What is the difference between headshot and personal branding session?
Probably the clearest distinction between the personal branding photography and headshot is the amount of YOU in the photo. I like to think of brand shoot more like a large umbrella where you find combination of headshots, lifestyle images and your own stock photos all in one shoot.
Headshot is what it says on the tin – head and shoulder close-up image. I quite love the analogy of a headshot as ‘a handshake’ vs ‘sitting down with a client for cup of coffee getting to know you’ as a branding.
Technically speaking
Most profile images are tiny thumbnails, so headshot is the perfect composition to fill this valuable space to ensure that your face is memorable.
Personal branding photos are a great way to offer a lot more personality than a headshot, combining environment and more expressive posing, which will result in diverse array of content. However these may be a little tough on eyes as a profile images.
It’s easy to fill your website with branding images – they are unique, dynamic and expressive in nature, communicate your story, brand and feel without being too literal and formal.
Now, imagine to be met with a head and shoulder image as a website header, it would feel quite intimidating rather than inviting and pretty overwhelming. The perfect use of a headshot on the website is an update on ‘about me’ or ‘meet the team’ page and more proportionally sized.
Focus on brand vs focus on you
Personal brand shoot starts in preparation. Lots of integral questions are asked about you and your business to help the photographer understands your brand as a whole. What is your brand all about? Who is your ideal client? What feelings you would like your images to evoke? How would you describe your brand in 3 words?…
On the other hand, a headshot is all about nailing a great portrait of you. There is not much focus on the brand message, rather a focus on the individual. Having said that, the location, background, outfit choices, expression can say a lot about your personality, so don’t underestimate the power of an image – headshot doesn’t need to be boring corporate photo!
Business growth
Branding shoot allows you to share your message with on-brand visual content through the variety of images captured during the shoot. The idea is to have an instant impact on the way your brand feels, looks and adopts to fresh, new ways of communicating to your client. Nothing wrong with stock photos, but they won’t help you to stand out in long run.
Even though headshot session doesn’t require much planning, don’t underestimate the importance of making a great first impression. Classic headshot plays an important role across all platforms in form of profile images, PR releases, intros to podcasts or insta lives just to name a few.
In conclusion
Asking yourself these questions could be helpful if you can’t decide between headshot or personal branding photoshoot.
What does my business need at the moment?
What will bring more value to my marketing strategy?
Do I struggle finding visual content for my daily/weekly content (social media, email signature, blog posts etc.)?
Does my website/or any other platforms communicate my brand estethically?
Am I happy with my profile images?
In summary, whether it is an updated headshot or brand refresh you need, quality photography represents your business credibility in the eyes of a consumer. It says that you care for your brand which can directly influence whether or not someone chooses to invest in you or your product, no matter how big or small your brand is.
If you want to know more about how we could work together, head over here.
