Headshots and personal branding: an essential investment

In our digital world, a quality headshot is usually your first impression. And in a crowded business landscape, you need a headshot that’s authentic, beautiful, and builds trust with your clientelle.

As a professional headshot photographer in Bend, one of the most important aspects of my portrait work is the trust my clients have in me. I want my clients to know that I’ll be working with them to bring out only their best. Sometimes that means trying something unexpected to create something unique that will help you stand apart from the crowd.

Many times, people hesitate to book a headshot or personal branding session because it feels intimidating. What do I wear for my headshot? Do I need to get my hair and makeup done? How am I supposed to pose?? My job is to take the worry and stress out of this experience. I will guide you along with the way, from your first inquiry to scheduling your session, to prepping and planning for the shoot, to posing you the entire time you are in front of my camera.

What is the difference between personal branding and headshots?

The truth is, the two concepts are very similar! Consider a headshot as the first step toward personal branding. A headshot is a simple image where YOU are the focus. Typically, professional headshots are shot from the chest up and are great for things like a LinkedIn profile pic or business cards. Personal branding, on the other hand, is a series of images that help tell the story of you and the brand you’ve built. Traditional professional headshots are included in a personal branding session, but then you and the photographer will work together on a visual narrative that shows you at work behind the scenes and with your clients, examples of your product or service, location details that enhance your brand identity, and more. The possibilities with personal branding are endless and these images can be used all over the place - on your website, social media, marketing campaigns…the list goes on and on. Personal branding images not only showcase your product or service, they help build trust with your potential clients. Priceless.

Posing and Wardrobe

You aren’t expected to be a professional model when you sign up for a headshot or personal branding session. In fact, one of my favorite parts of working with clients on their headshots is helping you feel confident and comfortable through prompting and lots of encouragement. As someone who also works with high school students as a photography teacher, I’ve got a little practice in this department. You’ll be surprised by how easy the session will actually be. You’re in trustworthy hands, so enjoy the experience.

Have questions on what to wear or how to pose? That’s why you hire a professional. My job is to take the stress out of your photo shoot experience. I will pose you from head to toe during your session and am more than happy to jump on a FaceTime call to help you decide on wardrobe. We will work together every step of the way to get you the best images possible. Need hair and makeup help for your photoshoot? Just ask!

A word about retouching

Rest assured, retouching is a part of every headshot I deliver. Because one of the reasons you are coming to a professional is to get the highest-quality service–which includes the work I do after your session is finished! Think of our headshot sessions as baking the cake — we put all the ingrediants together — the pose, the outfit, the most flattering light. And then I’ll give you the icing on the cake with a meticulous retouch designed to enhance all your qualities so you feel great about your final image.

Teams and Organizations

If your company has a whole team that needs headshots, then let’s talk! I can develop a custom package that brings everyone in the studio, or brings my mobile studio to you! Depending on the number of individuals, we can move everyone through very efficiently and create a clean, consistent, and professional look for your company or organization. There is nothing that enhances an organization’s online professional marketing better than showing your team behind the scenes.

See my Pricing page for Headshots and Personal Branding for more details.