it or not) wasn’t the approach towards images that appeared more “professional.” It was the time I spent with subjects; learning their personalities, making them laugh and smile, helping them relax and trying to see them as if looking through their own eyes. Eventually, my focus turned from professionality to honesty 

This is how I define a professional headshot.

A professional headshot is honest. It’s a tool used to show personality. A headshot photographer’s job is to capture someone as their truthful self. It’s a delicate profession, because honesty requires vulnerability. The interaction I have with each client is the most important part of every session - I need to let them relax and be open (while under hot lights and with a camera in their face). My sessions are fun because that’s when personality shines best - through joy. This process takes time and can’t be rushed, especially with clients who aren’t actors that were trained in relaxation and honesty. The best part of my job are the moments when clients open up to me. It’s when they smile from a place of joy, not obligation. They appear strong, focused and powerful because they feel that way instead of presenting it. A professional headshot is approached from the question “How does this photo feel?” rather than, “How does this photo look?”

Something I always say at the start of every section is to “start from neutral.” This is helpful for me to set up lighting, color balance, and other technical stuff. For the client, however, this is meant to take off the pressure of looking a certain way, or being anything other than your own self in a room in conversation with another person (that’s me!) A professional headshot is taken with your comfort in strong consideration because getting your photo taken can absolutely feel uncomfortable at first. I don’t like to settle for the first photo, but take the time to work with my clients to get the best ones and leave them feeling joyful and energized by our time together.

When searching for the right person to take your pictures, look through their work and ask yourself how their portraits feel. What can you find out about their process? What do they do to make sure you’re feeling comfortable and relaxed during your session? These all may seem like nice add-ons to someone with a good camera, but they are extremely important in guaranteeing a photo session that leaves you feeling strong and confident. Don’t just spend money on a good picture of yourself. Invest in a professional headshot!